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The theme of the recent Latino Medical Student Association Midwest Regional Conference, juntos nos levantamos, translates to “together we rise.” These words couldn’t have been more fitting.
For one, the annual conference aims to support medical students who identify as Latina/o/x/e, Hispanic or of Spanish origin (LHS+) as well as the communities they serve. For two, this year’s conference included a community service component that involved a blood drive through the American Red Cross and a chance for attendees to register with the National Marrow Donor Program as a potential bone marrow donor for patients in need. Together, uplifting one another.
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine student Eduardo Williams (’27) served as the Regional Co-Coordinator along with Abizairie Sánchez-Feliciano (M2, CWRU) for the fully student-run conference.
“Only 10% of medical students in the country identify as LHS+. One of our group’s major goals is to increase the number of healthcare professionals who are LHS+ or who identify as underrepresented in medicine across not only the Midwest, but also the country,” says Eduardo, who collaborated with about a half dozen other students from schools across the Midwest to organize the conference.
Hosted by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, the 34th Annual LMSA Midwest Regional Conference was held at the Health Education Campus in Cleveland in mid-February. Nearly 300 medical, pre-med and high school students attended the conference — the largest attendance in the history of the LMSA.
The conference agenda included crucial topics in Latinx healthcare such as cultural humility/competence; immigrant healthcare; and healthcare provider resilience. Attendees engaged in hands-on clinical skills training as well as sessions on student leadership and strategies for success as a healthcare provider.
Local pre-med and high school students were invited to learn anatomy using HoloLens, an augmented reality/mixed reality headset that allows users to visualize anatomical images in 3D.
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The conference featured a research symposium with poster session and oral presentations, a networking opportunity with area physicians, social events and a gala.
During the gala, Monica Yepes-Rios, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, received the Mentor of the Year Award. A native of Colombia, Dr. Yepes-Rios is an internal medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital's Hispanic Clinic. A first-generation physician, she became the inaugural Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 2021, where she teaches culturally sensitive care.
Gala attendees also celebrated pre-medical, medical student, dreamer and medical student parent scholarship recipients; research award recipients, which included best poster and best oral presentations; Chapter of The Year Award recipients; and the 2024 graduating medical students.
“As a first-generation URiM [underrepresented in medicine] medical student, I am passionate about education and professional development to help people from my community succeed and to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of medicine,” says Eduardo. “I am grateful to everyone I worked with to make this event a success and provide the academic and professional support that LHS+ students need to be successful in their career plans.”
