Latino representation in medicine makes a difference, says UCI Health expert
Students, doctors participate in Latino Physician Day to raise awareness
October 07, 2024
UCI Health family medicine physician Dr. Jose Mayorga, left, walks with a group of physicians and medical students to mark Latino Physician Day on Oct. 1 to raise awareness about the need for more Latino representation in medicine.
Credit: Orange County Register.
IN THE NEWS: About 40% of people in California identify as Latino, yet they make up just 6% of physicians.
UC Irvine School of Medicine students and UCI Health physicians marked Latino Physician Day on Oct. 1 to raise awareness about the need for more Latino representation in medicine.
Dr. Jose Mayorga, a family medicine physician and executive director of the UCI Health Family Health Centers, spoke NBC Los Angeles about why it matters.
“It’s important to be able to walk into a clinic or exam room and be seen by physician that looks like you, speaks your language, identifies with your cultural upbringing. That makes a huge difference.”
Mayorga teaches and mentors the next generation of medical professionals as an associate clinical professor in the UC Irvine School of Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy. He strives to empower them to become leaders in primary care.
Mayorga was also recently recognized as a Hispanic Leader to Know by Becker’s Hospital Review. As the executive director of the first and oldest federally qualified health center in Orange County, UCI Health Family Health Center ― Anaheim and UCI Health Family Health Center ― Santa Ana, he has positively impacted the lives of thousands of adults and children in Orange County.
Under his leadership, the UCI Health Family Health Centers have been consistently recognized by the Health Resources and Services Administration for enhancing access, reducing health disparities and advancing health information technology.
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