Urban Health Pathway Residents
Current Residents
Elijah LaSota, MD, Class of 2028
Sarah Dempsey-Piroleau, MD, Class of 2027
Azaria Lewis, DO, Class of 2027
Allison Ong, MD, Class of 2027
Alumni
Tobenna Ubu, MD, Alumni, Class of 2022
Elijah LaSota, MD, Class of 2028
Urban Health Track
The clinical experiences that comprise the Urban Health Pathway align perfectly with my career goals of providing high quality outpatient primary care for the LGBTQ+ community and other patients who face higher rates of discrimination in health care and beyond. Having this dedicated curriculum and group also provides us with access to incredible mentorship to guide us in our scholarly projects and career interests, and just a fantastic group of highly compassionate and talented physicians to work with, bounce ideas off, and discuss the almost recent literature at our journal clubs!
E-mail: elijah.lasota@jhsmiami.org
Azaria Lewis, MD, Class of 2027
Urban Health Track
The Urban Health Track has been one of the most transformative parts of my residency training, offering me hands-on opportunities to serve and learn from underserved urban communities while being mentored by visionary physician leaders. The Special Immunology rotation uniquely strengthened my skills in HIV care, allowing me to gain much deeper access to the workup and management of HIV and associated conditions, while also keeping me up to date on the future of HIV therapeutics and ongoing research for cure. Participating in IDEA Exchange demonstrated the power of harm reduction through clean needle exchange in preventing the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C, and I was deeply moved by the service and policy advancements championed by leaders like Dr. Hansel Tookes. Similarly, serving on street medicine runs with Dade County Street Response taught me the critical role of consistency, reliability, and trust in caring for our most underserved and unhoused neighbors—an intervention that proves that every life and every community matters. Through the mentorship of Dr. Van Kirk (creator of the Urban Health Track), Dr. Henderson (founder of Dade County Street Response), and Dr. Tookes (founder of IDEA Exchange), I was inspired to launch my own sustainable community-based nonprofit, Plant Power Prescription Inc., a food pharmacy that provides year-long access to whole-food, plant-based nutrition and education for families experiencing food insecurity. Housed within Dade County Street Response, this program not only supports Miami-Dade families but also gives medical students a meaningful opportunity to learn and teach nutrition as medicine. Beyond direct patient care, the Urban Health Track has cultivated in me a passion for policy work, showing me the immense impact of physician-led advocacy on sustainable change. This program has truly shaped me into both a more compassionate physician and an empowered community leader. I highly recommend the Urban Health Track to any physician seeking well-rounded training and a powerful foundation for serving underserved urban populations.
E-mail: azaria.lewis@jhsmiami.org
Tobenna Ubu, MD, class of 2022
Urban Health Track
I came to Miami, drawn by the language, the culture, and the emphasis on advocating for the underserved in this rapidly growing city. Knowing the barriers that low income patients and families face to accessing health care and living healthy lives, I applied to the Urban Health Tract so that I could be better equipped to make a difference for them. Through Scholarly activity like leading journal clubs discussing issues such as access to social distancing in homeless shelters and outcomes of people who use IV drugs and medication assisted detox, I've been able to better understand the conditions of my patients in the community. Through curricular opportunities such as the Special Immunology Clinic, Addiction Medicine, The IDEA Needle Exchange, and the Miami Rescue mission, I've been able to observe, learn, and practice culturally competent health care to this unique population that I hope to carry with me in my career. The like minds of my cohort and the leadership in the Urban Health Tract and the built in curricular experiences give me confidence that I can be a fierce advocate for my patients with low resources in the future.
Currently: Med-Peds Attending, Palmetto Bay, UHealth, Florida