Elizabeth Jacobs, MD: Advancing Equity in Healthcare, Research & Medical Education

Elizabeth Jacobs, MD, MAPP, FACP, has devoted her career to creating equitable environments in healthcare delivery, research, and education. One of our newest Board members, Liz is a primary care physician, research leader and investigator, professor of medicine, and mentor. In each of these roles, she’s also a change agent.

 “I’m most passionate about leading cultural change,” she says, “creating environments where everyone—students, scientists, patients, and providers—feels like they belong, and their contributions are important.”

She sees a similar passion at AAHRPP, especially in its commitment “to think innovatively about expanding the research umbrella, not only by helping organizations meet standards and attain accreditation but also by engaging more under-represented individuals in research.”

In many ways, Liz is following in the footsteps of her mother, a teacher in a California school that served the children of local farm workers. Liz grew up acutely aware of the challenges her mother’s students faced.

“I was inspired by her, at an early age, to make the world a more equitable place,” Liz says.

Liz has worked as a primary care physician in federally qualified health centers throughout her career, while leading and evaluating research and teaching and mentoring the next generation of physicians and scientists.

She earned a medical degree from the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and a master’s in public policy from the University of Chicago. After struggling during medical school and residency to care for patients with limited English proficiency, Liz decided to focus her research on disparities in healthcare.

Today, she is an expert in the provision of linguistically accessible and culturally competent care. Her research has been supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute on Aging, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The California Endowment, The Russell Sage Foundation, The Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and the Office of Minority Health.

 As a mentor, Liz works primarily with pre- and post-doctoral students “who need to be represented in healthcare. I’ve learned a lot from them about the headwinds they face and how I can support them as a sponsor, advocate, and mentor,” she says.

Liz routinely draws on those lessons as she strives to foster a culture where everyone has an opportunity to excel and be heard. She also follows her mother’s advice from long ago.

“She taught me to get to know people—to learn about their experiences and how they think about the world,” Liz says. “My work in health equity is a beautiful way to honor her memory and what she taught me.”