Meet Asia Sullivan, PA-C, MPH

We had the good fortune of connecting with Asia Sullivan, PA-C, MPH and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Asia, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from a very rural community in southern Alabama called Castleberry. Per google, the latest population count is 470 people. In my community, access to any medical care, especially quality medical care was very limited. Not only that, the stigma around STIs and the LBGT community was rampant and often prevented folks from seeking sexual health services. My first introduction to HIV was as a child when I helped out a neighbor up our street who was ill. I would often walk his dog when he was unable to. Eventually, he passed away, and when I was older, I learned that he had died of AIDS-related illness, something that should have never happened in this day and age of treatment. After high school, I attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where I majored in public health and became involved with various nonprofits in the city, including AIDS Alabama and the 1917 Clinic, which, at that time, was the only dedicated HIV clinic in the state of Alabama. After graduating with my bachelor’s of public health, I obtained a Master’s of Public Health with a focus on epidemiology and also went to physician assistant school. During my graduate degree program, I studied abroad in Jamaica and partnered with nonprofits in Kingston to provide mobile HIV testing, STI education, and linkage to care in the communities there.

Witnessing the struggles of my community firsthand—both in terms of limited access to medical services and the pervasive stigma against the queer community—fueled my passion to become a primary care provider with a specialty in LGBTQ+ healthcare. I wanted to bridge the gap in healthcare access and provide inclusive, compassionate care to those who need it the most.

Moving to Los Angeles and serving the LGBT community here has been incredibly fulfilling. I am driven by my experiences growing up in Castleberry, and I strive to create a safe and supportive environment for my patients, ensuring they receive the care and respect they deserve. My background instilled in me a deep understanding of the challenges faced by marginalized communities, and it’s an honor to dedicate my career to making a positive difference in their lives.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After finishing PA school, I moved to Los Angeles to begin working as a primary care provider at Dr V Medical, an LBGTQ+ focused practice. In my practice, I have been fortunate to manage hundreds of patients living with HIV and help others prevent HIV through modern medications. This year, I was selected as a national ambassador to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for their Let’s Stop HIV Together Campaign.

Throughout my college journey & career, I have blogged, documented my experiences, and shared my knowledge on my social media platforms (Instagram & TikTok). My handle “coutureinclinic” was meant to combine my two loves – fashion and medicine. Prior to beginning work as a PA, I was a model, and I actually turned down the opportunity to compete on America’s Next Top Model to attend PA school. Since launching my social media platforms, I have been grateful to partner with brands such as Nike, Tampax, Hyundai, FIGS, Nutrafol, and many more.

One challenge I faced along the way regarded completing my medical training in Alabama. I am a lesbian and often felt that I couldn’t be myself around my mentors and supervisors, as I would often hear them make homophobic and transphobic remarks. I feared that disclosing my sexual orientation would negatively affect my reviews and grades and potentially my future career. Before graduating PA school, my grandmother was diagnosed with and died of lung cancer and I acted as a primary caretaker for her both during her treatment & her time in hospice, which was extremely difficult.

Another challenge I face in my daily life is the rise of medical misinformation online. My posts about HIV, sexual health, vaccines, etc. are often met with hatred and accusations of being “bought by big pharma.” Many people are under the impression that there is a cure for HIV that is being withheld by the medical community in order to make money, which is untrue. Others believe that vaccines were created with the intention to harm the population instead of help. The medical misinformation problem became worse than ever over the past few years dealing with the COVID19 pandemic.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my bestie was visiting me in LA for a week, I’d make sure we did the following things:

Birria tacos at Teddys Red Tacos on Venice Beach then wandering around Venice and shopping for sunglasses, bikinis, and other knick knacks

Drag brunch with the Rocettes at Roccos WeHo

Sunday Funday at Fiesta Cantina in WeHo

Dinner at the restaurant in the Culver Hotel

Karaoke night at Boardwalk 11 in Palms

Beach day at Staircase Beach in Malibu

Meditation class at Open breathwork studio in Venice

Shopping at Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena

All day spa day at Wi Spa

Hike the Baldwin Hills Overlook in Culver City then get acai/smoothies at Elsa’s Juicery Truck at the bottom

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shout out to my wife, Tierra, who I met while still in high school in our rural community and who has supported my dreams all the way through undergrad, graduate school, and who fearlessly relocated to Los Angeles with me.

Website: coutureinclinic.com

Instagram: coutureinclinic

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/asia-sullivan-pa-c-los-angeles-2

Youtube: coutureinclinic

Other: TikTok: coutureinclinic