For Immediate Release
L. Carlos Zapata, MD, FACEP, Elected Speaker of the Medical Society of the State of New York
MSSNY is the State’s Primary Professional Organization for Physicians
Westbury, NY—April 6, 2026 – L. Carlos Zapata, MD, FACEP, was elected Speaker of the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) on March 29. He is the first Latino Speaker of MSSNY.
Dr. Zapata is Director of Community Outreach in the Department of Emergency Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health.
A graduate of New York University, Dr. Zapata also received his medical degree from NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He completed his emergency medicine residency at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell – Long Island Jewish Medical Center Program.
Dr Zapata’s leadership experience in organized medicine dates to 2007 when he was Co-President of the AMA/MSSNY Medical Student Chapter at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Since that time, he has served as Speaker of the American Medical Association Young Physician Section (2019 – 2023), Councilor of the American College of Emergency Physicians (2018-Present), President of the Medical Society of the County of Queens (2017-2018), and MSSNY Vice Speaker (2023-2024). He is currently a Trustee of the Medical Society of the County of Queens and a member of the New York Delegation to the American Medical Association.
Dr. Zapata was also the recipient of the New York ACEP 2017 Young Physician Leadership and Advocacy Award and was the lead author of MSSNY policy that led to New York repealing non-medical exemptions of childhood vaccinations to attend school.
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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents, and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.
Media Contact:
Roseann Raia | Manager, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x302 | [email protected]
Julie Vecchione
Vice President, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x340 | [email protected]
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