Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

The Office for Diversity
and Community Outreach in Undergraduate Medical Education

 

Student Groups

Latino Medical Student Association

The Latino Medical Student Association is a Latino student group representing health professional students from the northwest region of the United States.  Like the national organization, our local our Penn Med chapter has the following mission to:

  • Recruit Latinos into higher education
  • Develop a Latino High School Mentoring Program pairing Latino high school students with Penn Med  Latino medical students
  • Serve as a support network for Latino students
  • Advocate for increased Latino representation in health professions
  • Participate in the recruitment of underrepresented minority students to Penn Med
  • Work closely with the Student National Medical Association to foster a community of color at the University of Pennsylvania
  • Educate the public and one another about Latino heath issues which we do, in part, by assisting in health care delivery at a free clinic, Puentes de Salud,  in southwest Philadelphia for Latino immigrants
  • Promote awareness of social, political and economic issues as they relate to Latino health which we do during Latino Heritage Month (September 15th through October 15th)
  • Assist in the organization of the Medical Spanish courses designed for Penn Med medical  students wanting to learn Spanish
  • Sponsor the 2009 National Conference, "Strengthening the Core," February 20-21, 2009

 2012 LMSA Executive Board

Student National Medical Association

The Student National Medical Association (SNMA) is a national student-run organization focusing on the needs of minority pre-med students, medical students, and health care consumers. The goals of the University of Pennsylvania chapter of SNMA are the following:

  • To conduct heath fairs and health screenings in underserved minority communities in Philadelphia and suburbs
  • To sponsor informational programs which educate minority youth about the medical school application and admissions process
  • To serve as mentors to younger students who aspire to go to medical school
  • To participate in the recruitment of underrepresented minority applicants to the School of Medicine
  • To serve as informal peer academic advisors to other enrolled Penn Med students
  • To sponsor Black History Month activities and presentations for our medical school
  • To promote residency training programs at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

2012 SNMA Executive Board