Nebraska NHMA chapter named national Outstanding Chapter of the Year

The National Hispanic Medical Association named its Nebraska chapter as the winner of the Outstanding Chapter of the Year Award, which honors vigorous leadership and an outstanding impact in improving health within the Hispanic community. The Outstanding Chapter of the Year Award is given annually to the chapter that demonstrates the highest excellence in achievement and performance for that year.

For 2023, the NHMA Nebraska Chapter made tremendous strides in its overall success. The chapter:

• Reestablished the Latino Medical Student Association local UNMC chapter.
• Participated in more than four Hispanic outreach events.
• Attended and supported the NHMA Chicago 2023 chapter event.
• Saw Armando De Alba, MD, associate professor of family medicine at UNMC and former chair of the chapter, named NHMA Physician of the Year.
• Hosted Hispanic Heritage Month events featuring Carlos Del Río, MD, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and interim dean of the Emory School of Medicine.

Juan Santamaria, MD, assistant professor of surgery at UNMC and chapter chair for 2023, said the award is a significant acknowledgement of the vision and hard work of Dr. De Alba and Sara Bares, MD, associate professor in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine, in founding the chapter and laying the groundwork for its active engagement within the community.

“Receiving this award is a tremendous honor and a testament to the dedication and accomplishments of the Hispanic physicians at UNMC and in the Omaha area,” Dr. Santamaria said. “It is truly exciting to receive national recognition of our efforts. It demonstrates our steadfast commitment to promoting and advancing Hispanic health in our community and speaks volumes about the support and encouragement we have received from UNMC College of Medicine.”

The announcement was made April 13 at the NHMA 30th Anniversary Celebration & Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C.

This month, the National Hispanic Medical Association and the National Hispanic Health Foundation commemorate three decades of commitment to advancing health equity and bolstering Latino representation within the health care sector.

Established in 1994 in Washington D.C., NHMA is the premier non-profit membership association representing the interests of 50,000 licensed Hispanic physicians in the United States. The mission of NHMA is to empower Hispanic physician leaders to improve the health of Hispanics in the United States.

NHMA membership offers access to a supportive community of Hispanic physicians and health care professionals dedicated to enhancing health care for Hispanics, eradicating health care inequalities and advancing careers as community leaders across various sectors, including private practice, academia, administration and public service.