LHS+ Medical Student History and Heritage of the U.S. West Region

The history of LMSA West begins in the 1960s with a small group of first-generation premedical Chicano students with a vision of serving those in need and dedicating their lives and careers to ensure everyone has access to basic human necessities including healthcare. When those same students started to enter medical school, they found few students like themselves and no role models. They had to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. They were the change they wanted to see. They created a new organization to provide a safe space for mentorship, support, and professional development for future generations of medical students like themselves. The organization evolved from a strong presence in California and other Western states to a unified network that could support students across the region. Influenced by their Latino heritage, generations of LMSA members have shared the values of comunidad, valor, liderazgo, conocimiento and compromiso. This is the story of the LMSA familia in the West region.