M. Mahala Schlagman, M.D.

Dr. Mahala Schlagman finds great joy in caring for her patients at Strong Internal Medicine. She feels that everyone in our community should have access to high quality primary care. It is her belief that collaborative efforts between the medical team, family and patients can help maximize length and quality of life for those living with chronic disease. She has a particular interest in care for patients with complex medical, social and psychiatric needs.

In her role as Health Equity Curriculum Director, Dr. Schlagman has worked with a team to develop a novel educational curriculum for Internal Medicine residents on the Social Determinants of Health and how they impact health equity. The curriculum includes both didactic and experiential components, bringing residents out into the Greater Rochester community to develop a better understanding of both the challenges we experience and the resources available to address the social determinants of health.

Additionally, Dr. Schlagman has promoted the formation of a medical legal partnership (MLP) at Strong Internal Medicine and Highland Family Medicine. MLPs address social determinants of health by providing patients with free civil legal services, often removing the burden of navigating the legal system from the medical providers and freeing them to engage in direct medical care. Dr. Schlagman is part of a coalition of staff, residents, faculty, nurses, social workers and community attorneys, contracted through a partnership with Finger Lakes Legal Care, a project of Legal Assistance of Western NY.

Her current research focuses on access to care and mapping the distribution of medical resources to promote health equity. She works to promote partnership across departments within URMC and within our greater community.

She currently lives in Rochester with her partner, three children and Tuna the cat.