The “Asian Pacific American” population in America is extremely diverse encompassing over fifty nations and one hundred dialects. Yet, the health of this population suffers from a lack of research and cultural sensitivity. The myth of Asians as the model minority with the highest median income (despite having the lowest per capita income!) overlooks the unique health issues associated with these populations. For example, over half of the victims of Hepatitis B infection in the United States are of Asian descent, many of whom go on to develop fatal conditions including liver cancer and cirrhosis. Moreover, many Asians have reduced abilities to metabolize pharmacological agents (e.g. proton pump inhibitors, nicotine, valium, TCA) as compared to members of other races.

In addition to addressing health disparities and the delivery of culturally sensitive healthcare to the APA community, APAMSA serves to support APA medical students. There is an absence of APA health issues in medical school curriculums, and the cultural factors influencing APA medical student performance are rarely discussed. There is a need to recognize the health issues uniquely associated with the APA community, both in the patient and student communities, enhance research in this field, and attempt to improve healthcare for these communities. This is where APAMSA fits in.