Vicksburg physician Dr. Carlos A. LaTorre has been elected president of the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, an organization of more than 1,000 members consisting of physicians, residents and medical students.

He was installed as the new president during the MAFP Foundation’s Annual Scientific Assembly at the Baytowne Conference Center in Destin, Fla., succeeding Dr. Amy Hollman of Brandon.

“It’s a great honor to be elected as president of the foundation,” LaTorre said. “I’ve been working for the past five years with the foundation. It began with my last year of residency, and at times I’ve held different positions as a resident member, secretary, vice president and president. I was elected unanimously at our summer meeting.”

As president, he will be involved in the foundation’s activities, which includes providing scholarships for medical students to study family medicine and practice in local communities, and working with Tobacco-Free Mississippi to promote smoking cessation and tobacco cessation and avoiding tobacco.

The foundation also works with Miss Mississippi involving schools to help promote tobacco cessation and healthy life styles.

Latorre is a board certified family physician. He received his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School Of Medicine in 2008 and completed his residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2011 while serving as chief resident for the Department of Family Medicine.

He has B.S. and M.S. in Geology from the University of Southern Mississippi and is a registered professional geologist in the state of Mississippi.

He has practiced medicine with the Merit Health River Region Health Systems in Vicksburg since 2011, and currently serves as medical director of Clinical Integration and Physician Orientation, and as secretary of the Medical Executive Committee.

He is a district director for the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians, and also serves on the public awareness committee. He is a charter member of the Merit Health Primary Care Physician Advisory Council and a member of the UMMC Alumni Board and serves as a preceptor to medical students.

Latorre and his wife of 19 years, Nalini, live in Vicksburg and have one daughter, Alana, 13. They are members of St. Michael’s Catholic Church.

In his spare time, Dr. Latorre enjoys spending time with friends and family, attending local dance and theater productions, and sporting events at St. Aloysius Catholic School.

He also volunteers for the Miss Mississippi Pageant Corporation, serving as patron chairman in 2016 and judge for The Quality of Life Scholarship for the 2014 through 2016 pageants. He also serves as a volunteer physician at the First Baptist Church Free Clinic, Walk with the Doc Vicksburg, International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Sanderson Farms Championship PGA tour, Doctor of the Day at the State Capitol and is involved in the Rotary Club in Vicksburg.