Cal-ACP is the advocacy arm of the California American College of Physicians, which includes more than 11,000 members from the four California chapters. Cal-ACP supports efforts that improve the quality and effectiveness of health care and foster excellence and professionalism in the practice of internal medicine. The organization also keeps members up-to-date on state legislative activities; provides opportunities for physicians to become involved in issues of importance to medical students, internists and patients; and encourages members to make a difference by submitting resolutions to the ACP Board of Governors and the California Medical Association.
"I am honored to serve as president of this dynamic organization and am eager to work with the board of directors to develop a strong legislative and advocacy agenda for the next few years," said Latimore. "As California passes laws and develops regulations to implement the Affordable Care Act, it will become increasingly important to have internal medicine physicians participating in discussions at the Capitol and the California Medical Association that affect our specialty and the patients we serve."
Latimore is a 1994 graduate of the UC Davis School of Medicine who practiced general medicine in the Kaiser Permanente system in south Sacramento and cared for patients with HIV/AIDS for more than 10 years. He returned to UC Davis in 2008 as the school's first director of student diversity — a new position established to advance partnerships in the community and produce a more diverse student body and physician workforce for California. As assistant dean, he works closely with health system leadership to establish inclusive student and resident communities, and develop programs to advance recruitment, retention, training and community service.
Latimore has been an active member of the Cal-ACP board and Health and Public Policy Committee for more than 10 years. He has served as the Cal-ACP representative to the California Medical Association's annual House of Delegates meeting since 2000 and treasurer of the Specialty Society Delegation Executive Committee since 2009. He has also participated in the annual Council on Legislation.
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization and the second-largest physician group in the United States. ACP members include 130,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists and medical students. Internists specialize in the prevention, detection and treatment of illness in adults. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa., the American College of Physicians acts locally through its state chapters and regions. In California, there are four ACP chapters, one for the Northern California region and three for Southern California.
The UC Davis School of Medicine is among the nation's leading medical schools, recognized for its research and primary-care programs. The school offers fully accredited master's degree programs in public health and in informatics, and its combined M.D.-Ph.D. program is training the next generation of physician-scientists to conduct high-impact research and translate discoveries into better clinical care. Along with being a recognized leader in medical research, the school is committed to serving underserved communities and advancing rural health. For more information, visit UC Davis School of Medicine at medschool.ucdavis.edu.