Alice Wei

I was born in Shandong, China. I grew up listening to stories about my relatives who were “barefoot doctors,” rural health workers (named after those who waded barefoot through rice paddies to reach patients) providing preventative and basic medical care to their villages. I learned early on what community-rooted primary care could look like. At age 4, I stepped into a big, winged machine that transported me to Wisconsin, a place I have since called home. As a Chinese-American immigrant kid in the Midwest, I grew familiar with the nurture of many welcoming communities but also the challenges of feeling like an outsider to a dominant culture. Those experiences centrally inform my pursuit to practice community medicine as a tool for inclusivity and social justice. Many of my hobbies revolve around food, like leisurely browsing grocery stores and markets, experimenting with recipes, and trying new restaurants with my partner. You can also find me keeping up with favorite comedians/comedies or exploring new places. I am so excited to join the Swedish First Hill family and to call Seattle my new home.