Health Net Physician Recognized at the 2020 Virtual Health Leaders and Scholars Award Ceremony
Date: 11/24/20
In November, the National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF) honored Dr. Ramiro Zuniga, VP and Medical Director for Health Net and California Health & Wellness. He was one of six leaders honored by NHHF for committing themselves to improve the health of Hispanic communities across the country.
The U.S. is home to over 60 million Hispanics. These Americans are the largest ethnic group in the country. Despite this fact, there is a lack of Hispanic health professionals with the cultural and linguistic skills to deliver quality care for this growing population.
According to a Brookings analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics, there is over 6.9 million healthcare professionals in the U.S., of those, only 21% are of Hispanic descent.
In response, the NHHF, the philanthropic arm of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), developed a national scholarship program to reward students enrolled in health and medical programs. Dr. Zuniga addressed the 2020 scholarship winners during a virtual awards gala on November 19th.
We sat down with Dr. Zuniga to talk about the award and his advice for those looking to follow his path.
Question:
Dr. Zuniga congratulation on your award. Before we get started, tell us a little about yourself and your role here at Health Net
Dr. Zuniga:
Yes, I am the Vice President, Medical Director for the Medi-Cal line of business at Health Net and California Health and Wellness. I am a family physician actively practicing in Stockton.
My parents are from South America and I grew up in Cúcuta, Colombia. Cúcuta is a medium size city in Northeast Colombia, on the border with Venezuela. I graduated from a small, Jesuit-run, high school in Cúcuta.
Question:
Building a career in healthcare can be challenging. Can you talk a little bit about why you decided to be a family physician and what it take to get there?
Dr. Zuniga:
As a young child, I never consider any other profession. My father was a physician and my mother was a nurse. So, I was exposed to health care from early childhood. My father’s office (clinic) was attached to our home, and sometimes I helped organize files or take notes while he read cytology slides under the microscope.
I was also a Boy Scout in Cúcuta. I was in charge of the first aid kit and helped take care of my friends. I always enjoyed helping others. After high school, I went straight into medical school in Bogotá, Colombia. The medical school system in Colombia is similar to a combined Bachelor of Science/Medical Degree program in the US. After receiving my MD degree, I completed one year of obligatory social service as a general practitioner in my hometown.
Question
Wow, what a great story! What would say are the top 2-3 characteristics required to be a physician?
Dr. Zuniga:
There are many character and temperament attributes that I would consider essential for a physician. Of those, I would say being responsible, having empathy and being altruistic are essential.
Question:
For future students who might be reading this, tell us a little bit more about your role here at Health Net. What does a typical day for you look like?
Dr. Zuniga:
My job is to help make our company’s mission a reality, which is to transform the health of the community, one person at a time. A big part of my work is to help develop and implement programs and partnerships to ensure we succeed in the implementation of the “healthcare quadruple aim.”
The quadruple aim brings to our communities better health, better care, at lower cost, and in a sustainable manner. This big task requires a large team. I work with many people within and outside of our company. In California, we have approximately 7,000 employees and our company has approximately 72,000 employees worldwide.
Question:
Thank you for sharing your story with us today. We always like to end our interview by asking our guest to share a few things about themselves that might surprise our readers.
Can you tell us the best advice you ever received?
Dr. Zuniga:
You can always do better! Simple, but I will never forget it, given to me by Mr. Suarez, my high school chemistry teacher. He had very high expectations of his students and inculcated in all of us the mantra of continuously aiming to improve ourselves in everything we do.
Question:
Who is the most inspiring person in your life to date?
Dr. Zuniga:
I would like to mention two. The first is my father, also a physician. He was one of the wisest, most generous, and hardest working people I have ever known. Growing up, he was poor, but he got an education and knew it would allow him to accomplish his goals. He did not squander his education and he accomplished great things.
The other person is Carl Sagan, an American astronomer who was also a great communicator and educator. Carl Sagan was able to explain very complex scientific concepts to all audiences in a clear and easy to understand manner. I am always a little smarter and more excited about learning after reading his books or hearing him speak.
Question:
Do you have a hidden talent that people might not know about?
Dr. Zuniga:
I love to ski and have gotten good at it after many lessons and practice. I yearn for a powder day skiing Sentinel Bowl or Blue Sky Basin.
Thank you so much for sitting down with us today Dr. Zuniga! It was a pleasure getting to know more about you and your work here at Health Net.