Congressman Raul Ruiz Introduces Bipartisan Resolution for National Latino and Latina Physician Day
Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-Calif.), alongside Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), introduced a bipartisan resolution (H.Res. 1589) on September 28, designating October 1 as National Latino and Latina Physician Day. This resolution aims to raise awareness about the significant underrepresentation of Latino and Latina physicians in the U.S. healthcare workforce. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Latino and Latina physicians constituted only 6.7% of the physician workforce in 2024, despite the projected growth of the Latino population by 2050. The resolution also highlights the AAMC's projection of a persistent physician shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. The initiative seeks to support policies that increase access to medical careers for future Latino and Latina physicians, thereby addressing healthcare disparities and the broader physician shortage. Dr. Ruiz emphasized that his personal experience growing up in a farmworker family, where access to care ...
