Andrea Gallardo earned her undergraduate degree from Santa Clara University and then spent a year with the Americorps VISTA for the Health Trust in San Jose creating culturally appropriate marketing materials for youth relating to health issues.  She earned ehr medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.   As a medical student she spent a year working in a violence intervention program at the Community Assessment and Treatment Center in Los Angeles, CA..  She served on the program committee for the UCLA School of Medicine Minority Health Conference and is the co-founder of the Coalition of Medical Students Valuing Diversity.  She has been a leader of the Latino Medical Student Association, serving as Co-Chair of her local chapter, and as the Regional Vice President of Alumni Relations.   She has been clinically active in clinics focused on the underserved including the Los Angeles Free Clinic and the Venice Family Cinic.