Since 2010, the Community Engagement and Diversity Action Work Group (CEDAWG) has united residents and faculty to challenge racism and inequity within our residency and sponsoring institutions. Two to four resident co-chairs (R2 and R3) and two faculty chairs lead the group.

Our mission is to promote and strengthen a relationship between the residency program and the diverse communities we serve, guided by a mindset of cultural mindfulness and compassion, in our pursuit of overall wellness for all.

Our overarching goals are to:

• Better the health and wellness of the communities we serve through a community-based approach
• Provide structured support for residents—especially those from marginalized identities—to create an inclusive and affirming training environment
• Connect with our patients through mindful communication
• Empower our diverse communities through education, mentorship, and relationship-building.
• Foster cultural mindfulness when working within the communities we serve

CEDAWG's sponsored activities include:

• CEDAWG-sponsored grand rounds (e.g., Differential Treatment of Pain in the Hospital, Critical Race Theory)
• Pre-orientation URM intern welcome reception
• Quarterly resident and faculty meeting
• Quarterly social events (e.g., Posada, karaoke, sushi making, movie nights)

HPEACE is an outside organization, led by some faculty and residency alums, separate from our residency program, that engages local health professionals in activism. We believe health is a human right. HPEACE stands with other healthcare professionals and community organizations to uphold dignity and respect for all, regardless of who they are or where they’re from.

HPEACE is committed to civic engagement through deep relationships with community-based organizations, working to elevate and support community-based, grassroots efforts. That includes advancing health equity, addressing racial disparities, and denouncing intolerance and hate. Together, we make strides to protect access to healthcare, gender care, and full-spectrum reproductive health services, while also defending environmental and social justice.

For questions related to HPEACE, please email hpeacesantarosa@gmail.com.

The Medical Arts Project of Sonoma brings physicians together through the power of art. Founded by SRFMR alumni, Drs. Allison Bacon, Rachel Friedman, and Kari Harris, the program explores the role of art in medicine and personal well-being.

All physicians may join our workshop series featuring physician-artists across various disciplines. Participants will learn how each artist integrates creativity into their clinical work and how it helps them sustain their calling. With support from the Sonoma Mendocino Lake Medical Association (SMLMA), these initial sessions are free and open to all.

Doctors Educating, Advocating, and Mentoring (Dr. EAM) Pathways, founded and facilitated by Sutter Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency, is a comprehensive, longitudinal healthcare pipeline program designed to address educational disparities and enhance career opportunities in Sonoma County youth. The program prioritizes recruitment and enrollment of minority youth underrepresented in medicine (URM), who reside primarily in the Roseland area of Santa Rosa. Our programs provide STEM exploration, Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) promotion, and mentorship to youth ranging in grades from elementary school to college.

The project encompasses the following programs:

• Roseland Healthcare Career Pathway Project at Roseland Elementary
• Bayer Farms Summer Outreach Project
• Cesar Chavez Health Fair at Roseland Elementary
• Future Faces of Family Medicine High School Pathway Program (3xFM)
• Future Face of Family Medicine Pre-Med College Internship

In addition, our program provides excellent training to family medicine residents in youth engagement outside the exam room, advocacy in mitigating the effects of the social drivers of health, and pathways to replenishing/maintaining joy in medicine. The program weaves an intricate fabric that interlaces, connects, stretches, and layers opportunities for youth as young as 4 years old to see themselves in healthcare. As we weave these initial threads, we strengthen our impact through tiered mentorship in all our programs and ongoing opportunities for engagement throughout each youth’s education journey.

Launched in 2011, Future Faces of Family Medicine (FFFM) helps high school students from diverse and low-income communities explore futures in family medicine. Each spring, we select 15-20 local students to join our program.

What do FFFM Scholars do?

