The University of Arizona

Our Vision

The vision of the Arizona Hispanic Center of Excellence (AzHCOE) is to be a national center of Hispanic health research and training, attracting the brightest and best Hispanic faculty and students.

Our Mission

Our mission is to advance the health of all Americans by producing the highest quality scholarship, research and training for the next generation of diverse and culturally fluent health care providers.

In August of 1999, the United States Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of Health Professions awarded The University of Arizona, Arizona Health Sciences Center (AHSC) - College of Medicine and Mexican American Studies and Research Center (MASRC) a three-year, $1.2 million dollar grant to create an Arizona Hispanic Center of Excellence.

In September of 2003, The University of Arizona College of Medicine was funded for $1.5 million over the next three years.

This AzHCOE funding provided the institution with the opportunity and resouces to review, organize and consolidate its efforts to promote greater participation of Hispanics/Latinos in the medical professions.

The funds were used specifically for the following purposes:

  • Increase the number of Hispanic/Latino medical students
  • Support and improve Hispanic/Latino medical student academic performance
  • Provide training in cultural competence for all medical students
  • Increase the number of Hispanic/Latino medical faculty
  • Promote biomedical research by and about Hispanics/Latinos
  • Provide coordination for outreach programs targeting Hispanic/Latino undergraduate and community college students
  • Expand library resources in Hispanic/Latino health for academic and community use

The University of Arizona's Hispanic Center of Excellence program is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, Division of Careers Diversity and Development.

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