Matthew Yu, DO MPH, is an Assistant Professor at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in the Department of Family Medicine. Out of conviction from his faith, Dr. Yu has chosen to live and practice medicine among communities facing socioeconomic and health inequity. How this looks like is well articulated by Father Boyle, Founder of Homeboy Industries, who once responded to the question "How do you work with the poor?" He said, "You don't. You share your life with the poor. It is as basic as crying together. It is about 'casting your lot' before it ever becomes about 'changing their lot'."

With this focus, he sought Family Medicine training in the Los Angeles County safety-net hospital at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center with an area of concentration in community medicine and adolescent health; he subsequently stayed on as Chief Resident. After seeing the complications of common chronic medical conditions afflict so many of his patients, he decided to pursue a Master's of Public Health from UCLA. He spent time as medical director of North Side Christian Health Center, a federally qualified health center, where he focused on increasing access to care for vulnerable populations. He contributed to the Allegheny County Health Department's establishment of free, accessible Covid-19 testing and care linkage between homeless shelters and community health centers. Since joining CDU and MLK OPC in serving South Los Angeles, he has invested himself in training the next generation of Family Medicine physician leaders in hopes they will also serve as physician leaders underserved communities.

Academic interests include health care access, primary care, social determinants of health, clinical procedures, lifestyle medicine, medical education and health equity.