UNM’s Marlene Ballejos Named Vice Chair of AAMC BA/MD Affiliate Group

Marlene Ballejos, PhD, MPA, a faculty member in The University of New Mexico School of Medicine, has been appointed vice chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges Combined Baccalaureate/Medical Degree Affiliate Group.

Ballejos is an associate professor and Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Department of Family & Community Medicine and is the School of Medicine’s assistant dean for admissions and co-chair of the UNM Combined BA/MD Degree Program.

An expert in holistic admissions in medical schools, she has helped lead UNM’s efforts to recruit and enroll a diverse group of students from throughout New Mexico to help meet the state’s health care needs.

Her professional and research interests focus on medical school recruitment and admissions processes, diversifying the physician workforce, pipeline program evaluation and community engagement.

“Dr. Ballejos has been at the forefront of leading the admissions efforts to recruit, enroll, graduate, support and retain a diverse group of students coming from New Mexico who are interested in helping to improve the health care needs of the state,” said Valerie Romero-Leggott, MD, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at the UNM Health Sciences Center.

“She has worked on many innovative efforts to promote diversity throughout New Mexico and within the American Indian/Alaska Native communities to create opportunities to address the physician workforce supply.”

The Combined BA/MD Degree Program, launched in 2006, enrolls New Mexico high school seniors in UNM’s College of Arts & Sciences. Upon completion of their specialized undergraduate curriculum, they transition to the School of Medicine to pursue their medical doctorate degree.

Ballejos will serve on the executive committee of the AAMC affiliate group. Her four-year term of office will lead to her serving as its chair in her final year.