CHCI – PepsiCo Foundation Health Public Policy Fellow
Hometown: Nampa, Idaho
School: The College of Idaho
Degrees: B.S. Health Sciences and Spanish
Placement: American Association of Medical Colleges
Placement: Subcommittee on Health and U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor & Pensions
Aliza Monique Auces is a Mexican-American who was born and raised in Nampa, Idaho. She graduated from The College of Idaho in 2016, with a B.S. in health sciences and Spanish and minors in psychology and health professions studies (Pre-med track). Aliza is currently aspiring to become a physician who will serve Latinos and other underserved communities.
With her passion for medicine and after attending the Summer Medical and Dental Program at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Aliza sought out opportunities to become involved in the healthcare of Caldwell and Nampa residents. For example, Aliza created a new internship and became the first Latino Health Intern at the Center for Community and Justice in Idaho, where she assisted in health community fairs and HIV education. After observing the unique health disparities that affected many Southern Idaho residents, she gave bilingual presentations at local schools and provided resources on the importance of preventative health care to parents and children.
During her last year as a full-time undergraduate student, Aliza also presented her research project in developing a Novel Cell Motility Assay for Glioblastoma Multiforme cells under the guidance of Dr. Luke Daniels at the annual Student Research Conference at the College of Idaho. She also worked as an emergency department medical scribe throughout the Treasure Valley with Idaho Emergency Physicians, where she gained meaningful first-hand experiences on current health policies affecting emergency medicine and other fields of medicine.
As a CHCI Public Policy Fellow, Aliza looks forward to expanding her knowledge and professional experience within federal and state health regulations. Aliza will advocate for the development of health policies that promote health equality for the Latino community and other underserved communities.