This mentorship program equips students with the tools to challenge health disparities. Through hands-on programming, students have the chance to:

• Attend hands-on workshops covering topics like labor and delivery, suturing, casting, CPR, physical exams, medical ethics, and more
• Build relationships and receive mentorship from resident physicians
• Explore healthcare roles like nurses, medical assistants, and mental health providers
• Join fun social events such as game nights, bowling, and laser tag
• Participate in sessions on patient communication, contraceptives, and college essay writing
• Shadow family medicine residents to learn what it’s like to be a doctor and work in a clinic

Program Participants

Our program alumni have attended:

• Piner High School
• Elsie Allen High School
• Ridgeway High School
• Roseland University Prep
• Roseland Collegiate Prep
• YouthBuild
• Tomales High School

Program Eligibility

Our program supports students from minority, low-income, or first-generation college backgrounds who are interested in healthcare careers. To be eligible, students must:

• Be at least 16 years old to participate in any clinic shadowing (if offered)
• Be enrolled in high school and at least 14 years old
• Commit to attending all required workshops and program events
• Have permission from their parent or school to participate
• Provide their own transportation for all activities

Workshops take place every Tuesday from 3:30 to 5:30 pm, starting in late January and ending in early May.

What do FFFM Scholars do?

• Shadow Family Medicine resident physicians to see what it’s like being a doctor, seeing patients, and working in a clinic.
• Learn about different careers in medicine (medical assistants, nurses, mental health providers, doctors).
• Get to know, work with, and be mentored by Family Medicine Resident doctors.
• Attend physician-run workshops to gain firsthand experience with labor and delivery, suturing, casting, physical exams, CPR, medical ethics, and more!
• Participate in fun social events to get to know your mentors and fellow FFFM Scholars. Past activities have included: game night, bowling, and laser tag.
• Workshop examples include obstetric simulation, effective patient communication, contraceptives, and essay writing.

College Credits
Each scholar receives college credits for completing the program.

Contact Info
Please reach out to Path to Purpose (Sonoma County Youth Internships). 
Phone: 707-874-8747
website: CTESonomaCounty.org 
 

Roseland faces inequities that demand attention. The Portrait of Sonoma County reveals stark disparities in income and education that shape community health. In the local school district:

• 9 in 10 students qualify for free or reduced lunch
• 3 in 4 students are learning English
• 4 in 10 students in grades 3-6 aren't meeting basic literacy standards

This is where we step in. This is where health equity takes root.

Roseland Pathway Project
Each year, physician residents bring science, safety, and inspiration to Roseland classrooms. Every lesson is designed to help students imagine a future in medicine. Through engaging, hands-on lessons, residents:

• Cover topics such as nutrition, bike safety, medical interviewing, human anatomy, and the contributions of underrepresented minority physicians and scientists
• Deliver a total of 23 lessons across 13 classrooms
• Develop and teach two 40-minute lessons each

Cesar Chavez Health Fair
Each year, we celebrate the legacy of César Chávez and Dolores Huerta with a health fair at Roseland Leadership Academy Elementary School. The fair also gives our Future Faces of Family Medicine (FFFM) scholars a chance to lead alongside their resident mentors.

Students from transitional kindergarten through second grade take part in fun, age-appropriate booths focused on healthy living and medical careers, such as:

• Draw yourself as a doctor/doctora
• Healthy teeth, happy smile
• Listen to your heart and lungs
• Pin the organ on the anatomy figure
• Ride the smoothie bike

Before the event, students attend a pre-fair workshop. They’ll learn how physicians address the root causes of health disparities by advocating for social change.

Bayer Farms Outreach Program is where healthy futures grow. In partnership with LandPaths, we launched the program to connect with younger generations in new, green ways. Since 2014, Bayer Farms has offered Roseland youth a summer curriculum focused on healthy living, healthcare awareness, and career paths.

Set on two acres, Bayer Farms also offers free planting and composting workshops. Behavioral health residents spend dedicated time at the farm, connecting with neighbors and deepening their understanding of care beyond clinic walls.