Rafael A Lantigua, MD
![Rafael A Lantigua, MD Profile Headshot](https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_200/public/cups-profile/headshot/78c646f0-00a8-11ee-884f-2d0b9345d99c.jpg?itok=wXETWJFI 200w, https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_260/public/cups-profile/headshot/78c646f0-00a8-11ee-884f-2d0b9345d99c.jpg?itok=BvsaOWqr 260w, https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_320/public/cups-profile/headshot/78c646f0-00a8-11ee-884f-2d0b9345d99c.jpg?itok=VGhk7OxP 320w, https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_400/public/cups-profile/headshot/78c646f0-00a8-11ee-884f-2d0b9345d99c.jpg?itok=uF7tTTsA 400w, https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_520/public/cups-profile/headshot/78c646f0-00a8-11ee-884f-2d0b9345d99c.jpg?itok=xQIp3Lkq 520w, https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_640/public/cups-profile/headshot/78c646f0-00a8-11ee-884f-2d0b9345d99c.jpg?itok=eELOtPDx 640w, https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_800/public/cups-profile/headshot/78c646f0-00a8-11ee-884f-2d0b9345d99c.jpg?itok=U6ITmE2b 800w)
Overview
Rafael Lantigua, M.D. is the Director, Office of Community Service Programs; Associate Dean for Community Service and Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Since coming to Columbia in 1980, he has a distinguished record of working to improve the health of aging minorities. He was the driving force behind CALME, the Columbia Center for the Active Life of Minority Elders, which supported research to reduce health disparities affecting minority elders and established an important bridge between Columbia researchers and the neighboring community. Dr. Lantigua also helped start the Columbia Center for the Health of Urban Minorities to shift community based-research from studies for the community to studies with the community. He is currently a primary care physician and clinician educator at the Associates in Internal Medicine (AIM) Clinic at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Lantigua earned his Medical Degree at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
Academic Appointments
- Professor of Medicine at CUMC
Administrative Titles
- Dean's Special Advisor for Community Health Affairs
- Director, Office of Community Service Programs
- Co-Director, Community Engagement Core Resource, Columbia CTSA
Hospital Affiliations
- NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Gender
- Male
Schedule an Appointment
Connect Patient Portal
For existing patients, login to make an appointment, view documentation or contact your care provider.
Location(s)
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- Universidad de Santo Domingo
- Internship: Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center
- Fellowship: 1979 Strong Memorial Hospital
Board Certifications
- Internal Medicine
Research
Dr. Lantigua has been actively involved in research on issues that affect the quality of life in minority population. From 1988-94 he served as co-investigator in a large scale community-based New York State Department of Health Program at Columbia to promote awareness and education of cardio-vascular disease in the Washington Heights-Inwood community. From 1998-2008 he served as the principal investigator in the National Institute of Aging-funded Columbia Center for Active Life of Minority Elders (Resource Center for Minority Aging Research). Since 1999 Dr. Lantigua has served as Deputy Director of the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University. He has published more than 60 medical articles in peer-reviewed journals.