Assistant Professor of Medicine in Residence, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA  

UCLA DOM EDI Director for First Gen and Medical Career Pipeline Programs   

Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Department of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Alejandra Casillas, who was born and raised in a working-class Mexican community in Los Angeles, is the eldest of four siblings. As the first in her family to pursue higher education, she deeply admires her parents' sacrifices to ensure their children received an education. After completing her undergraduate studies and medical school at Harvard on the East Coast, she returned to California for residency at UCSF. She then pursued her Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Fellowship at UCLA, the medical center where she was born, before conducting immigrant health research in Europe, based in Geneva, Switzerland. As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, she witnessed firsthand the disparities in healthcare access within her community, fueling her passion for medicine and motivating her to address these inequalities.

Today, Dr. Casillas focuses on improving health outcomes in the Los Angeles safety net, with a particular focus on digital health initiatives. Her commitment to justice and equity permeates all aspects of her career through education, advocacy, community outreach, clinical care, and scientific research. Beyond her professional pursuits, Dr. Casillas finds joy in parenting her three young children, passing on the values instilled by her own parents.

Justice and Equity have always been central to Dr. Casillas' motivation in pursuing medicine. She sees it as her life mission to serve her community, whether through education, advocacy, outreach, clinical care, or research. She feels privileged to have a platform and considers her time well-spent especially if it benefits the communities that supported her. Dr. Casillas finds the people she works with, including the faculty, staff, and community partners, to be the best part of her division, department, UCLA, and the city of Los Angeles. She believes they are driven by a genuine desire to make a positive impact. Additionally, she draws inspiration from the next generation of leaders at UCLA, especially during challenging times, appreciating the uplifting energy they bring.