Medical Student Meets Patients Where They Live
We’re highlighting our Class of 2025 students in advance of Match Day on March 21. Stay connected with the Miller School of Medicine on social media for more student profiles and to follow along for live Match Day coverage.
Medical student Laila Elias has a simple philosophy about providing care: Get to know patients, deeply understand their health challenges and give them the best tools to succeed.
Elias will soon graduate from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine with an M.D. and a master’s in public health. The dual degree will give her a broader perspective on delivering the best possible care.
“Having both an M.D. and an M.P.H. allows me to see the bigger picture in patient care, not just treating illness, but addressing the root causes of health disparities,” said Elias. “It’s about empowering individuals while also advocating to improve community wellbeing.”
A Family of “Canes
Elias will be the third in her family to earn an M.D. at the Miller School. Her two brothers are also ‘Canes. Their time in Miami encouraged her to follow the same path.
“There were so many factors. My parents encouraged our interest in medicine and I was always drawn to science and biology,” said Elias. “My brothers loved their experiences in Miami and it’s been great for me, as well. I’ve gotten such a comprehensive clinical training and I really love the diversity of patients.”
Even before applying to medical school, Elias knew she wanted to pursue an M.D./M.P.H. One of the Miller School’s many selling points is that it offers a four-year dual degree program, when many schools require five years to complete the two degrees. The public health classes have illuminated how family, culture, nutrition, exercise, neighborhood characteristics, public policy and other factors influence a patient’s health.
“Understanding a patient’s environment is critical to providing the best care,” said Elias. “Whether they have access to medications and transportation, can afford healthy foods, or have green spaces to walk in all play a huge role in health outcomes.”
Opportunities in Miami
For Elias and many others, one of the Miller School’s greatest strengths is its ability to provide diverse clinical experiences through UHealth, Jackson Health System and the Veterans Administration hospital.
In addition, Elias gained experience counseling patients in Healthier Together, a six-week, student-run program that promotes healthy lifestyle changes among underserved adults. Started by Miller School students in 2022, the program focuses on goal-setting and teaches patients about nutrition and incorporating physical activity into their daily routines.
“It’s been really rewarding to have more time with patients because, when you’re in a clinic setting, you usually only have 15 or 20 minutes and there’s not much counsel you can provide in that timeframe,” said Elias. “But when you’re spending six weeks, one hour a week, diving into lifestyles, you have so many more opportunities to help them.”
Her work with Healthier Together dovetails her capstone project, a systematic review investigating the relationship between food insecurity and liver disease. Her findings highlighted a gap in research before 2020. While nutrition is routinely addressed during liver disease treatment, clinicians rarely go the next step to see if their patients even have access to healthy food.
“We’re seeing how patients struggling with food insecurity have higher risk factors for developing liver diseases, and also have worse outcomes,” said Elias. “It’s pretty clear there is a strong association between the two, but there are a lot of unknowns. My goal is to bridge that gap and advocate for more comprehensive care that includes social determinants of health.”
Elias hopes to continue this work throughout her career. As she prepares for Match Day 2025 and her subsequent residency program, she looks forward to integrating preventive medicine and lifestyle coaching into primary care, ensuring that her patients not receive treatment and the tools to live healthier lives.
“The Miller School of Medicine has given me more than just clinical training. It’s given me the confidence, mentorship and support to pursue the kind of medicine I believe in,” said Elias. “I’ve been surrounded by inspiring colleagues and mentors, and I know that the friendships and lessons I’ve gained here will stay with me long after I graduate.”
Tags: food as medicine, lifestyle medicine, Match Day, Match Day 2025, medical students, Miller School of Medicine, student leadership