L.A. Care aims to tackle doctor shortage by paying for medical scholarships

Eight students put on the white coat in a ceremony in downtown Los Angeles to mark the start of their medical-school journeys.

These students are scholarship recipients, thanks to L.A. Care's Elevating the Safety Net program.

"This scholarship is alleviating the worry of having to pay for my medical school education," said recipient Monica Valle.

"So this scholarship will allow us to work in the communities we want to serve," said recipient Lewis Williams. "We don't have loans to pay back so we can take the jobs that we want to take."

For years, the L.A. Care program has aimed to shore up a shortage of doctors throughout LA county.

"Most of the scholarships have gone to students of color primarily," said John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care. "And that's a great thing. Even though we didn't have affirmative action because we're trying to get a future physician workforce that looks like the patients they're taking care of."

Many of the scholarship recipients grew up facing crushing poverty and overwhelming odds.

Valle was on the cusp of tears talking about her overwhelming struggle to live her dream.

"I am the daughter of Mexican immigrants," Valle said. "My parents have the equivalent of a second and third grade education. They don't have a formal education. But my parents taught me a lot about life. They taught me to have dreams. They taught me to fight for my dreams."

Each scholarship recipient is attending medical school at either Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science or David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.