PRIME-LC Nuestra Familia Admissions Curriculum Alumni FAQs Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC) The PRIME-LC program at UCI School of Medicine is a five-year MD/Master’s program committed to training physicians to meet the needs of under-resourced Latino communities. Home Education Medical Education PRIME-LC Creating Leaders and Physician Activists The UCI Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC) is a five-year, dual-degree program designed to create leaders and physician-activists who will work in underserved Latino communities. PRIME-LC accomplishes this mission through a combination of immersion experiences in both Latin America and California with: Coursework led by a committed group of faculty from the UCI School of Medicine as well as the School of Social Sciences Collaboration with advocacy groups and community leaders focused on contemporary issues affecting Latino communities Advanced degree coursework and community projects designed to transform these medical students’ concepts of health and leadership PRIME-LC students work with various community organizations and clinics, including: Madison Park Neighborhood Association, Latino Health Access, UCI Clinica Cariño, OC LGBT Center, AltaMed, UCI Harm Reduction Institute (Needle exchange program) and Angeles de la Frontera. Planning for PRIME-LC began in 2001, and we enrolled our first cohort of students in 2004. Since 2004, we have established a residency track for PRIME-LC in the UCI Department of Family Medicine. Nuestra Familia Admissions Curriculum Alumni FAQs The Founding of PRIME-LC PRIME-LC was founded in 2004 by Dr. Alberto Manetta, MD, whose vision was to establish a comprehensive medical education program focused on training future physician-leaders to provide compassionate, patient-centered healthcare to underserved Latino communities. University of California President Dr. Michael Drake, then Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of California Office of the President, was an invaluable supporter in the development of PRIME-LC. Our graduates are now working toward achieving one of our most important goals: to create a network of physician-activists and leaders across the state of California — all working in different yet interconnected ways to reduce healthcare disparities for Latino patients. Our students have already accomplished some remarkable things in their time here. The establishment of PRIME-LC has enriched our campus and our larger community, and I hope that you are as excited as I am about this tremendous program! -Charles P. Vega, MD Director, PRIME-LC Program News Medical Education News & Events Medical Education News & Events Medical Education UCI School of Medicine HEAL-IM PRIME LEAD-ABC PRIME-LC — Education — Medical Education News & Events Medical Education News & Events Medical Education — Education — UCI School of Medicine HEAL-IM PRIME LEAD-ABC PRIME-LC May 19, 2026 | UC Irvine School of Medicine MD/PhD Student Bianca Leonard Honored for Excellence in Health for the Latino Community Features & Briefs UCI School of Medicine Neurology PRIME-LC Office of Belonging, Equity and Empowerment (DEI) View All News Events There are no upcoming events. View Past Events Support Our Students We invite you to shape the next generation of physician-leaders dedicated to advancing care in Latino communities. Your generosity reduces financial barriers for aspiring doctors while enabling meaningful, hands-on experiences in underserved areas – an impact that extends far beyond the classroom. Make a gift Contact Us Questions? View answers to frequently asked questions about our PRIME-LC program. For more information, please contact us at 949-824-7136or primelc@uci.edu. UCI School of Medicine PRIME-LC Medical Education Building 836 Health Sciences Road Irvine, CA 92697-4089