National Latino Physician Day: Spotlighting Healthcare, Education Disparities

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Latinos currently make up 19.5% of the US population. 

Yet only 7% of physicians are Latino, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). 

What’s more, only 2% of the 7% are Latina, according to the publication Latina Women in the U.S. Physician Workforce: Opportunities in the Pursuit of Health Equity. 

Latino representation is vital to achieve health equity for all patients, including Latinos. 

This glaring disparity can increase instances of racial and ethnic bias, delay preventative care, influence what kind of treatment someone receives, and cause a stronger mistrust of the healthcare system – all of which can disastrously impact Latino health.  

During Hispanic Heritage Month we are honoring Latino physicians on National Latino Physician Day, Oct. 1, to showcase the need for more Latino physicians can help close the gap on health disparities.  

What is National Latino Physician Day?  

National Latino Physician Day was established in 2022 by Drs. Michael Galvez and Cesar Padilla to draw attention to the Latino physician shortage crisis. 

“The mission of National Latino Physician Day to improve the quality of care for the United States Latino patient population by increasing the number of Latino physicians who provide culturally and linguistically concordant care,” according to a National Latino Physician Day news release. 

In 2023, National Latino Physician Day was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Alex Padilla and Senator John Cornyn, and U.S. Congress for recognition of the day by Dr. Raul Ruiz and Dr. Yadira Caraveo. 

“Having doctors who can communicate in their patients’ language and understand their patients’ culture leads to better health recommendations and outcomes,” Ruiz said in a news release. 

Testimony advocating for the day’s recognition was also presented in the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) during the hearing, “What Can Congress Do to Address the Severe Shortage of Minority Health Care Professionals and the Maternal Health Crisis?” 

In addition, the day celebrating Latino physicians was recently recognized in California when California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 128, which was introduced by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula), was passed. 

In California, which is projected to increase to 52% Latino by 2050, the recent milestone is another step toward achieving healthcare equity. 

“There are significant health care barriers, inequalities, and poorer outcomes in the Latino/Hispanic population. Having Latinos better represented in medicine is necessary for our communities and for the future of medicine in the United States,” according to the website.  

Celebrate National Latino/a Physician Day on Oct. 1, 2024! 

Barriers to Becoming a Latino Physician 

The lack of Latino physicians stems from generations of systemic inequities, including lack of financial resources and the ability to afford basic needs like food and housing, brought on by and racism and discrimination in policy making.  

One of the biggest inequities is the lack of opportunities for higher education, which is a requirement for physicians. 

While Latino enrollment in 4-year institutions has risen significantly over the last two decades, Latinos are among the students with the greatest risk of withdrawing from post-secondary education programs, according to a recent survey by the Lumina-Gallup State of Higher Education. 

Due to systemic inequities and cultural values, Latino students face higher levels of stress.

This leads to a higher risk for mental health issues that may be left untreated because of the stigma surrounding mental health and could contribute to the higher drop-out rate. 

For instance, 71% of Latinos didn’t enroll in degree programs because they needed to work to support their families, while 69% cited they couldn’t afford the cost of a four-year degree, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center survey. 

In fact, college costs are one of the biggest barriers to higher education for Latinos. 

As of 2023, the average cost to attend an in-state public college was $10,662 a year, which works out to $42,488 for four years of classes, according to U.S. News & World Report. 

That’s just for a bachelor’s degree. Fully realized physicians must undergo four years of undergraduate education followed by four years of medical school, complete several years of residency, and for specialty fields, a fellowship training program.  

The average debt for a medical school student is over $200,000. 

75% of Latino medical students have debt at a median amount of $200,000, compared to 71% of White students, according to Education Data Initiative.  

Latinos are also more likely than other students to take on debt and have difficulties paying back loans, which can impact someone’s ability to buy a home, get a credit card, and more, according to the Pew Research Center. 

In addition, Latinos are less likely to still be enrolled beyond the six-year mark on their way to completing a degree compared to their White peers.  

How Can We Address Education Barriers?  

To address these disparities and make college and medical school more accessible to Latinos, we must create new pathways to higher education. 

Those pathways begin at public education where education inequities begin the moment someone enters Kindergarten. 

One of the best ways to do this is to increase teaching diversity at both the K-12 and college level.  

Educators who represent the student body can better understand the student’s cultural and social background and tailor their teachings to the needs of the student.  

All public schools around the country are not created equal. 

Some schools, especially in impoverished and rural areas, may have less funding and therefore be equipped with fewer resources, such as technology, supplies, and programs that help students prepare for the future.  

To address these inequities, The Brookings Institution suggests offering summer school and afterschool programs to help close learning gaps.  

At the high school level, school districts should invest in technology programs, such as computer science, and integrating them into regular coursework, to prepare Latino students for in-demand jobs in the STEM field.  

Creating partnerships between high schools and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) can also open doors for Latinos higher education.  

Currently there are more than 500 HSIs across the country that educate more than 4.7 million students, according to a White House news release. 

However, it isn’t enough for them to exist, the Department of Education must also invest in the growth and resources that these institutions can provide. 

An executive order was recently signed for “Advancing Educational Equity, Excellent, and Economic Opportunity through HSIs.” 

This initiative seeks to increase opportunities to participate in federal programs, help identify strategies and programs to help students achieve educational and economic success and expand offerings to boost Latino representation in STEM careers. 

In addition, the White House also announced an immigration policy that makes it easier for DACA recipients to earn degrees in the US and obtain work visas.  

The program would also help high school students and students from low-income families gain access to higher education with valuable resources such as tutoring, campus visits, and help completing college and financial aid applications.  

Physicians, Overcome Implicit Bias 

While we continue to find ways to create more opportunities for Latinos to enter the field of medicine, there’s more we can do to help physicians currently serving patients.  

Physicians, even Latino physicians, can have implicit bias.  

Implicit bias is defined as stereotypes that can impact our understanding and decisions about others, resulting in unconscious discrimination, which can negatively impact someone’s health.  

To find out if you possess implicit bias download the free Salud America! Action Pack “Health Care Workers and Researchers: Find If You Have Implicit Bias and What to Do Next.” 

With this Action Pack, physicians can take the “Implicit Association Test (IAT)” to determine if they have implicit bias. 

After the test, you can analyze your results and find ways to overcome any bias, then encourage a colleague to do the same.  

“This Action Pack will help you see if you have implicit bias, learn from others who have overcome their own implicit bias, and encourage colleagues to learn about implicit bias, too,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the Salud America! Latino health equity program at UT Health San Antonio, who created the Action Pack. 

GET THE ACTION PACK!