The Dominican Medical Association History

The Foundation of the Dominican Medical Association, New York began approximately in the early 90s when Dr. Altagracia Guzman Marcelino was the president of the Asociacion Medica Dominicana in the Dominican Republic. She considered it was neccesary to create a filial in New York due to the significant amount of Dominican Doctors living in the USA, specifically in New York city. At that time Dr Severo Mercedes was assigned by Dr Guzman Marcelino to make contact with the Doctors in New York, however for years the idea received criticisms and rejection from many people who thought this country was not appropriate for the establishment of this kind of organization.

In 1997 during the presidency of Dr Cesar Mella , Dr Ramon Leonel Urena was in charge of organizing a commision to create the Dominican Medical association filial New York. The commission was born with the following medical doctors : Enrique Rosario, Leonardo Cabrera, Rafael de la Cruz ,Fabian del Orbe, Roberto Moran, Manuel Carrion, Isabel Vazquez,Juan Tapia, Grecia Santos, Narciso Fortunato, Francisco Billini, Jose Luis Castro, Franklin Sencion y Ramo Astacio.

The committee was supported by the journalist Cruz Santana. On March 1997, Dr Severo Mercedes declared the new Dominican medical association filial New York in an event celebrated at the 20 x 20 restaurant in downtown.

Finally on April 26th 1997 the Dominican republic National committee approved the first filial outside of the country. Since its foundation the filial has been directed by excellent and admirable colleagues such as: Ramon Urena, Rafael de la Cruz, Leonardo Cabrera, Roberto Moran, Bienvenido Farjardo,Douglas Mendez, Pedro Aponte, Socrates Castillo Feliz and Dr Leonardo Cabrera(Second Time Elected).

The Dominican Medical Association New York has achieved the mission of educate our community about health issues and to assist newly-arrived physicians from abroad to obtain jobs in their field, provide the tools needed to pass the medical boards and integrate them into the local medical community.

For more than 7 years we have provide information on disease prevention, anticipatory guidance counseling to the community especially in Washington Heights, Inwood in Manhattan and the Bronx, areas with mainly Hispanic population.

Thanks to the efforts of all executive committees, board members and past presidents the Dominican medical association nowadays is a non for profit organization that remains opened to all nationalities medical doctors, permanently working united for the development of a New health Age for doctors and the Hispanic communities in USA.

Translated and modified by dr. Miguel Hernandez M.D.

dma@dma.com