LatinX Physicians of California is sharing the latest quarterly update from the Latino Medical Student Association Western Region (LMSA West), submitted by Co-Director Frank Sierra of UC Davis School of Medicine. Frank and his fellow Co-Director, Kelvin Alvarez of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, also serve on the LPOC Board of Directors through our annual partnership with LMSA West.
This July, the 2026–2027 LMSA West Regional Board held its annual retreat at AltaMed Headquarters, where new board members stepped into their roles. The retreat brought together 26 attendees from across the region for leadership development workshops led by LMSA mentors Dr. James Cruz, Dr. Daniel Diaz, Dr. Hector Flores, Dr. Marco Angulo, Dr. Richard Ferro, and Dr. Sofia Gonzalez.
LMSA West Executive Board members at AltaMed Headquarters: Miguel Jaime, Kelvin Alvarez, Frank Sierra, Daniela Parra, and Lia Lopez.
Since the retreat, the board has added several virtual events to its calendar. A Path to Medical School panel expanded the region's pre-medical and LMSA Plus programming, and an Emergency Medicine Mentorship Workshop connected students with Bay Area residents and attending physicians, who talked through mentorship and career development opportunities. The board has also continued its Health Equity Series on social media, which highlights issues affecting Latino communities.
The board's Fall Regional Meeting was scheduled for October 17, 2026, at Stanford School of Medicine, bringing together the Regional Board and medical student representatives from chapters across the region.
Planning is now underway for the 2027 LMSA West Regional Conference, which will take place in Los Angeles in February 2027. This year's theme is "Rooted in Resilience: De Nuestra Historia Crece La Salud."
Future event updates and new LMSA West initiatives will be shared through the revamped LMSA West Newsletter and on LMSA West's Instagram.
Update provided by Frank Sierra, Co-Director of the Latino Medical Student Association Western Region (LMSA West), UC Davis School of Medicine. Shared courtesy of LMSA West.
Photo courtesy of LMSA West.