Julia Joseph-Di Caprio, MD, has opened a nonprofit clinic in St. Paul, Minn., Leap Pediatric and Adolescent Care, to provide healthcare for families who face barriers to health and wellness, according to an Oct. 15 report from the Star Tribune.
In her most recent position as chief medical officer of Minneapolis-based UCare, Dr. Di Carprio started a health equity program, hiring an associate vice president of equity and inclusion and implementing racial bias training.
At Leap Pediatric, Dr. Di Caprio wants to hire Hmong, Somali, Black and Spanish-speaking physicians to provide culturally competent and diverse care for St. Paul's patient population.
"I think diverse providers are able to listen differently," she told the Star Tribune. "I'll go into a room after a patient has been roomed, and I see the change when they see who I am. I'm not saying there's anything magical about me, but the way they share is completely different. It's like they're waiting to bring their full self."
"I want my children to know that there are Black doctors and Hmong doctors," she said. "And that's a possibility for me."