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AAMC and Pfizer Announce First Group of "Caring for Community" Grantees

U.S. medical schools to develop student-initiated community service activities

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Washington, D.C., June 9, 2000 -- The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), in collaboration with Pfizer, Inc. and the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative, awards five U.S. medical schools with grants to develop medical student-initiated services and programs to local communities.

The five grantees are: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science/University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine (UCLA); Tulane University School of Medicine; University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine; University of Kentucky College of Medicine; and Louisiana State University Medical College in Shreveport. Programs and services will begin during the summer and early fall.

The unique aspect of this institutional grant program is its focus on projects initiated, developed, and run primarily by medical students. While faculty and institutional involvement is an integral component of sustaining community service efforts, the ultimate goal of the program is to encourage students to identify untapped avenues of community service. The program will also help students translate great ideas into meaningful service by contributing needed start-up money.

"Caring for Community" provides three types of grants-new, supplemental, and non-continuous. New projects are funded for $12,000 the first year, decreasing to $3,000 the fourth and last year of the grant. Supplemental grants fund new projects within existing programs and are funded for $8,000 the first year, decreasing to $2,000 in the fourth year. Non-continuous grants are provided for short-term projects and can be funded up to $15,000. The program conducts two award cycles each year.

"We are very excited about the 'Caring for Community' program's first class of grantees," said AAMC President Jordan J. Cohen, M.D. "Over the long term, our collaboration with Pfizer will not only improve education for medical students but improve the health of their communities as well."

"This program uniquely challenges medical students to shape their own curricula," said Mike Magee, M.D., senior medical advisor, Pfizer, Inc. and director of the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative. "As they conceive, build and manage these grassroots programs, they will contribute not only to their own education and well-being but also to that of their teachers and patients."

Grantees and Program Descriptions

• Drew/UCLA School of Medicine-The "Partnership for Progress" mentoring program addresses the shortage of underrepresented minorities at the high school level. The goal is to provide guidance and direction for underserved and underrepresented youths that are interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. Mentors will provide tutoring sessions, practice SAT tests and training sessions, special science classes, college application and financial aid workshops, and scholarships.

• Louisiana State University Medical College in Shreveport-"Camp Tiger," proposed by LSUMC-Shreveport medical students, will offer a 4-day field trip based on summer camp for mentally and physically challenged children in the Shreveport area. The camp will provide a one to one counselor-to-camper ratio while offering activities such as roller-skating, field games and pony rides. · University of Kentucky College of Medicine-The "UK-Salvation Army Student-Run Free Clinic" aims to address community health care needs and needs specific to the Salvation Army. The target population is the sheltered homeless residents of the Salvation Army and the uninsured working poor in the community. Students will develop a social service resource manual and counsel patients about preventive care.

• University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine-The "Health Hut" provides health care to children from poor families and underserved communities that have limited access to health care and encounter socio-economic risk factors that lead to higher rates of morbidity. The student volunteers work in partnership with the county health department, the network of public health clinics, school district, and many other local leaders and service providers.

• Tulane University School of Medicine-"Tulane Life Support Society" (TLSS) is a student run organization dedicated to providing medical students with the opportunity to learn about a variety of programs available in the field of life support. The goal of the program is to train all ninth grade students in New Orleans public schools over the next school year. The program has official recognition and support from the New Orleans Public School system.

The next round of grantees will be picked in September. For more information, please contact AAMC's Mila Cook, 202-828-0250.

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The Association of American Medical Colleges represents the 125 accredited U.S. medical schools; the 16 accredited Canadian medical schools; some 400 major teaching hospitals, including 74 Veterans Administration medical centers; 91 academic and professional societies representing nearly 88,000 faculty members; and the nation's 67,000 medical students and 102,000 residents. Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals is available in the AAMC News Room.