As soon as he decided to become a doctor during college, Raul Trejo knew he wanted to come back to the South Bay and contribute his skills and passion for health with his community.

    “I always had that idea, always had that in mind: to come back to my family and the community that I knew,” Trejo said. “South San Diego is very important for me.”

    Dr. Trejo, who currently works as a part-time clinical faculty for the Scripps Family Medicine Residency Program and also works for the San Ysidro Health Center in its Chula Vista clinic, was one of seven Latino leaders in San Diego County recognized by the Mexican American Business & Professional Association (MABPA) this week with the Amigo Award for their high achievement and contribution to our community.

    Some of the other local leaders presented with the Amigo Award this year include David Valladolid, of the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE), Captain Emilio Marrero, of the United States Navy, and Ed Martinez, of the San Ysidro Health Center.

    In a statement, MABPA said that Dr. Trejo is being recognized because of his contributions to Latino health and for his constant work in eliminating health disparities among Latinos in the South Bay.

    “With strong ties to Tijuana and the South Bay, Dr. Trejo’s commitment to border health issues is admirable,” said the statement from MABPA. “He continues to be a source of inspiration to residents and medical students he precepts in the clinic.”

    Dr. Marianne McKennett, Director of the Medical Education Program at Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista, said that “we’re very pleased that Dr. Trejo will be honored for his hard work, dedication and commitment to meeting the health care needs of our community.”

    For Dr. Trejo, the award tells him that the work he’s been doing for the past decade is benefiting all of the community.

    “This award is saying that my work is important, that it is valued,” he said. “It is really an honor that my work is being recognized.”

    Early life for Dr. Trejo was similar to that of many residents of the South Bay. He was born in Tijuana, grew up in San Ysidro, spoke Spanish at home, and attended local schools.

    It was thanks to higher education and hard work that Dr. Trejo was able to materialize his dream of becoming a doctor.

    “I didn’t know I wanted to be a doctor,” he said. “In college I was studying mechanical engineering when I realized that being a doctor has a great humanitarian approach. That’s when I decided to become a doctor and help other people.”

    He attended medical school and graduated from Harvard University. He is a 2003 graduate of the Scripps Family Medicine Residency Program. He completed a fellowship in Underserved Medicine at post-residency.

    He said that during these years he’s worked as a doctor among Latinos, he still sees health disparities when it comes to our community.

    “Some of the barriers still exist. Since more people have lost their jobs, there’s an even greater lack of insurance among the Latino population,” Dr. Trejo said.

    Dr. Trejo worked to establish the Palomar High School Clinic in Chula Vista and also developed the mentoring program at Southwest High School linking students with physician residents. His goal is to encourage Latino students to become doctors and come back to the community, just like he did.

    “One of the pleasures I have in working with medical students is that many of them do have the desire to return to their own communities. It is my goal to support those dreams. I do recognize the powerful impact I have in people around me. I think it is very important to hold myself and resident medical students accountable because the community looks up to us,” Dr. Trejo said.

    And to those students, immigrants like himself, who are considering a career in health care, Dr. Trejo has sound advice: “Hold on to your dreams. There are going to be distractions that might keep you off course, but it is important to keep your goal in mind.”