On behalf of the SNMA Publications Committee, it is my upmost pleasure to present to you the Fall 2018 JSNMA Issue: Filling the Gaps with Socially Conscious Physicians. This is the second of our journal publications since my appointment as JSNMA Editor-in-Chief, and I am truly humbled by this opportunity to once again feature the strong voices of SNMA's membership. From poems to research articles, the creativity and diligence of the authors and my team members have taken my vision for both issues to unexpected heights. If you have yet to indulge in our first publication, Addressing Racial Bias in Medicine, then take a moment to witness how your fellow SNMA members boldly undertook this controversial yet delicate topic snma.me/getmyJSNMA.
Filling the Gaps with Socially Conscious Physicians is a collection of unique perspectives regarding the dire need to seal prominent gaps within medical education, patient care, and medical research. Whether promoting a hashtag to increase minority involvement in clinical trials or sharing socio-cultural challenges experienced with patients, I commend the authors for exuding SNMA's mission: (1) to support underrepresented minority medical and pre-medical students, (2) to address the needs of underserved communities, and (3) to increase the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent, and socially conscious physicians.