The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research (LaCMER) and the California State University, Fresno College of Science and Mathematics will host the first “Aspiring Health Leaders Conference,” which will be held on Saturday, Oct.16, 2010, at the Fresno State University Business Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The conference is for students in the Fresno State Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP). HCOP is intended to motivate, guide and prepare students to become the Valley’s future health leaders.
HCOP provides support to Fresno State students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to becoming health professionals. The program offers students advising services, internship opportunities, tutoring, summer programs, and professional development seminars.
Ten students who are in the program currently are anticipated to apply to health professional schools next year.
The conference will feature a variety of guest speakers, including health professionals from UCSF Fresno, the director of the Program in Medical Education at UCLA, Kaplan Testing Centers, and current medical students. Workshop topics include: “MCAT Study Strategies,” “Preparing for the Health Professional School Interview,” “Exploring Research Summer Opportunities,” “Planning Wisely for the Health Professional School Application Process,” and “Pitfalls, Problems & Obstacles to Applying to Health Professional School” and more.
Event Details:
When: Saturday, October 16, 2010
Where: California State University, Fresno University Business Center
Who: Approximately 75 undergraduate and medical students and health professionals
Agenda:
9:00 – 9:15 am Welcome - Katherine Flores, MD, Director, UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research
9:15 – 10:00 am Keynote - Health Leaders: Why the U.S. and the Central Valley Need You Quetzalsol Lopez, MD, UCSF Fresno, Emergency Medicine
10:10-11:00 am SESSION #1
11:15-12:15 pm SESSION #2
12:15 – 1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 pm SESSION #3
For more information about the event, please call Cassandra Gomez-Abshire, MPH, at 559-278- 4140 or email cgom[email protected]
Background:
Located in Fresno, the Latino Center for Medical Education and Research (LaCMER) is a unit of the UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program. The Center addresses the serious shortage of physicians and other healthcare professionals in the area. The mission of the Center is to develop individuals to become health care professionals who will ultimately return to the San Joaquin Valley and to provide culturally competent health care services to the medically underserved. To accomplish its goal of increasing the number of health care professionals in the area, the Center partners with California State University, Fresno College of Science and Mathematics in operating the Health Careers Opportunity Program.
