Dr. James Frater is a medical doctor and public health strategist dedicated to finding solutions that help healthcare systems to deliver care closer to where people live, work, and feel most comfortable. His work focuses on health, policy, and equity, leading initiatives across sectors to improve lives, shift systems, and expand access to opportunity.
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Growing up in rural Jamaica and living with life-threatening asthma, James experienced firsthand how profoundly our environments—both physical and social—impact health outcomes. His distressing experiences led to his declaration at age five that he was going to become a doctor. He had grand ambitions to set up a backyard clinic, so he started “treating” his first patient, his late grandmother, for endless imaginary illnesses. His aim was to fix everyone. One patient at a time.
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He stubbornly followed through with his promise and became a medical doctor 20 years later. He realized that while a doctor could treat one person at a time, “fixing everyone” would require a more systemic understanding of health inequities. That’s what led him to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he’s pursuing a master of public health degree with a health management concentration. His aim is to transform health systems in underserved communities like the one he grew up in, both by improving health care quality and access to care.
His lived experience continues to shape his mission: to reimagine systems so that they work for those most often left behind.
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James’ professional experience spans the NHS, Yale, Community Solutions and Google Cloud, where he has contributed to projects in digital health, policy development, homelessness response, and educational equity. In addition, he has held governance roles in multi-million-pound organisations, designed and delivered national mentoring and outreach programmes, and advised global leaders on health equity and youth empowerment. He has also represented the UK as the G20 Youth Delegate for Health, Wellbeing, and Sport and co-authored a chapter in the 2024 book Improving Health in the Caribbean Region: Challenges and Opportunities.
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He has been recognised with numerous awards for his academic excellence, leadership, and impact, including:
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Top 10 Rare Rising Star for academic achievement and leadership
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Top 100 Future Leader for contributions to UK society
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The Diana Award for social impact and youth empowerment
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The Abbas Khan Medal for exceptional service at King’s College London
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Black Heart Foundation Scholar, Akindolie Medical Scholar, and King’s Distinguished Future Alumni Award
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King’s Experience Global Award for international engagement
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At the heart of all his work is a simple but powerful philosophy: live audaciously, choose your life, and help others do the same.
BECAME A MEDICAL DOCTOR
Complete a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Medicine (MBBS) degree from Medical School in London.
CO-FOUNDED THE LADDER PROJECT
A social enterprise on a mission to ensure that all students leaving school are equipped with the skills required to succeed in the world of work and in higher education.
BECAME A MEDICAL DOCTOR
Complete a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Medicine (MBBS) degree from Medical School in London.
CO-FOUNDED THE LADDER PROJECT
A social enterprise on a mission to ensure that all students leaving school are equipped with the skills required to succeed in the world of work and in higher education.
COMPLETED A MANAGEMENT DEGREE
Completed an intercalated Management degree at a Business School in London.
RECEIVED THE PRESTIGIOUS
DIANA AWARD
Received the most prestigious accolade a young person aged 9-25 can receive for their social action or humanitarian work
NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 100 FUTURE LEADERS
As one of the Future Leaders, I went to 10 Downing Street to discuss leadership, responsibility, social mobility and topical issues at the time.
SELECTED AS A MEMBER OF THE EY FOUNDATION YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD
EY Foundation is an independent charity supporting young people from low-income backgrounds get paid work experience, employability skills training and career guidance.
AWARDED THE AKINDOLIE MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP
Main winner of the award for showing an exceptional, demonstrable track record of giving back to society outside their medical studies.
COMPLETED AN INTERNSHIP AT GOOGLE CLOUD
Completed an internship, partnering with enterprise companies (the biggest companies) to use Google Cloud to equip their organisations to thrive.
SELECTED TO BE A ONE YOUNG WORLD DELEGATE
Selected to receive a Vodafone Foundation Scholarship to attend the 2019 One Young World Summit. After the Summit, I subsequently became an Ambassador.
SELECTED AS A TOP 10 RARE RISING STAR
Selected as one the Top 10 most outstanding Black students in the UK by Rare and was fortunate to receive my award at the House of Parliament.
