Medical Organization for Latino Advancement

What Medical Organization for Latino Advancement does

MOLA (Medical Organization for Latino Advancement) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association founded in May 2017 in Chicago, Illinois, serving Hispanic/Latino/a/e/x (LHS+) physicians, residents, students, and health professionals. Its mission addresses the underrepresentation of Latino physicians (5.8% of physicians against 18%+ of US population) through career advancement, mentorship, scholarship, and health equity programming. Core service offerings include a tiered membership program (Student — free; IMG $50; Resident $60; Health Professional $100; Physician $150 annually), the Casa mentorship model pairing practicing professionals with students across a five-segment pipeline, the MOLA-MRF Scholars Program ($575K+ awarded via the Michael Reese Research and Education Foundation), the annual LHS+ Health Conference (now co-hosted with NAMS), International Medical Graduate support (Beyond USMLE, residency matching — 8 successful matches in 2022), the Aves del Paraiso initiative for DACA students, and advocacy programming.

MOLA operates with no proprietary technology platform, functioning via a WordPress website, Mailchimp email, and social media. The organization grew from 311 members in 2018 to 1,792 by December 2023 (~5.8x in five years) and reported FY2025 total revenue of $246,406, up from $142,966 in FY2022. Revenue derives from a mix of foundation grants (primarily Michael Reese), corporate sponsorships (Novartis, Bayer, Gilead, Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca), membership dues, and individual donations. Geographic expansion has progressed from a single Illinois chapter to MOLA-Wisconsin (launched August 2022 as a separate 501(c)(3)) and a 2025 national conference in San Antonio, Texas. Operations remain volunteer-driven with 58 core volunteers plus Fellowships and a full-time Program Manager.

Name

Medical Organization for Latino Advancement

Legal name

Medical Organization for Latino Advancement

Website

https://chicagomola.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MOLA is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association advancing the careers of Hispanic/Latino/a/e/x physicians and health professionals through tiered membership, mentorship, scholarships, and annual conferences. It serves 1,700+ members across five professional tiers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from physicians, residents, students, health professionals, and international medical graduates. Student membership is free, residents receive 60% discount, while physicians and health professionals pay standard rates.
2. Grants and Foundation Support: Primary revenue source from Michael Reese Research and Education Foundation supporting scholarships. Additional grants from various foundations including CPASS Foundation and others.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from pharmaceutical companies (Novartis, Bayer, Gilead, Novo Nordisk), healthcare organizations, and individual donations from board members and supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MOLA is a non-profit professional association of Hispanic/Latino physicians and health professionals delivering membership-based programs focused on career advancement, linguistic and cultural competency, and health equity. Its core offerings include tiered individual memberships, a Casas-style mentorship program connecting students with practicing clinicians, the MOLA-MRF Scholars Program providing scholarships, and an annual LHS+ Health Conference (co-hosted with the National Association of Medical Spanish). The organization also operates specialized programs such as the International Health Graduates (IHG) Program, the Aves del Paraiso initiative for DACA/Dreamer students, and a Sexual and Gender Minority Health Committee.

Product overview

MOLA (Medical Organization for Latino Advancement) is a non-profit professional association offering a portfolio of membership services and programs rather than a technology product. Core offerings include: membership with tiered benefits (Student, Resident, Health Professional, IMG, and Physician categories); the Mentorship Program with its Casas model pairing mentors with pre-health and medical students; the MOLA-MRF Scholars Program providing scholarships in partnership with the Michael Reese Research and Education Foundation; the annual LHS+ Health Conference (formerly Latino Health Symposium) co-hosted with NAMS; the International Health Graduates (IHG) Program supporting IMG residency matching; the Aves del Paraiso initiative for DACA/Dreamers; the Sexual and Gender Minority Health Committee; and Fellowship opportunities. MOLA Wisconsin operates as a separate chapter. These are service programs designed to advance career development, linguistic competency, and health equity for Hispanic/Latino professionals and communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MOLA Individual Membership
• Casas Mentorship Program
• MOLA-MRF Scholars Program
• LHS+ Health Conference (NAMS-MOLA Annual Conference)
• International Health Graduates (IHG) Program
• Aves del Paraiso (DACA/Dreamer Student Initiative)
• MOLA Wisconsin Chapter

