LMSA Policy Summit
The LMSA Policy Summit is an annual conference hosted by LMSA National in Washington D.C.
The LMSA Policy Summit will provide a venue for medical student leaders across the United States to convene in our nation’s capitol to share in practical and scholastic lessons in health policy. Workshops for students and residents would focus on the principles of health policy, as well as current topics in Latino health care, and will help provide context to practical experiences held the following day. Further opportunities will be provided for networking and mentoring within the Latino medical community, including Latino physicians as well as Latino leaders in politics. In addition to discussing major issues relevant to our communities, such as immigration, nutrition and academic development, the conference will emphasize the need for Latino physicians in positions of leadership in all branches of medicine.
Finally, student leaders in Latino health care will convene to review, discuss and debate policy initiatives proposed at the LMSA Congress of Delegates (LMSA-COD). The LMSA Congress of Delegates convenes once a year to review proposed resolutions, hear testimony and vote on the proposed policies. Through this process the LMSA policy platform is developed and refined on an annual basis in a transparent, and democratic process that reflects the ideals of American politics.
1. Health policy training
2. Networking opportunities
3. Leadership development
After completing conference activities, participants should be able to:
-Describe the basic steps of the health policy making process, including how to recognize, formulate, implement and evaluate a health policy’s outcome.
-Gain communication skills and first hand experience in advocating for Latino Health through legislation and lobbying.
-Understand history and results of US major health policy changes in the last 50 years as it relates to underserved populations and Latinos today.
-Identify pros and cons of different healthcare delivery systems in the US and how they affect the Latino patient population.
-Explain the role of other health care and contributing professions in developing and implementing policies
-Recognize the intersection between health politics and law, and the physician’s role in mediating this relationship.
-Identify strengths and gaps in current health policies applicable to everyday clinical practice in underserved communities
-Learn strategies to apply one’s knowledge of national health policy infrastructure to improve clinical care for medically underserved communities
-Identify how stigmatization affects health care delivery and health outcomes.