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NHMA Resident Leadership Program
The purpose of the NHMA Resident Leadership program is to promote
the development of leadership potential of young resident physician
members of the National Hispanic Medical Association. The emphasis
is on the knowledge and skills necessary to take a leadership role
in Federal and state health policy development and/or academia and
focus on issues of importance to the health of the Hispanic community.
The sponsors are the Health Resources and Services Administration,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the National
Hispanic Medical Association. Approximately 20 residents are selected
each year and applications are solicited from among the association
membership. A committee consisting of association officers and faculty
makes selection. The primary selection criteria will be leadership
potential as evidenced in work experience and other community activities.
Appropriate letters of recommendation are part of the application
package. Residents are expected to arrange to be given time off
from work to participate in the program. Expenses for the residents
related to attending the NHMA Conference and the California or New
York Institutes will be paid.
In the Leadership program, talented Hispanic physicians receive
support to enhance their leadership capability, increase understanding
of current key national/state health policy issues, develop innovative
perspectives on solutions to critical issues in current public services
affecting Hispanic populations, and to develop and present a proposal
for policy action to improve health care in the Hispanic community.
In addition, the program will provide residents the opportunity
to develop a unique network with national and state experts in health
policy and public service careers and with academic leaders, communicate
with colleagues across the nation via Internet, and to participate
in the development of future NHMA initiatives in health policy.
In the year 2005, Hispanics became the largest ethnic minority in
the United States. One out of every three Hispanics have no health
insurance. Hispanics are 65% Mexican American, 11% Puerto Rican,
8% Cuban, and 16% Central and South American and from other Spanish
-speaking countries. They are subjected to a health system with
limited knowledge of the Hispanic culture and language. Hispanic
physicians number about 4% of the physician workforce in the United
States. Studies have shown that Hispanic physicians, in general,
provide more medical care to Hispanic patients than to non-Hispanics
and serve as the safety net, along with community based clinics,
for their communities in urban, rural, and U.S.- Mexico border areas
of the nation. In addition, Hispanic medical faculty are beginning
to engage themselves in the study of health issues and their impact
on Hispanics.
The proportion of Hispanics employed in the senior executive management
of the Federal government is significantly lower than the proportion
of Hispanics employed in the civilian workforce. In 1996, the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services established the "Hispanic
Agenda for Action" to increase the employment of Hispanics in career
and advisory capacities and to enhance the sensitivity of HHS programs
for Hispanic customers. Too few Hispanic physicians in senior executive
management positions of the Federal government is a major barrier
to achieving access to quality health care for all Americans.
The Orientation and Introduction Session was a one-day session held
on March 20, 2003 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill Hotel, Washington,
DC and was conducted in conjunction with the NHMA annual conference
and taught by members of the faculty. The intent was to give residents
an overview of the expectations and learning process. Curriculum
materials were distributed and the case study approach to learning
discussed. A Summer Institute was held in Albany, New York, May
3rd - May 6th, 2003 and Sacramento, California, July 12th - July
15th. It was preferable that Residents from the East Coast attended
the New York Program and Residents from the West Coast attended
the California Program. This three-day residential session (with
a networking dinner the evening prior to the institute) involves
intense learning experiences. Ten residents attended each session
and they spent time discussing specially developed case studies
prepared and presented by faculty and other nationally known experts,
heard guest speakers, and pursued their team project with guidance
from the faculty. The topics for the case studies and the guest
speakers were focused on Federal/state policy development strategies
and policy analysis skills and academic leadership skills. Topics
included the nature of decision making for Federal policies concerning
the regulation of HMOs and/or their involvement in the Medicare
program, the Federal role in financing and regulating graduate medical
education, the Federal and state roles with programs that address
the special health issues of underserved populations, such as Medicaid,
Children's Health Insurance Program, and minority students and medical
education funding. Topics on academic leadership included career
development paths, developing cultural competence curriculum, and
Federal research opportunities. In addition, residents gained first
hand experience with the policy-making process, met with lobbyists
and member of State legislatures, and had sessions on policy priorities
of State legislature health committees, minority health initiatives,
and coalition building with state and national organizations with
interest in health policy.
ALUMNI:
List
of 2001 Residents
List
of 2002 Residents
List
of 2003 Residents
Photos
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