Dr. Leonardo Seoane: Leading the Charge for Equity in Medicine

For the Spanish version of this article, click here>>DOCTOR LEONARDO SEOANE: Liderando la lucha por la equidad en medicina

Dr. Leonardo Seoane, the Founding Dean of the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine (XOCOM), is a visionary leader with a compelling personal story and a deep commitment to addressing healthcare disparities. As a first-generation immigrant from Cuba, Dr. Seoane’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of education and the importance of representation in the medical field. 

Dr. Seoane often shares his humble beginnings as a young boy whose parents had limited formal education. “I am that immigrant boy, the living embodiment of the transformational power of medical education,” said Dr. Seoane in his speech during the press conference announcement of the XOCOM. His parents didn't speak English when they immigrated to the United States. His father worked as a janitor and garbage collector while his mother stayed home to care for their six boys. Dr. Seoane was the first in his family to graduate college and medical school and inspired his siblings to obtain professional degrees.

His personal experience fuels his passion for creating opportunities for underrepresented minorities in medicine and for addressing a physician workforce crisis. He recognizes the urgent need to address the lack of diversity among physicians, citing alarming statistics: “While Hispanics make up 19% of the population, we only make up 6.9% of the physicians. In comparison, Blacks and African Americans make up 14% of the population; they only make up 5.7% of the physicians.”

As Executive VP and Chief Academic Officer at Ochsner Health, Dr. Seoane has championed numerous programs fostering inclusivity and innovation. He has been instrumental in developing XOCOM, a groundbreaking collaboration between Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) and Ochsner Health. As the only HBCU medical school currently set to open in the Gulf South, this unique initiative aims to train physicians who reflect their communities and bring a unique perspective to healthcare, thereby contributing to a more equitable healthcare system. 

Dr. Seoane’s dedication to equitable healthcare is evident in his work. While at Ochsner, he has fostered partnerships for Ochsner with multiple universities in Louisiana and the University of Queensland in Australia. He has consulted XULA to establish programs like the physician’s assistantship and counseling programs, which have increased representation in fields where practitioners of minority groups are underrepresented. He envisions the XOCOM as a catalyst for change, stating, “The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine will transform generations of young Black and Brown lives; they’ll experience the transformational power of a STEM education, of a life in service of others.”

The XOCOM’s mission aligns with Dr. Seoane’s vision of addressing physician shortages and improving health outcomes for minority communities. He emphasizes the urgency of this mission, stating, “As we face this incredible physician shortage of up to 86,000 by 2036, it is more urgent than ever to form this medical school.” This sense of urgency underscores the importance of Dr. Seoane’s work and the need for more diverse physicians in the healthcare field.

Dr. Seoane is proud that a Cuban-American is the founding dean of this new medical school in the region. He is also grateful for the trust he has received from esteemed colleagues, regional leaders, and both institutions’ board members who have believed in his vision. He is aware that his accomplishments serve as an inspiration to many Latinos to dream bigger. “I want the youth to have the opportunity to attend medical school. It is important to have more doctors who speak Spanish and represent their communities,” he says. 

We are proud of his dedication to addressing healthcare disparities and his unwavering commitment to training the next generation of diverse physicians. We recognize Dr. Leonardo Seoane for advocating for a more equitable future in the medical field.