UCI School of Medicine Recognizes Black History Month: Candice Taylor Lucas, MD, MPH

During Black History Month, we want to highlight our groundbreaking Program in Medical Education Leadership Education to Advance Diversity: African, Black and Caribbean (PRIME LEAD-ABC) and the ongoing impact its co-director Candice Taylor Lucas, MD, MPH, has etched in the UCI community.

Since its inception in 2018, PRIME LEAD-ABC has fostered a significant increase in the enrollment of Black medical students and others who are committed to social justice and advocacy within African, Black and Caribbean communities.

Dr. Taylor Lucas has been perennially praised for her mentorship, willingness to engage in thought-provoking conversations about inclusivity and unwavering emphasis on an interdisciplinary philosophy toward medical care. As a result, she was named the 2022 Faculty Mentor of the Year in the UCI-CHOC Residency Program, in addition to numerous publications and research projects that emphasize how factors like race and socioeconomic status influence growth and development. 

Whether through academic presentations, career advising or clinical interactions, Dr. Taylor Lucas channels the legacy of Dr. Charles R. Drew and countless others throughout history by utilizing her identities as sources of strength and resilience, never forgetting to lift others as she climbs.