Saludos,
We at MOLA are still basking in the energy and inspiration brought by the 2024 MOLA-NAMS conference. Hundreds of students, medical trainees, physicians, researchers and various health care professionals joined us at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s campus to discuss innovative research, learn about medical educational endeavors across the country, and find opportunities to collaborate on health advocacy, policy and practice. I am especially grateful to the multitude of passionate individuals dedicating time and energy to the Conference, and to MOLA in general. Without their efforts, the Conference simply would not have been possible. We look forward to the planning process for next year’s conference, as well as several other exciting educational and collaborative opportunities! The conference also marked a significant transition for MOLA and its mission. I became the first President of the organization who was not a member of the original founding members. My assumption of the Presidency is a testament to the vision and dedication of MOLA’s prior Presidents and founders: Dr. Pilar Ortega, Dr. Joaquin Estrada, and Oscar Ivan Zambrano. I, and the rest of the Executive Board, truly stand on the shoulders of giants, and champions of health equity for Latino/a/e individuals, in both Chicago and across this country.
We recognize that there remains a lot of work to be done in order to achieve our collective goal of equidad de salud. We remain steadfast in our determination to advocate for voiceless communities, expand the pathway to medicine and allied health professions for historically marginalized communities, and embrace our multicultural and multilingual heritage. We are excited to share with you our efforts in this newsletter, and hope you join us in some or all of our programs and initiatives! I would like to call special attention to our MOLA-MRF Scholars program, as the deadline for application submission is fast approaching. Our previous scholars have set very high standards, and we are eager to work with yet another fantastic cohort of emerging Latino/a/e scholars!
Un fuerte abrazo,
Jonathan Moreira, MD
President, Medical Organization for Latino Advancement
