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Who We Are

The Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) is a network of students, alumni, and health professionals whose mission is to promote the development of Latino students through educational, volunteer, professional, and networking opportunities to foster diversity, higher education, and the improvement of the Latino community. 

​

LMSA-West region represents Latinx medical students and other allied health professionals across 11 states: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

$50,000+

In support to our chapters and members.

29+

Active Chapters in the West Region

200+

LMSA - Western Region Members

$200,000+

Amount of Scholarships Provided

Our Mission

LMSA-West recruits and supports individuals in the healthcare professions who will strive to improve the access and delivery of healthcare to Latinos & medically underserved populations.

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Our History

LMSA started in 1970 as the National Chicano Health Organization (NCHO), a leading force in the recruitment and retention of Chicano health students between 1977 and 1982. With the tremendous need for effective programs to increase the number of Latino students in health professions, the founding members of the NCHO started the Chicano/Latino Medical Student Association (CMSA) as a network of medical students throughout the entire state of California in 1982. CMSA was officially introduced as a statewide organization during the National Association of Minority Medical Educators (NAMME) Conference in September 1984 .  CMSA changed its name to the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) in July 2003. LMSA was incorporated as an official organization in 2005 and received its 501(c)3 Non-profit organizational status in 2007.

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Meet Our Leadership

LMSA-West Region has chapters in 10 of the 11 states part of the west region. The West Region of LMSA represents approximately 17% of all medical students who identify as Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin at allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in U.S. states per 2017-2018 enrollment data. 

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Meet here our Regional Board and Regional Advisory Board, who support the activities of the LMSA West Region and provide our members and community with mentorship, community service, and policy.

Regional Board Members

Board Members
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Samantha Garcia

Co-Director

UCLA/CDU Medical Education Program

southernceo@lmsa.net

    Elizabeth Flores

    Co-Director

    UCLA/CDU Medical Education Program

    northernceo@lmsa.net

      Marlisa Olea-Gallardo

      Director-Elect

      UC Davis School of Medicine

      director-elect@lmsa.net

        Margarita Ramirez Silva

        Director-Elect

        Stanford School of Medicine

        directorelect.west@lmsa.net

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          Jose Sandoval

          Chief Financial Officer

          UC San Diego School of Medicine

          chieffinancialofficer@lmsa.ne

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            Ernesto Rojas

            Chief Information Officer

            University of California - San Francisco School of Medicine 

            chiefinformationofficer@lmsa.net

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              Juan Floriano Muñiz

              VP of Community Affairs

               

              UC Davis School of Medicine

              vp_communityaffairs@lmsa.net

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                Lorenzo Santamaria

                VP of Development

                A.T Still University

                vp_development@lmsa.net

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                  Wilkin Muñoz

                  VP of Internal Affairs

                  The Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine 

                  vp_internalaffairs@lmsa.net

                    Frank Sierra
                    VP of Medical Education

                    University of California-Davis School of Medicine

                    vp_mentorship@lmsa.net

                      Genova Hernandez

                      VP of Mentorship

                      Samuel Castro

                      VP of Mentorship

                      ​WesternU College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

                      vp_mentorship@lmsa.net

                      Stanford School of Medicine 

                      vp_mentorship@lmsa.net

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                        Orlando Acuña

                        VP of Policy

                        Keck USC School of Medicine

                        vp_policy2@lmsa.net

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                          Larissa Nicolas

                          VP of Policy

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                            Eddie Garcia

                            VP of Research & Analytics

                            Touro University California 

                            vp_researchanalytics@lmsa.net

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                              ​Hector Gonzalez

                              VP of Scholarships

                              Stanford School of Medicine​

                              vp_scholarship@lmsa.net

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                              Leslye Verenice Santiago Gasteiger

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                              VP of Scholarships

                              Midwestern University - Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine 

                              vp_scholarship@lmsa.net

                                Hernandez Salinas-Christopher (1) - Chri

                                Christopher Hernandez Salinas

                                ​

                                VP of Conference

                                ​

                                University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix

                                vp_conference@lmsa.net

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                                Alex Alvarez

                                Undergraduate Representative

                                UC San Francisco (Post-Bacc)

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                                Jennifer Pinal

                                ​

                                ​

                                VP of Conference

                                ​University of California- Riverside School of Medicine

                                vp_conference@lmsa.net

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                                Samuel Higuera
                                ​

                                 

                                VP of Social Media

                                 

                                University of California- Riverside School of Medicine

                                vp_socialmedia@lmsa.net

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                                Janelle Zavaleta

