Richard Juarez, MD Memorial Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Community

The Richard Juarez, MD Memorial Award honors the memory of Dr. Richard Juarez, who was born in 1972 in Brawley, California, and was a UCLA-Drew School of Medicine student. Dr. Juarez tirelessly dedicated himself to CMSA (now LMSA) and community outreach related to Latino health issues. He passed away in a car accident in 1998, and was posthumously awarded his MD degree. This memorial award was created by his classmates and fellow LMSA members to honor his outstanding commitment to the community. The award recognizes graduating medical students who have been involved in LMSA throughout all of their years of medical school training and have a clear vision of how they will improve the health of Latinos and other underserved communities. Recipients are selected based on their commitment to community service, particularly to the Latino community and other underserved populations. This scholarship is offered by the Latino Medical Student Association Western Region (LMSA West) as part of their broader mission to support Latino medical students and improve healthcare access for underserved communities. The award continues Dr. Juarez's legacy of dedication to community activism and healthcare equity.