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of surveyed 2023 MOLA Scholar Program participants agreed the program met its objectives to increase academic interest in Hispanic/Latino health research
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• National Association of Medical Spanish (NAMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual co-hosted conference partnership combining MOLA's Latino Health Symposium with NAMS Medical Spanish Summit, creating unified national platform for language equity and medical Spanish education.
• Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for annual conferences and LMSA National Conference collaboration. MOLA hosts programming at LMSA national events including MOLA in Motion with LMSA (164 participants in 2025).
• University of Illinois Chicago - Hispanic Center of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner for 2024 conference hosting. Longstanding partnership supporting mentorship programs, scholarship opportunities, and academic programming for UIC medical students.
• ChicagoCHEC (Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer partnership between Northwestern Lurie Cancer Center, Northeastern Illinois University, and UIC. MOLA members participate in research and training programs.
• Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing simulation center access for mentee clinical training. MOLA students learn life-saving pediatric skills including CPR, choking response, hand hygiene, newborn care, vaccination, and vital signs at hospital simulation center.
• Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Office of Diversity and InclusionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Latino Health Symposium 2018. Partnership supporting diversity initiatives and Black and Latina Women in Medicine events at Pritzker School of Medicine.
• Junior Achievement of ChicagomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Doctor's Day events exposing Chicago Public School students to healthcare careers through panels and workshops on finances, career success, and basic life support.
• Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois (HLAI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Medical-Legal Social events bringing together Latino physicians and attorneys for networking and collaboration on health equity issues.
• Leukemia and Lymphoma SocietyminorOthersPartner organization supporting blood cancer awareness and research initiatives within Latino communities.
• American Medical Association (AMA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMA featured MOLA in article on Hispanic medical student pathway. MOLA scholars receive AMA internships. AMA recognized MOLA member achievements.
• National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership with MOLA participation at NHMA conferences and policy forums. NHMA president Dr. Elena Ríos keynote at 2019 Symposium.
• Howard Brown Health CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTQ+ health center partnership supporting sexual and gender minority health programming and HIV prevention initiatives.
• Rosalind Franklin University INSPIRE PMP ProgramsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting pipeline programs for underrepresented students pursuing health professions careers.
• Esperanza Health CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederally Qualified Health Center partnership supporting community health initiatives and diabetes prevention programming.
• I Am Abel FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentorship-focused organization partnering with MOLA to support underrepresented youth pursuing careers in medicine.
• National Museum of Mexican ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Día del Niño event hosting and community health programming at museum.
• University of ChicagomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint collaboration for Cardiometabolic & Renal Health Symposium, strengthening cross-institutional partnerships focused on health equity education, workforce development, and community-engaged research.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC): Represents medical schools and teaching hospitals nationally. MOLA partners with multiple AAMC-member institutions (Northwestern, UChicago, UIllinois). AAMC addresses broader medical education workforce issues, including diversity initiatives that overlap with MOLA's mission.
• American Medical Association (AMA): The largest physician association in the US. MOLA partners with AMA on Hispanic medical student pathway articles and AMA internships. While AMA serves all physicians, MOLA focuses on the Hispanic segment within AMA's broader mandate.
• National Medical Association (NMA): The largest national organization representing African American physicians and patients. Overlaps with MOLA in addressing physician underrepresentation and health equity, but serves a broader, less Latino-specific audience.

Regional players

• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU): Represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) primarily in education rather than healthcare workforce. Adjacent to MOLA's mission through workforce pipeline development, but focused on academic institutions and broader professional fields beyond medicine.

Direct peers

• National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA): National Hispanic Medical Association represents Hispanic physicians and is MOLA's most direct peer. MOLA participates in NHMA conferences and has featured NHMA leadership. Both serve Hispanic physicians through advocacy, professional development, and policy engagement.
• National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN): Similar mission-focused Hispanic healthcare professional association serving nurses rather than physicians. Both organizations address Latino underrepresentation in healthcare, provide scholarships, mentorship, and advocate for health equity for Hispanic communities.
• National Association of Medical Spanish (NAMS): Founded by MOLA co-founder Dr. Pilar Ortega, NAMS co-hosts the annual conference with MOLA. Both organizations focus on medical Spanish proficiency and language equity in healthcare — a direct strategic partnership creating unified national platform.
• Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA): National student-led organization for Latino medical students. MOLA co-hosts MOLA in Motion events at LMSA conferences (164 participants in 2025) and partners on programming. Both serve the same Hispanic healthcare talent pipeline from the student side.

Emerging players

• National Hispanic Science Network (NHSN): National organization for Hispanic scientists in drug abuse research. Shares MOLA's model of Hispanic-focused professional society with mentorship, conferences, and advocacy, but narrower scientific focus on substance abuse research.
• Hispanic Dental Association (HDA): Similar Hispanic healthcare professional society structure but focused on dental professionals. Shares the model of Hispanic health professional association addressing language competency, mentorship, and Latino health equity through a different clinical specialty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chicagomola
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuS1Nje2Qt0sOP-_rh7b0cw
• Facebookfacebook.com/chicagomola
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicagomola
• Instagraminstagram.com/mola.wisconsin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Medical Organization for Latino Advancement