Lack of access to health care is responsible for preventable deaths and suffering of millions of people in today’s world. The founders of the Jay Weiss Center believe that a critical need is the development and support of physician practitioners and policy advocates who will be effective in increasing access to health care and improving the quality of life of the poorest members of society.    

The philosophies of the Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity and the Miller School of Medicine are closely aligned.  The Miller School of Medicine has been committed to social medicine since its inception. In 1993 the School of Medicine received the first community service award from the Association of American Colleges in recognition of its commitment to medically underserved communities in South Florida and for the healthcare it provided in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. 

The Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity is commited to improving the lives of the sickest and poorest both in our own community and in communities around the world.  The guiding principles of the Jay Weiss Center are:

• Health care is a human right;
• The tenets of social medicine and global health equity should be integral parts of medical education;
• All direct service projects must have the following components: 1) a long-term commitment, 2) local leadership and staff, and 3) community involvement;
• To be effective, the settings in which social medicine is provided may require comprehensive services that include the provision of necessities such as water, schools, training and jobs.