Be More Like Jasmeet

During my first year as a resident at UCSF-Fresno, I entered a contest to write on the importance of physicians in leadership roles. My resident colleague and I were chosen to attend the National Conference of Constituent Leaders (NCCL) in Kansas City. Accepting a CAFP dinner invitation turned into a 10-year journey that started for me as a resident member to the board, then as Fresno-Kings-Madera President, Regional Director to the Board, and currently the CAFP President-elect. What a wonderful journey to have experienced through the years that has included: advocacy, CME, leadership, practice transformation, and the joy of medicine. I have had the honor to take this journey with a group of family doctors who love their patients, their communities, and one another. I’m especially proud to have seen the journey of the recently elected Dr. Jasmeet Bains from when I first met her as a resident to now as the first family physician and first Sikh American in California’s legislature, representing the Central Valley in Assembly District 35. I was struck by the authenticity and energy Jasmeet gives when you first meet her, connecting with you on just about any interest you may have. I have gotten to know Jasmeet in the last 3-4 years and understand the force behind her decision to run for office. She grew up in Delano, a rural town in the Central Valley where the hurdles she faced growing up are still present today. We have spent time discussing barriers people still face in the Central Valley in access to care, physician shortages, social determinants of health, homelessness, mental health and substance use disorders, affordable housing, water drought, and air quality.

Growing up in a small town myself and living in the Central Valley, I can relate with Jasmeet and our conversations on needs that are vital for any town to thrive. I have had the privilege to serve as the medical director for our rural clinic system, from the entrance to Yosemite down the oil fields of Taft. Every one of the towns in the valley is unique and special all together. Jasmeet understands this as a family physician rooted in her community.

My experience in visiting the various clinics and talking to patients, clinic staff, medical providers, and local government officials is that everyone living in that town wants to succeed, to grow, and are looking for ways to thrive. The pandemic forced us to think and act differently, from the care we provide in our health systems, to the education of our children, and most importantly how we value the gift of time. Jasmeet was on the frontlines, establishing field hospital sites to treat COVID patients. She leveraged her experience, talents, and community connections to make a difference. We can all do the same in our own communities.

As family physicians, we are in a unique and trusted position in our communities to make an incredible impact. We have the ability to contribute to society in additional ways, whether we volunteer at the local food bank, join a nonprofit board, or like Jasmeet, run for public office. We can make a difference. We need to look at our community in a solutions-based way, turning to our neighbor and asking how we can help or collaborate. One thing to highlight is the power of community and the ability for gifted and talented people to come together and fix complex issues. That is exactly what Jasmeet did. Jasmeet serves as a volunteer with Global Family, an organization dedicated to combating human trafficking and child abuse, on the San Joaquin Valley Air District’s Environmental Justice Advisory group, working to improve our Valley’s air and water quality and on the Taft College Foundation, fighting to expand access to higher education.

As family physicians, we are well trained and best positioned to lead any community in need. We must continue the #FMRevolution to support physician wellness, combat mental health and substance use disorder, and fight for equitable health care and reproductive rights. Jasmeet saw the shortcomings of the health care system in California and she knew family physicians needed to be at the table to make changes in order to improve access to quality healthcare. It is because of her authenticity that her community came out in full support of her. As her family physician community, we must continue to support her in her efforts to improve our healthcare system as the only family physician and one of three physicians in the legislature.

We can all take pride in Jasmeet’s victory as it has shown us that we are all able to amplify our voices for our patients, our colleagues, and our specialty. The future is in our hands and we must grasp every moment to make the changes we want to see in our communities.

About Raul Ayala, MD, MHCM:

Dr. Ayala is the President-Elect of the California Academy of Family Physicians. He was born and raised in South Texas, in the great city of Mission, a small town of about 20,000 where everyone knew everyone, and known for its citrus and great people. Dr. Ayala completed his Family & Community Medicine Residency at UCSF-Fresno where he met his wife Kelly, who was an OB-GYN resident. The Ayalas decided to stay in Fresno to start a family and their careers serving the communities of the Central Valley. Dr. Ayala and his wife now have two children: Grace (7) and Raul III (5).