The “In St. Louis, For St. Louis” – The Practice of Service highlights the many ways our faculty are giving back and being leaders of change in St. Louis. Our faculty and students are committed to showing up, empowering our partners and striving to make a meaningful impact on our campus and in the communities we serve.
Tom De Fer, MD, FACP | Associate Dean of Medical Student Education
Thomas M. De Fer, MD, FACP, serves on the Board of Directors for Food Outreach, a St. Louis organization supporting people affected by HIV and cancer through health care and nutrition-focused services. His involvement began as a longtime attendee of the organization’s fundraising events and has grown over the years through several different roles. Today, he considers his position on the board a meaningful and tangible way to support an organization with which he has built a longstanding connection.
Food Outreach brings together several causes that are personally meaningful to Dean De Fer, including health care, the LGBTQIA+ community, and the role of food as medicine. As a WashU medicine clinician, he appreciates the opportunity to use his expertise in a different setting while supporting an organization that also serves patients who receive their care at WashU. He describes the experience as a “win-win,” allowing him to contribute his professional expertise while supporting a cause that is personally meaningful to him. For him, community engagement provides an opportunity to extend the impact of his clinical work beyond the traditional health care setting.
When encouraging others to get involved in their communities, Dean De Fer emphasizes finding a cause that feels personally meaningful. “Find something that speaks directly to you. You need to significantly care about the cause,” he says. He also encourages people to invite friends to participate, noting that volunteering together can create shared experiences that are both enjoyable and meaningful.