The AMA “Members Move Medicine” series profiles a wide variety of doctors, offering a glimpse into the passions of women and men navigating new courses in American medicine.
On the move with: Toluwalase A. Ajayi, MD (@tajayiMD), who goes by Lase, is a pediatrician and palliative care physician at the University of California San Diego and Scripps Health. Dr. Ajayi is chair-elect of the AMA Young Physicians Section Governing Council.
AMA member since: 2013.
What inspired me to pursue a career in medicine: Going through the health system as a child immigrant made me want to provide better care for all children.
How I move medicine: Through my clinical practice and research. I am a community pediatric hospitalist, pediatric hospice physician, adult palliative care physician, and I conduct digital health research on how to provide more patient-centered care for pediatric and adult patients with serious illnesses.
Advice I’d give to those interested in pursuing a career in medicine: Be brave and vulnerable enough to ask questions. You can’t know everything.
How I give back to the community: I am involved in health care advocacy at a local, state, specialty and national level. I play with my children and allow them to see the world around them and teach them how they can impact it for the better.
Aspect of my work that means the most: I guess it would have to be the current thread that they all have. I love getting to know how I can provide the most effective, compassionate care to some of our most vulnerable patients.
My hope for the future of medicine: That we can look past our individual self-interests and come together as a house of medicine and push for practices, policies and care that benefit all our patients.
