NHMA Leadership Fellowship Program

The purpose of the NHMA Leadership Fellowship Program is to promote leadership development among members of the National Hispanic Medical Association. The emphasis is on the knowledge and skills necessary to take a leadership role in health policy development and advocacy at local, state and national levels on issues of importance to the health of the Hispanic community. Major sponsors are AMGEN, Inc., the R. F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University, and the National Hispanic Medical Association. Applications are solicited from association membership. A committee consisting of association officers, NYU Wagner faculty and the Dean selects approximately 20 Fellows each year. The primary selection criteria are leadership potential as evidenced by work experience and other community activities. Applicants should have at least five years of professional experience after completion of residency training and letters of recommendation are part of the application package.

In the year 2005, Hispanics have become the largest ethnic minority in the United States. One out of every three Hispanics has no health insurance. Hispanics are 65% Mexican American, 11% Puerto Rican, 8% Cuban, and 16% Central and South American and from other Spanish -speaking countries. They are subjected to a health system with limited knowledge of the Hispanic culture and language. Hispanic physicians number about 4% of the physician workforce in the United States. Studies have shown that Hispanic physicians, in general, provide more medical care to Hispanic patients than to non-Hispanics and serve as the safety net, along with community based clinics, for their communities in urban, rural, and U.S.- Mexico border areas of the nation. In addition, Hispanic medical faculty is beginning to engage themselves in the study of health issues and their impact on Hispanics.

The proportion of Hispanics employed in the senior executive management of the Federal government is significantly lower than the proportion of Hispanics employed in the civilian workforce. In 1996, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services established the "Hispanic Agenda for Action" to increase the employment of Hispanics in career and advisory capacities and to enhance the sensitivity of HHS programs for Hispanic customers. Too few Hispanic physicians in senior executive management positions of the Federal government is a major barrier to achieving access to quality health care for all Americans. In the Fellowship program, promising Hispanic physicians will receive support to enhance their leadership capability, increase understanding of current key national/state health policy issues, develop innovative perspectives on solutions to critical issues in current public services affecting Hispanic populations, and to develop and present a proposal for policy action to improve health care in the Hispanic community. In addition, the program will provide Fellows the opportunity to develop a unique network with national experts in health policy and public service careers, communicate with colleagues across the nation via Internet, and to participate in the development of future NHMA initiatives in health policy.

The Orientation and Introduction Session was held on March 20, 2003, Hyatt Regency Hotel Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. It was a one-day session conducted by Members of the Fellowship faculty in conjunction with the NHMA annual meeting. The intent was to give Fellows an overview of the expectations and learning process. Curriculum materials were distributed and the case study approach to learning reviewed. Fellows developed a set of policy points, which resulted in team assignments. Fellows were asked to select their priority policy issue and teams were formed for the balance of the Fellowship. The Policy Analysis Teams were designed to research and develop a policy paper on specific topics such as: Cultural Competence, Medical Education, Safety Net and Finance. Individual policy analysis team preparation occured between the initial Orientation and the Summer Institute. Fellows were expected to invest time studying the curriculum material and this was done at work or home during the intervening period. The Summer Institute convened at NYU from June 22-27, 2003 and was a one-week residential session involving intense learning experiences.

The Fellows spent time discussing specially developed case studies prepared and presented by NYU and NHMA faculty and other nationally known experts, heard guest speakers, and pursued their team project with guidance from the faculty. Topics for the case studies and the guest speakers focused on Federal/state policy development strategies and policy analysis skills. Topics included the nature of decision making for Federal policies concerning the regulation of HMOs and/or their involvement in the Medicare program, the Federal role in financing and regulating graduate medical education, the Federal and state roles with programs that address the special issues of underserved populations, such as the Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program and Cultural Competence. In September 21-26, 2003, coinciding with annual meeting of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the Fellows spent one week in Washington, DC and attended Congressional sessions and Committee hearings and met with the leadership of the executive Branch, the White House, and national organizations with interests in health policy. The purpose of the sessions were to gain first hand experience with the policy-making process and to gain experience meeting members of Congress, their staff and with lobbyists. The agenda included sessions on policy priorities of Congressional health committees, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Federal budget process, minority health initiatives, and coalition building. In addition, the teams scheduled meetings focused on their policy issue and met at the end of the week to share experiences. The fellowship closed at the following year's annual meeting where Fellows presented their findings before the annual conference. Fellows were expected to arrange to be given time off from work to participate in the program. Expenses for the Fellows related to attending the NYU Summer Institute and the Washington, DC Week were paid by the fellowship. Either they or their employer were expected to pay expenses to attend the association annual meetings.

Note that the first three years of the program were supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration, DHHS. The Class of 2003 was supported by AMGEN, Inc. The Class of 2004 was supported by Ortho Biotech.

NHMA is now accepting applications for the Leadership Fellowship Class of 2006. To download an application, please click here.

Sponsors for the Leadership Fellowship include HRSA for the first three years; Amgen for the fourth year; Ortho Biotech for the fifth year; and this year’s sponsors are Pzifer Inc, Ortho Biotech, Aetna Foundation, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University, and the National Hispanic Medical Association.

ALUMNI:

List of 2006 Fellows

List of 2004 Fellows

List of 2003 Fellows

List of 2001 Fellows

List of 2000 Fellows

List of 1999 Fellows