Iara Backes \u201919, co-president of Geisel School of Medicine\u2019s chapter of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), has been elected president of the organization\u2019s Northeast Region for a two-year term. And Joshua Ramos \u201919, was elected chief financial officer of the Northeast Region for a two-year term. Backes succeeds Adrianna Stanley \u201818 and Freddy Vazquez \u201918, and will spend one year as president-elect while transitioning to the role as president<\/p>\n
Both Backes and Ramos are active members of Geisel\u2019s LMSA chapter. Given that experience, Backes says she wanted to be more involved with the organization on a regional level. During last fall\u2019s LMSA regional meeting, she and Ramos learned about upcoming leadership positions, discussed possibilities, and decided to pursue positions that played to their strengths\u2014Backes is skilled at getting things done and Ramos\u2019 previous experience in business and healthcare fit perfectly with the role.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m good at bringing people together around a common goal and getting it accomplished,\u201d Backes says of her bid for the position. \u201cAs president, you need to understand each role within the organization to make sure you are helping everyone meet the mission. It\u2019s the president\u2019s responsibility is to make sure the group is functioning well and I am able to do that while making sure the needs of a group are being met as we move forward. This is one of the reasons I wanted this position.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his new role as chief financial officer, Ramos says that by managing the regional chapter\u2019s budget, which operationalizes the director\u2019s strategy, he will continue supporting people as they move through the pipeline from undergraduates, to medical students, and beyond\u2014something he cites as very important to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll also be working with the regional director, along with the fundraising chair, to figure out the goals of the group, in order to create a financial plan to meet those goals,\u201d Ramos says.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdrianna and Freddy have put the regional group in a good position and I hope to continue that as well as to figure out innovative ways to help the more than 40 chapters throughout our region, along with the new chapters being formed every year,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n
A foundational mission of Geisel\u2019s LMSA chapter, Ramos explains, is bringing together those interested in Latino health through events and mentoring, \u201cthe Latino population here is small, but this organization allows us to connect with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Backes, that connection is important. \u201cOne of the things that\u2019s the most valuable part of being involved with this organization, is seeing keynote speakers of similar backgrounds who have overcome the same struggles to achieve prominent positions,\u201d she says. \u201cYou become inspired by them and that keeps me involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking connections as I move forward, I\u2019m reminded of what matters to me and how I want to make an impact\u2014meeting mentors and being a mentor myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
LMSA is in a position to bridge the cultural divide. As Ramos notes, every health-care provider will interact with Hispanic patients no matter where they practice.\u00a0 \u201cThis year we did a great job with that through Hispanic Heritage Month programming, which was open to the school,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd on a regional level we can take the lead on supporting the next generation of Hispanic physicians.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of importance for Backes and Ramos, LMSA is open to all non-Hispanics who are allies for Latino health. \u201cWe have members who are not Hispanic; we love their support and their willingness to immerse themselves in the culture and that\u2019s something I really like,\u201d Backes says. \u201cI encourage people to step outside their comfort zone.\u201d<\/p>\n
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