CRHD Hosts 15th Annual Spanish Mini Medical School

The Center for Reducing Health Disparities (CRHD), together with its collaborators, proudly co-hosted the 15th Annual Spanish Mini Medical School (SMMS) on Saturday, October 4. What began as a modest community gathering has grown into a beloved tradition — this year’s milestone “quinceañera” edition lived up to the magic.

Under the theme “Cuerpo, Mente y Espíritu”, SMMS brought together presenters, volunteers, and community members for a day of meaningful conversation, health education, and collective commitment to equity in care for Spanish-speaking communities. Attendees described the event as full of heart and purpose, with comments such as “Todo maravilloso,” and “Todo lo planearon no con la mente, pero con el corazón.”

Organizers extended deep gratitude to the dedicated CRHD team, volunteers, presenters (including medical professionals and public-health experts), and collaborating partners — the UCDH Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the UC Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center. The event was made possible thanks to generous support from sponsor Genentech. A special moment was the honoring of Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, MD, PhD — whose vision and leadership inspired the creation of SMMS back in 2008.

Feedback from participants continues to pour in: many said how important it was to have a space “where we enjoy, celebrate, and learn” (where “disfrutamos, gozamos, y aprendemos”) — underscoring the value of such community-centered events.

Materials from the presentations, including slides and handouts, are now available. Video recordings and additional resources will be shared in the coming weeks — so stay tuned for more ways to engage.