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Newswise MAYWOOD, Ill. (April 1, 2015) Four Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine students with deferred action for childhood arrival (DACA) status traveled to Washington, D.C. to address the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) delegate congress at its Annual Policy Summit, March 27-28. First-year medical students Diana Andino, Rosa Aramburo, Everado Arias and Manuel Mejia had the opportunity to be advocates on Capitol Hill concerning health care issues including access to care.

I was honored to be in the same room with numerous Latino physicians who provide medical care to underserved communities. I was inspired as I watched leaders in the medical field work together to make an impact in local communities, said Arias.

The students spoke in favor of the passing the LMSA policy that supports Latino students applying for medical school regardless of immigration status. It encourages medical schools to amend their policies to welcome applicants with DACA status and calls for advocacy from medical professional organizations. The resolution was passed along with 15 others that generally seek to promote a more just and equitable health care system in the United States.

Although there is a lot of work to be done, the passage of the resolution was a great first step. It is a privilege to be a part of Stritch and other organizations that are advocating for change in our health care community to open up more opportunities, said Andino.

There is a shortage of Latino physicians in the United States, but I know with the advocacy of LMSA and the work of Loyola Stritch and other medical schools that are opening their doors to new possibilities that the statistics will change. Like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we DREAMers have a dream, Arias added.

Loyola Stritch was the first medical school in the U.S. to change its admissions policy to allow individuals with DACA status to openly apply for medical school. In 2014, Loyola Stritch was the first medical school to openly welcome DACA students when seven DREAMer students joined their colleagues as part of the 140-plus member class of 2018.

With media inquiries, please contact Evie Polsley at epolsley@lumc.edu or call 708.216.5313 or (708) 417-5100.

The Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Division (HSD) advances interprofessional, multidisciplinary, and transformative education and research while promoting service to others through stewardship of scientific knowledge and preparation of tomorrow's leaders. The HSD is located on the Health Sciences Campus in Maywood, Illinois. It includes the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, the Stritch School of Medicine, the biomedical research programs of the Graduate School, and several other institutes and centers encouraging new research and interprofessional education opportunities across all of Loyola University Chicago. The faculty and staff of the HSD bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and a strong commitment to seeing that Loyola's health sciences continue to excel and exceed the standard for academic and research excellence. For more on the HSD, visit LUC.edu/hsd.

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DREAMer Medical Students at Loyola Stritch Honored to Attend Latino Medical Student Association Annual Policy Summit