Oct 7, 2005 -- The Hispanic Center of Excellence at YU's Albert Einstein College of Medicine has received $562,902 in federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services. The funding, which will be used to prepare the next generation of medical students to address the healthcare needs of Latinos throughout the New York area, was announced by Congressman Joseph Crowley (Bronx-Queens). Calling the college of medicine “a true resource for our entire city,” Congressman Crowley said he was proud to represent Einstein in its bid to identify federal funding for the Hispanic Center of Excellence. The center is a multi-discipline program that helps new physicians provide care targeted to the specific needs of Latinos and recruits Latinos for careers in medicine. It focuses on seven areas: improved student performance, faculty development, information resources, faculty and student research, student training, a competitive applicant pool, and cultural competency. “With the Bronx having a large Hispanic population, the college is now better able to serve its community by promoting research on Hispanic health and health disparities, by assuring that our students and faculty are culturally competent,” said Hal Strelnick, MD, director of the Hispanic Center of Excellence and the Institute for Community and Collaborative Health at Einstein.