For Dr. Eimaneh Mostofian, a career at TrueCare was sparked by a simple walk. After serving as an OB/GYN in the Navy, she was intrigued by a TrueCare mobile clinic she saw in Encinitas. Now, 12 years later, she leads the women’s health team at TrueCare, having found a professional home that aligns with her core value of service. Her journey is a testament to the powerful connections and personal support that define a career at TrueCare.

If you are interested in joining a mission-driven organization dedicated to serving communities that are too often underserved across San Diego County, TrueCare is the Health Center for you. Learn why in Dr. Mostofian’s own words. 

A Career in Women’s Health: Dr. Eimaneh Mostofian on Finding Purpose at TrueCare

At TrueCare, your career is an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of the people you serve. The work is challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding, especially when you have a supportive team and an integrated system of care behind you. But what does that really look and feel like? Let’s hear from Dr. Eimaneh Mostofian herself.

“I wish that there were TrueCare sites in every corner of the county and beyond because, while we do have a competitive field with FQHC sites, and I may be biased, I don’t think that people get the best care until they come to TrueCare. That’s what makes working here so amazing. You really feel like you’re a part of something special,” said Dr. Mostofian. 

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What inspired you to join community health care?

Dr. Mostofian’s passion for community health care was a natural extension of her service in the Navy. After her time in the military, she was looking for a new way to serve. When she saw the TrueCare mobile clinic, she felt an immediate pull. 

“It was like an epiphany that hit me, like, ‘This is what I want to do,'” recalled Dr. Mostofian. 

Dr. Mostofian said that she was drawn to the idea of taking health care directly to people who needed it, rather than waiting for them to come to a stationary clinic.

“I was very much intrigued by the mobile health unit that they had at the time. The van was parked outside the Encinitas office. That’s where I lived. I was stationed at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, and I passed it during an afternoon walk. I wanted to get out of the service but continue serving, just in a very different way. Being able to take health care to those who need it but don’t have it is powerful. It’s what I was looking for,” said Dr. Mostofian.

Her inquiry about volunteering led to a job interview and, ultimately, a career that has spanned more than a decade.

“Very naively, I walked into the 2nd Street clinic and was like, ‘So, I’m in the Navy, and I’m an OB/GYN, but I have some free time. Is it possible that I can volunteer here?’ They looked at me like I had four eyes, but that inquiry led to having my name passed around to the clinical director at the time, who then set me up for an interview. It was right around the time I was transitioning out of the service, so it kind of all worked together. I had an interview in October of 2012, and I was hired that December,” recalled Dr. Mostofian.

Dr. Mostofian said she knew she wasn’t going to be a lifelong military person, but she still wanted to serve her country, community, and those in need.

“Having service as a core value in my career is really important, so it was amazing to connect with a community center whose mission is service. In that way, our values were very much aligned. That’s really important to anyone who might want to work here. You have to make sure you share those values,” said Dr. Mostofian. 

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Why Did You Get Into Women’s Health?

Dr. Mostofian did not begin in women’s health, but she said that what drew her to it was the impact it enabled her to have on people’s lives.

“I did my residency and started out wanting to be a pediatrician, but I found that the scope in which I can have an impact and provide service to women in so many important and vulnerable moments of their lives is extremely dynamic and varied, from adolescence to menopause and beyond. There are so many phases of life that we go through, and being a woman and going through the same transitions gives me the personal experience to bring comfort and create an immediate connection that needs no words because we all have parallels. That really elevates care and the entire patient experience, and it makes the work more fulfilling,” said Dr. Mostofian. 

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What’s it like to be an OB/GYN at a community health center?

Dr. Mostofian finds her work to be both dynamic and deeply rewarding. 

“I love what I do. It’s utterly dynamic and crazy and absolute chaos at times, and there’s never a single patient that’s the same, not only in their story but in their medical care, and that feeds my restless soul of constantly needing to have the next adventure, so it really is something that nourishes the patient and me,” smiled Dr. Mostofian. 

Dr. Mostofian acknowledged that community health care can be challenging due to barriers and a lack of resources, which she says can be emotionally taxing. However, she feels immense pride in being “on the bridge” that helps patients access the care they need. 

Dr Mostofian said that she also loves how TrueCare is a wraparound service.

