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 Apr 23, 2025 | UC Irvine Magazine Forever in Its Prime Features & Briefs UCI School of Medicine PRIME-LC Office of Belonging, Equity and Empowerment (DEI) Medical Education Apr 16, 2025 | UCI School of Medicine Three Honorees for Latine Excellence and Achievement Features & Briefs UCI School of Medicine Anatomy & Neurobiology PRIME-LC Jan 27, 2025 | University of California Health Through Their Eyes and in Their Voices: UC PRIME Alumni Reflect on 20 Years Features & Briefs PRIME LEAD-ABC PRIME-LC UCI School of Medicine Medical Education Office of Belonging, Equity and Empowerment (DEI) View All News Events There are no upcoming events. View Past Events Support Our Students The PRIME-LC Dr. Alberto Manetta Service Award was established to provide scholarship funding to PRIME-LC students who have not only demonstrated leadership with PRIME-LC, but also developed and led an exemplary service project in support of the program's mission. With your support, we can continue to recognize the extraordinary talent and dedication of our students who are committed to improving healthcare delivery, research and policy for California’s underserved Latino communities. 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