Washington, D.C., June 29, 2004 - The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), in collaboration with the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative, has awarded grants to eight U.S. medical schools for the development of student-initiated community service programs.

The "Caring for Community" grant program provides funding for service projects initiated, developed, and administered by medical students in collaboration with existing community agencies or in conjunction with medical school outreach activities. The program encourages students to identify unique or unexplored avenues of community service.

The 2004 grantees are: 1) Creighton University School of Medicine; 2) Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University; 3) Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine; 4) Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University; 5) State University of New York Upstate Medical University College of Medicine; 6) University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine; 7) University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine; and 8) University of South Florida College of Medicine. Grant funding will allow students at these institutions to sponsor projects and services such as preventive health screenings, medical clinics for the homeless, and a health literacy education program.

Over the past four years, the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative has provided more than $600,000 in funding to the AAMC "Caring for Community" grant program. Since the program's inception in 2000, 48 medical student programs and projects at medical schools nationwide have received financial support.

"The 'Caring for Community' grant program promotes effective community partnerships that permit students, under the supervision of faculty members and community physicians, to provide much needed and much appreciated services that might not otherwise be available to vulnerable or underserved groups," said Robert Sabalis, Ph.D., associate vice president of student affairs and programs for the AAMC. "In the process, students learn important lessons about assessing and meeting community needs, as well as important lessons about themselves, their professional responsibilities, and their roles as future physicians."

"It is inspiring to see the creative energy and enthusiasm of the students involved in these projects," said Mike Magee, M.D., director of the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative. "Their commitment to helping the uninsured, the homeless or other underserved populations-shown at such an early stage in their careers-marks them as compassionate leaders for the future."

The following grants were awarded this year:

Creighton University School of Medicine, "Magis Medical Clinic"
Creighton medical students will establish a free clinic for homeless men, women, and families on Saturday evenings at the Siena/Francis House, a shelter located next to the university campus. The clinic will offer acute care services, follow-up care, and referrals to existing community services.

Jefferson Medical College, "Jeff HOPE"
Founded by medical students who recognized the need for better access to health care in the local homeless community, Jeff HOPE currently operates medical clinics at five sites in the Philadelphia area and has served nearly 20,000 people since 1993. This grant will allow the program to open a new clinic at St. Columbia's, an emergency shelter for homeless men.

Medical College of Georgia, "Project MCG H.O.S.P.I.T.A.L."
Project MCG H.O.S.P.I.T.A.L. (Health Outreach, Screenings, and Prevention Integrated into Teaching Adult Literacy) takes a multi-disciplinary approach to community health education by involving medical, nursing, pharmacy, and dental students. Over the course of ten week periods, MCG students will teach health literacy courses to adults who read below the 9th grade level and will conduct health screenings for the class participants. The project is co-sponsored by the Augusta Technical College and the Medical College of Georgia.

Mount Sinai School of Medicine, "East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership"
Medical student volunteers will open a free primary care clinic and health education outreach program specifically for uninsured and underinsured residents of East Harlem, New York. The clinic will operate on Saturday mornings at a Mount Sinai Hospital outpatient facility.

SUNY Upstate Medical University, "Salt City Health Outreach Program"
Salt City Health Outreach Program (SC HOPE) is a part-time ambulatory care clinic founded 15 years ago by medical students in collaboration with the Onondaga County Health Department. After a few "less active" years, the clinic has been revived and will concentrate on providing care to the homeless and to seasonal migrant farm workers in the area.

UMDNJ School of Osteopathic Medicine, "Camden Saturday Health Clinic"
Through this Saturday clinic, initiated jointly with several non-profit, governmental, and religious community groups, osteopathic medical students currently provide urgent, primary, and preventive care and health education to residents of Camden, New Jersey - one of the most economically challenged cities in the country. Grant funding will allow the clinic to expand its space, provide blood work when necessary, and host preventive health education seminars.

University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, "Bringing Health to Capetillo Community"
Acknowledging that poverty is a health risk factor and that transportation to medical centers is often a barrier to care, students from the school of medicine will host free one-day clinics, under the supervision of faculty members, for low-income residents in the Capetillo community of the San Juan metropolitan area.

University of South Florida College of Medicine, "Medical Students Caring for the University Area Community"
Tampa residents living within the university area community experience high crime rates, high poverty rates, and few resources. Receipt of this grant will allow medical students to provide essential health education programs and health screenings to children and adults by partnering with existing local health and social service agencies in the area.

For additional information about the "Caring for Community" grant program, please contact Nicole Buckley, (202) 828-0041, nbuckley@aamc.org or go to www.aamc.org/about/awards/cfc.htm.

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The Association of American Medical Colleges is a not-for-profit association representing all 129 accredited U.S. and 17 accredited Canadian medical schools; nearly 400 major teaching hospitals and health systems, including 68 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers; and 94 academic and scientific societies. Through these institutions and organizations, the AAMC represents 109,000 faculty members, 67,000 medical students, and 104,000 resident physicians. Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals is available at www.aamc.org/newsroom.

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