Founded in 1995, the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) serves to prepare all medical students to actively address the healthcare challenges of the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community.  The specific goals of APAMSA include representing APIs as a group within communities, providing forums for discussion on issues concerning API health, and creating opportunities for API medical students to build relationships with their communities through service.  UCLA and USC chapters consist of over 100 members and are among two of the 70 active chapters nationwide.  The priorities of APAMSA as a medical student body lies within local leadership and commitment to community service.  Some past and present projects include blood pressure screenings, health fairs, bone marrow drives, and Hepatitis B education/vaccination task forces.

UCLA/Drew and USC Chapters of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) are the largest chapters in Region I, which covers the states of California, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada. SNMA aims to improve the health status of the underserved by providing a network of academic, social, and psychological supports to current minority medical students; conducting community service projects that encourage health promotion and disease prevention; encouraging young people who have an interest in health professions; and fostering relationships between African-American physicians, medical students, pre-medical students, and youth. Members of SNMA accomplish these goals through events such as Project Santa Claus, Project Easter Bunny, Minority Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS) Affiliation, Project Immunization & Disease Prevention (in association with the UMMA Free Clinic), Health Professions Recruitment/Exposure Program (HPREP), Youth Science Enrichment Program (YSEP), and Medical Student Support Programs.

The UCLA/Drew and USC Chapters of Latino Medial Student Association (LMSA) are the largest chapters of LMSA nationwide.  LMSA aims to foster a communication network for Chicano and Latino medical students and pre-medical students, to promote recruitment and retention of Chicano and Latino medical students, and to support all other organizations committed to the improvement of health care delivery for Chicanos and Latinos in California.  The chapter sponsors and participates in activities including the Lennox Health Fairs, the California Latino Medical Association health fairs, the Giving for Thanksgiving food and clothing drive, and the LMSA Annual Statewide Conference.  Members network with pre-medical undergraduates, medical students, and practicing physicians from their own and other campuses.  Through these activities, LMSA nurtures the development of medical students who become active participants and advocates in the community.

USC and UCLA’s Medical Gay and Lesbian Organization (MedGLO) supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied students, faculty, and staff at USC’s Health Science Campus and the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. MedGLO works to improve the educational environment for LGBT Providers-In-Training, and educates the student body about cultural competency in LGBT Health. MedGLO has successfully integrated an LGB Health session into USC’s formal curriculum, and organizes an annual transgender health lecture series, an additional LGB Health lunchtime session, and a session on Intersex Health. In addition, MedGLO hosts a variety of networking meetings and social events, and will be developing a weekend conference addressing LGBT Careers in Medicine. MedGLO is also a key co-organizer of USC’s Our Health: Raising Awareness for Optimal Care and USC’s Annual Students Organized for Medical AIDS Awareness Conference. MedGLO is an active participant in the Southern California Lambda Medical Association, the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, the American Medical Student Association’s LGBT People in Medicine Advocacy Group, and is the proud recipient of the 2003 GLMA/AMSA LGBTPM LGBT Health Achievement Award.