Yadira Raya-Cervantes, MD
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Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Yadira was raised in the agricultural town of Watsonville, CA, as the first daughter of first-generation immigrants from Guanajuato, Mexico. She grew up witnessing the sacrifices that her parents and community made every day as they worked in the agricultural fields. Yadira witnessed the challenges they faced towards obtaining health care, such as cultural, economic and language barriers. Hence, as a young interpreter for her mother during doctor appointments, she became determined to become a Spanish speaking physician who would serve communities like the one she grew up in.
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Yadira attended UC Davis for her undergraduate education as a first-generation college student. In college, she further volunteered as a Spanish interpreter at free student run clinics that served the Latino and Black/African American communities in Sacramento. She studied abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico where she further acquired a passion for preventative and community health as she was part of public health brigades in rural communities and provided health education to teens. She also studied abroad in Costa Rica during medical school where she acquired further insight on the importance of patient stories and advocacy. Furthermore, by obtaining a minor in Chicano/a studies in college, Yadira acquired further insight on the importance of cultural and mental health factors that affect Latino and immigrant health in the United States.
After graduating from UC Davis, Yadria worked as a community health fellow at LifeLong Medical Care in San Pablo, CA which is an FQHC serving predominantly the Spanish-speaking community in the area. At Lifelong she worked one-on-one with a diabetes health educator and was involved in co-directing bilingual health education classes, wellness groups such as a dance and meditation sessions, and ran a weekly vegetable giveaway program for the community. As a first-generation family medicine physician, she wants to continue being an advocate for communities in need, provide culturally humble and holistic care and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to reduce health disparities. Overall, her interests involve preventative medicine, underserved/underrepresented community health, Latino health, immigrant health, global health, mental health, social justice, advocacy, mentorship and reducing health disparities.
On her free time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, trying new foods/restaurants and coffee shops, listening/dancing to Mexican and Latin music, local travel, spending time in nature and walks with her dog Layla.
After graduating from UC Davis, Yadria worked as a community health fellow at LifeLong Medical Care in San Pablo, CA which is an FQHC serving predominantly the Spanish-speaking community in the area. At Lifelong she worked one-on-one with a diabetes health educator and was involved in co-directing bilingual health education classes, wellness groups such as a dance and meditation sessions, and ran a weekly vegetable giveaway program for the community. As a first-generation family medicine physician, she wants to continue being an advocate for communities in need, provide culturally humble and holistic care and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to reduce health disparities. Overall, her interests involve preventative medicine, underserved/underrepresented community health, Latino health, immigrant health, global health, mental health, social justice, advocacy, mentorship and reducing health disparities.
On her free time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, trying new foods/restaurants and coffee shops, listening/dancing to Mexican and Latin music, local travel, spending time in nature and walks with her dog Layla.