Hispanic and Latino Heritage month
Hispanic and Latino Heritage month is September 15 to October 15. According to HispanicHeritageMonth.gov, the day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.
The AAFP takes this time to honor and celebrate the achievements and contributions of family physicians whose ancestors came from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Spain, but this is more than a month-long focus for us. We'll use this space to highlight the work of our current Hispanic and Latino members.
Members In Action
Additional Member Stories
NCCL Leader Following in Residency Mentor’s Footsteps
FP Shares Expertise in Geriatrics and More | Family Doc Focus
UCLA Mentor Honored for Work in Underserved Communities | Family Doc Focus
NCCL Leader Eager to Make a Difference | Family Doc Focus
FP Innovator’s Vision Brings AFP Content to New Audience | Family Doc Focus
"We're not a homogeneous group. ... So, being open and going in with a sense of understanding where a patient and family may be coming from rather than assuming you understand what's going on – that is the way we serve our Hispanic and Latino communities the best way. Just to be open and caring and remind people that there are medical people out there who care about what's happening in your family."
– Dr. Gail Guerrero-Tucker, MD, MPH, FAAFP, family physician
A Diverse Workforce Equals a Healthier Population
Studies show that patient satisfaction and health outcomes are improved when health providers and their patients have concordance in their racial, ethnic, and language backgrounds. Studies also show that students from backgrounds currently underrepresented in medicine are more likely to care for underserved populations in their careers, and more likely to choose primary care careers.
The current U.S. physician workforce includes roughly three times fewer physicians from Hispanic and Latino backgrounds, and roughly two times fewer physicians from Black and African American backgrounds, compared to the general population.
Visit the EveryOne Project to check out a report on workforce diversity and more.
