I’m a pediatrician in Michigan who created Rx Kids, one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty programs – here’s what I’ve learned about how medical schools can improve community health

As a pediatrician at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in Flint, Michigan, I perform well-child checks, treat asthma and discuss nutrition with families. I prescribe medicine and arrange follow-up visits.

Earlier in my career, when I would see families that struggled to pay rent, keep the lights on, feed their families, afford their medications or buy diapers, I saw how those hardships directly harmed their health, yet I felt powerless.