Overview

The Latino Center for Medical Education and Research began October 1, 1996 with initial funding from UC San Francisco School of Medicine, the California Border HETC (Health Education and Training Center) program and a federal Partnerships for Health Professions Education (PHPE) grant from the U.S. Public Health Service.

Located in Fresno, the Center is a unit of the UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program. The Center addresses the serious shortage of Latino physicians and other health care professionals in the area. The mission of the Center is to develop individuals to become health care professionals who will ultimately return to the San Joaquin Valley and to provide culturally competent health care services to the medically underserved. To accomplish its goal of increasing the number of Latino health care professionals in the area, the Center is working to create a strong educational pipeline within the public schools in Fresno County by recruiting, mentoring and tutoring Latino students and other educationally disadvantaged students. These educational programs include the Sunnyside High School Doctors Academy and a Junior Doctors Academy located at Terronez, Sequoia and Kings Canyon middle schools.The Premedical & Health Scholars program, located at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is the college level component of the pipeline program.  In addition, as part of the pipeline program, Fresno State offers an extension of the pipeline at the undergraduate level known as the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP). Through a variety of interventions, the Center works to prepare students to graduate from high school with the academic and qualifications necessary to enter any California State University, University of California, or private university. In doing so, the Center increases the quality and quantity of under represented minorities in the applicant pools of health professions schools. The Center also works with Latino physicians by providing fellowships to allow the training necessary to develop strong research and teaching skills. The expectation is that these physicians will choose to stay in the area and serve as mentors and role models. The Center also continues to establish a strong research program in the region with a focus on the health care needs of Latinos and other underserved populations.The Pre-medical & Health Scholars program, located at California State University, Fresno is the college level component of the pipeline program.

The Center’s research goals aim to increase the knowledge base of Latino health issues in the region through support of research projects and the growth of a community of qualified Latino researchers. The research program offers mini grants to researchers for: a Fellows Program, research projects that address the health care needs of the region’s underserved, and monthly “Research in Progress” forums for faculty, fellows and community researchers conducting current related research.

An Advisory Board composed of representatives of Fresno’s major educational and health care provider institutions oversees the Latino Center. The Council represents: UCSF School of Medicine; UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program; University of California Office of the President; California State University, Fresno; State Center Community College District; Fresno County Office of Education; Fresno Unified School District;Community Medical Centers and San Joaquin Valley Health Consortium, Inc.