“Nothing happens in its own silo of care. There are connections that run between us and a patient’s primary care, their pharmacy, and all of that. We have a great referral program. There’s just a lot of people holding hands and carrying people through the complex and intimidating nature of medical care,” explained Dr. Mostofian.

She says that, like with any job, while there are some challenges, what makes working at TrueCare amazing is that she is supported with all the guidance, encouragement, and resources she needs to address them so she can provide the best care for patients. 

“There are barriers and challenges and a lack of resources that are our everyday reality when we are in a community health care center, and TrueCare does an amazing job at filling those gaps. We can’t ignore them. When you’ve done that kind of work, you know you’re doing good in people’s lives, and it makes you feel good. When you go home at the end of the day, you have countable interactions that you know made a difference. You leave at the end of the day feeling good about your work,” said Dr. Mostofian.

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What makes the TrueCare team special?

According to Dr. Mostofian, the supportive and integrated team environment at TrueCare is what makes her job so fulfilling. 

“I’m a lead for gynecology, and then we have two co-chairs of the leads for the prenatal care program. The three of us lead the women’s health team at this time. We are each other’s sounding boards and venting partners because not everything is rosy and saccharine – there are difficulties, and I feel safe venting with them and being able to talk through an issue with them, and I trust that it doesn’t go and grow legs and start walking places. On the leadership side, our Director of Women’s Health has an open-door policy. I know I can just go to her and vent or brainstorm about solutions. There’s an element of confidentiality there that’s really important. You just feel an immense trust and support from everyone on the team,” said Dr. Mostofian. 

Dr. Mostofian said that one thing she loves about the TrueCare team is that it is such a tight-knit group. 

“I’ve been here for 12 years, so I know a lot of people. It definitely feels like family when I come to work. When you first start, it really does feel like joining a family that cares about you and your experience,” said Dr. Mostofian. 

She also feels a profound sense of support from the leadership. When she experienced professional burnout, she was able to step back from her clinical director role and return in a modified position, knowing her value was recognized. 

“We have leaders at the top who really care and see the people as humans. The CEO sees me as a mother and a daughter first, and I’ve gone to her asking about support in those areas, and I know that I’m being heard and not being bothersome. To have people at the top who see us beyond our titles is absolutely incredible. Over the last five years, TrueCare has spent a lot of energy and resources to provide us with updated tech that supports everyday work. They go above and beyond to make sure we aren’t just happy and fulfilled at work and put in a position to succeed, but that we are also happy and fulfilled in our personal lives. It’s the definition of work-life balance and the best way to prevent burnout,” said Dr. Mostofian. 

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What would you tell someone considering a job at TrueCare?

Dr. Mostofian believes TrueCare is a place where every employee is truly valued, saying that leadership is more than happy to work with you to ensure you’re right where you need to be in that moment, even if that might change.

“I joined as a staff OB/GYN, and then I progressed to clinical director of the program. But it was intense – I had burnout and needed to take a step back from that and gain a complete understanding that allowed me to step down from the position. They allowed me to come back in a modified role, so I feel they really recognize my value and what I bring to the table, but they also listen when they say I need a break and support me,” said Dr. Mostofian. 

In a time when it’s easy to feel like a “cog in someone else’s wheel,” she encourages providers to join a community health care setting like TrueCare, where they are “recognized every day and supported for the work that you are doing.”

She is also proud of TrueCare’s commitment to investing in technology and programs that support its mission, saying that she feels like TrueCare supports her and her colleagues by giving her the time she needs to give back to the community in a meaningful way, too.

She notes that the organization provides resources for patients who can’t afford specialty care and also supports providers like herself who volunteer with programs like Project Access San Diego. All in all, she says it’s an incredible place to work.

“You’re not just an employee number when you work here and everyone on the team is really just passionate about moving the needle in the patient experience and their health, so being able to take care of the patient the right and best way with the resources we have is incredibly rewarding – and we get to that every single day in a very cohesive, impactful way,” said Dr. Mostofian.

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Are You Inspired by the Words of Dr. Eimaneh Mostofian? Apply for  Jobs in Women’s Health with TrueCare Today!

Dr. Eimaneh Mostofian’s journey shows that a career at TrueCare is a chance to make a real difference in the lives of patients and the community with an organization that cares about you as a human being, not just an employee. If you’re looking for a women’s health career that is dynamic, purpose-driven, and emotionally rewarding, TrueCare is waiting for you.

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