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Medical education program at UC Irvine targets Latinos

A group of students at the University of California, Irvine's College of Medicine are helping to address future health-care needs for Latinos across the country.

The Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC) is committed to closing the health care gap for the nation's fastest-growing cultural group. PRIME-LC, in turn, is helping the students achieve their goals by providing a unique medical training experience designed to meet the increasing demand for physicians and public health leaders who can address the distinct needs of Latinos.

Launched this month with eight students, the first-of-its-kind program combines medical-school training focused on Latino health issues with post-graduate work in environmental health, science and policy. PRIME-LC graduates will earn both a medical and a master's degree with an emphasis on Latino health-care disparities, public health or health-care policy.

"As Latinos become the largest population group in California and the largest minority group in the nation, meeting this group's medical needs takes on even greater importance in terms of the overall public health," said Dr. Alberto Manetta, senior associate dean of educational affairs in the College of Medicine and director of PRIME-LC. "This first class of PRIME-LC students will pave the way for future leaders who can address the myriad Latino health care issues in California and the nation."

To read a UC news release, click here.

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