After two powerful Forums exploring why Latino men face higher cancer risks and the role of machismo in health behaviors, we arrive at the question you’ve been asking for: How do we build the healthcare workforce that Latino communities need?

What You Told Us Matters Most

In our pre-Forum survey, you ranked “culturally appropriate healthcare providers” as the #1 solution to addressing Latino cancer disparities — with 68% putting this at the top. Yet the gap is stark: Latinos represent nearly 19% of the U.S. population but only 6% of doctors.

This final Forum tackles that disconnect head-on.

Why October 24th Is Critical

The reality is sobering: You identified lack of awareness and access to healthcare as top barriers, but overwhelmingly chose culturally appropriate providers as the solution. This tells us the problem isn’t just what we know or where we go — it’s about who delivers that care and how.

Forum 3 brings together the voices building tomorrow’s equitable healthcare workforce— from medical students navigating an increasingly hostile policy landscape to the architects of workforce development systems that have been decades in the making.

October 24, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST | Virtual & Free

What to Expect: Three Hours That Matter

Hour 1: The Pipeline We Must Protect

Cristhian Gutierrez Huerta, 6th-year MD/PhD Student and National President of the Latino Medical Student Association, shares the realities facing the next generation of Latino physicians. From DEI policy rollbacks to loan repayment caps that don’t cover medical school tuition, he’ll illuminate why only 6% of survey respondents were students — yet why the student voice is essential to solving the culturally appropriate provider gap.

Dr. Elena Rios, MSPH, MACP, President of the National Hispanic Health Foundation and founder of the 30-year National Hispanic Medical Association, brings unparalleled expertise on what it takes to transform the healthcare system. Her decades of work in clinical trials, workforce development, and mentoring show us how to build these systems systematically rather than hoping they happen organically.

Hour 2: Leadership at the Highest Levels

Dr. Eric J. Small, Medical Oncologist at UCSF and President of ASCO, brings national cancer care leadership perspective on workforce equity and patient outcomes.

Pat Levitt, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, presents findings from the Family First Study—revealing why early intervention matters for lifespan health in Latino communities.

Hour 3: From Adolescence to Adulthood — Building Comprehensive Care

Dr. Francisco Cartujano-Barrera, Assistant Professor at the University of Rochester, addresses vaping prevention among Latino adolescents and young adults — a critical cancer prevention frontier.

Javier Rosario, LCSW, QS, OSW-C, Licensed Clinical and Oncology Social Worker at Blood Cancer United, explores psychosocial barriers and cultural insights that shape cancer care for Latino men. His presentation directly addresses what you ranked as top barriers: the knowledge gaps that exist even among healthcare professionals.

Wendy Johansson, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of MiSalud Health, demonstrates how bilingual digital health platforms are bridging care gaps through hybrid telehealth models connecting Spanish-speaking patients with culturally competent clinicians.

The Knowledge Gap Is Real

Your survey responses revealed something startling: Only 12% of respondents were very familiar with current screening guidelines for Latino men, with 31% entirely new to these guidelines. Even more telling— 68% believe prostate screening should start at 40-49 for Latino men, ahead of current official recommendations.

If healthcare professionals struggle with Latino-specific guidelines, how do we train the next generation? What do patients actually need to know? October 24th provides answers.

Join the Momentum

Following successful Forums on September 12th and October 3rd, attendees have told us “the conversations keep getting better each year.” This final Forum completes the series, connecting the dots between cancer risk, cultural barriers, and the workforce solutions that make lasting change possible.

Register Now — It’s Free

If you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time. Join us as we hear from ASCO President Eric J. Small, workforce development leaders, researchers, students, and advocates who are building the equitable Latino healthcare workforce our communities deserve.

Register Here for October 24th

Spanish interpretation available

Can’t make it live? Register anyway to receive the recording and continue this critical conversation about Latino men’s health and the workforce that will serve them.

Questions? Contact us at ContactUs@latinocancerinstitute.org

This Forum is part of The Latino Cancer Institute’s 2025 Forum Series: Latino Men’s Health — Spotlighting Cancer, an Unanswered Burden.