Fellowship in Health Equity and Innovation
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics hosts a graduate fellowship at Sutter Health and Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group, the Fellowship in Health Equity and Innovation, in collaboration with Peninsula Healthcare Connection (PHC). This is a groundbreaking fellowship in the field of health care ethics combining real-world clinical experience and in-depth ethical analysis.
PHC, located in Palo Alto, works to improve the health and quality of life for unhoused, low-income, or uninsured individuals through the delivery of primary care and behavioral health services.
Gabby Arceo '26
Gabby Arceo ’26, was a 2025-26 Health Care Ethics Intern at the Markkula Center. In June 2026, she graduated from SCU with a neuroscience degree. During her time at SCU, Arceo gained hands-on experience as a hospital patient escort and a harm reduction research assistant. Looking forward, Arceo aims to become a physician and establish a community-based clinic in the Philippines.
When I arrived at Santa Clara University as a Neuroscience Major, I was intent on fulfilling my dream of becoming a doctor and opening a community-based clinic in the Philippines. Growing up, my family taught me the value of bayanihan - the community spirit that unites others to help those in need in Filipino culture. As I became involved in patient care and discovered my passion for public health, I realized that many barriers prevent communities, especially those historically underserved, from accessing the help that they need.
As I volunteered as a patient escort at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, I met patients navigating language barriers, financial hardship, and misinformation about the current healthcare system. I began to wonder if medical advice alone was enough to care for a patient when there are so many obstacles impacting their health outside of the clinic.
This question drew me to the Health Care Ethics Internship, where I participated in discussions and ethical debates with healthcare leaders on policy, resource allocation, treatment, and public health. Through these conversations, I developed a deeper appreciation for how principles such as justice, autonomy, and respect guide healthcare decisions. I began to understand the barriers that patients face beyond the hospital and how to evaluate complex healthcare dilemmas through the lens of various ethical frameworks.
I then applied what I learned to my work as a harm reduction research assistant investigating student perspectives on substance use, prevention, and stigma. When analyzing how stigma influences health behaviors and a willingness to seek help, I saw how ethical questions extend beyond individual clinical encounters to the systems and communities they live in. These findings reinforced my interest in community-centered care, where promoting health equity requires creating environments where people feel respected, supported, and empowered to make informed decisions about their health.
As I continue my journey to becoming a physician, I want to keep exploring how ethics can guide compassionate, equitable healthcare. Someday, I hope to build the kind of community-centered practice in the spirit of bayanihan that I have envisioned since coming to Santa Clara.
Guadalupe Hayes-Mota, Director of Bioethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, said, “The Fellowship in Health Equity and Innovation reflects our deep commitment to justice in health care. By engaging directly with vulnerable communities, our fellows learn that ethics is not just about theory—it’s about action, empathy, and systems change. This program equips graduates to become leaders who bridge medicine, policy, and compassion in every decision they make.”
The Markkula Center is proud to offer this fellowship to recent alumni pursuing health care careers and extends its deep gratitude to Sutter Health, the Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group, and the Peninsula Healthcare Connection for their collaboration in making this program possible.