NHMA and NHHF 30th Anniversary Leadership Summit
April 25, 2024
NHHF and NHMA hosted 275 participants in Washington, DC, on April 12 - 13, 2024, to participate in Congressional Visits to advocate for Access to Care by protecting the Affordable Care Act prevention programs, expanding Medicaid, and focusing on obesity and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, HIV, tobacco control; and for increasing Latinos in medicine by policies that create new institutions (regional medical schools) and advance diversity programs in STEM, research experience, mentoring and financing medical education (new GME slots, loan repayment). We also cohosted the White House Briefing on the Biden Administration accomplishments that impact the health of Latinos and considering a political appointment. We thank the staff and Office of Public Engagement, the White House.
Day 2 was a summit that started with the story of the history leading up to the establishment of NHMA. Dr. David Hayes Bautista provided the context of the 1960s in the U.S. when Latino college students developed clubs for prehealth students. In California, for example, the CCM and CHE groups were created across the state. As the leaders became professionals, they went to different states. Elena Rios's history was announced as an activist and organizer -- started recruiting poor students at Stanford, started the California statewide Chicano/Latino Medical Student Association in 1983, and the NHMA in 1994. Founders described their roles and challenges to the future: Collaboration, Leaning Latino Culture into Leadership, Enrichment of our NHHF Scholarship to help the next generation, and Partnership Development. Participants were assigned to four working sessions that resulted in strategies for NHMA and NHHF in the next five years: Increase Latinos in Medicine; Create health communications to other physicians about Latino health; Expand advocacy activities to Federal and State policymakers; and Develop partners to support executive leadership and clinical research training.
We look forward to developing our report with all the ideas that were put forth.
We ended the 2 days with our Awards Gala -- We honored DaVita and Congresswoman Caraveo as key partners. NHMA honored its Nebraska Chapter and outgoing Board Members Dr. Fernandez and Dr. Ramos; NHHF honored its partners with its Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship - the national Hispanic organization representing the nurses, dentists, doctors, pharmacists, public health leaders, and the PAs. We both honored 40 under 40 healthcare professionals, and finally, I was honored by both NHMA and NHHF Boards for 30 years of service and leadership with a grand portrait and acknowledgments. We thank all the staff, sponsors, and attendees!