                                Undergraduate Representative

                                Mt. Saint Mary's University

                                Past Regional Board Members

                                Adali Martinez - Adán García-Mecinas - Adrian Delgado - Alexis Velazquez - Alfonso Robles - Amber Lara - Andrea Quinones - Arielle Rubin - Armando Martinez - Arturo Barrios Martinez - Beatriz Marron - Bert Pineda - Brenda Iglesias - Byron Rastegari - Camila Hurtado - Cecil Mayra Benitez - Cindy Fernandez - Claudia Lopez - Cristina Villalpando - Daniel Diaz - Diana Ramos - Edgar Corona - Edgar Ochoa - Elsie Urete - Erin Urbanowicz - Ernesto Casillas - Esteban Aguayo - Faby Molina Torres - Fatima Reyes - Jackie Leon - Jasmin Santos - Jorge Ballon - Jorge Torres - Karina Diaz - Katherine Brito -Leo Estrada - Lizbeth Sanchez - ​Lobsang Marcias - Marcela Zhou Huang - Mariana Martinez - Marisol Manzon - Martin Escandon - Miguel Amezcua - Miguel Ruvalcaba - Myra Gutierrez - Nancy Lopez - Nancy Rodriguez - Natalie Hernandez - Nicole Fierro - Obed Barrera - Omar Viramontes - Oscar G. Echevarria - Ricardo Padilla - Robert Olmeda - Ruben Mora - Shering Torres - Sophia Hernandez - Stephanie Clavijo - Stephanie Varela - Susana Sandoval - Viviana Huang-Chen - Wendy Silva - Yesenia Salazar- Vanessa Núñez- Robert Olmeda Barrientos- Bianka Aceves Martin- Sergio Trejo Jr. - Kevin Cabrerra- Emily Angeles Macinas- Steve Cochancela- Mariela Magaña CeballosMonique Ortiz- Alexis Rodriguez-Trisha Chau

                                ​

                                Regional Advisory Board

                                Advisor Board
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                                Margarita Loeza, MD.

                                Family Medicine

                                Venice Family Clinic

                                Amanda Perez, MD.

                                Emergency Medicine

                                Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine

                                Donald Portocarrero, DO.

                                Gastroenterology

                                USC Arcadia Hospital

                                Adventist Health White Memorial

                                Lisa Montes, MD.

                                Pediatrics

                                Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine

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                                Christian DeVirgilio, MD.

                                Vascular Surgery

                                Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

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                                Cristobal Barrios, MD.

                                Trauma Surgery

                                UCI Health

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                                Peter Ureste, MD.

                                Psychiatry

                                UCSF

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                                Daniel Diaz, DO 

                                Sports Medicine

                                AltaMed

                                Past Advisory Board Members

                                Fernando Antelo, MD - Jose Avalos, MD - Alberto Manetta, MD - Mario San Bartolome, MD - Richard Zapanta, MD

                                Our Chapters

                                The West Region of LMSA represents approximately 17% of all medical students who identify as Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin at allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in U.S. states per 2017-2018 enrollment data. 

                                ​

                                The LMSA-West region has active chapters in 10 of the 11 states we represent, including Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. 

                                 

                                Find here a list of our chapters and click more to find contact information. If you are a member, click below to find the different forms and resources for current LMSA - West members. 

                                ​

                                Have any questions or need additional support, contact us.  

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                                AT Still School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

                                ARIZONA

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                                Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine 

                                ARIZONA

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                                Midwestern University - Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine 

                                ARIZONA

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                                University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix

                                ARIZONA

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                                University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson

                                ARIZONA

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                                California Northstate University College of Medicine

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                Keck School of Medicine of USC

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                Loma Linda University School of Medicine

                                CALIFORNIA

                                Learn More
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                                Stanford University School of Medicine

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                Touro California

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                UC Davis School of Medicine

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                UC Irvine School of Medicine

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                UC San Diego School of Medicine

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                UC Riverside School of Medicine

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                UC San Francisco School of Medicine

                                CALIFORNIA

                                Learn More
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                                Western University of Health Sciences

                                CALIFORNIA

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                                Touro Nevada

                                NEVADA

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                                University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine 

                                NEVADA

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                                University of Nevada School of Medicine

                                NEVADA

                                Learn More
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                                Oregon Health & Science University

                                OREGON

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                                Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine

                                UTAH

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                                Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine

                                UTAH

                                Learn More
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                                University of Utah School of Medicine

                                UTAH

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                                Pacific Northwest University Health Sciences

                                WASHINGTON

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                                University of Washington School of Medicine

                                WASHINGTON

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                                Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine

                                WASHINGTON

                                LMSA Chapters
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