Washington, D.C., July 20, 2005 - Eight medical schools across the country have been awarded grants to develop or expand medical student-initiated community service programs, through a program of the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) and the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative.

The "Caring for Community" grant program provides funding for service projects that are initiated, developed, and administered by medical students in collaboration with existing community agencies or other medical school outreach activities. The grants awarded to this year's recipients will provide funding to six free medical clinics for the homeless or uninsured, and for two health education and promotion programs. Grant amounts range from $12,000-30,000 over one to four years, based on the type of community service program.

The 2005 grantees are: 1) Baylor College of Medicine; 2) Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; 3) Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans; 4) University at Buffalo, State University of New York School of Medicine and Biological Sciences; 5) University of Massachusetts Medical School; 6) University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; 7) University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; and 8) University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.

"The students involved in these programs are gaining experience beyond their traditional medical education activities and are learning first-hand how to address the critical needs of at-risk and underserved members of their own communities," said Robert Sabalis, Ph.D., associate vice president of student affairs and programs for the AAMC. "In addition to benefit to the community, these programs provide students with opportunities for tremendous personal, professional, and academic growth."

"The compassion and enthusiasm these students demonstrate toward the underserved community inspires us all," said Mike Magee, M.D., director of the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative. "It is an honor to support their relentless efforts to serve those in need."

The 2005 grantees are:

Baylor College of Medicine: "HOMES"
Houston Outreach Medicine, Education, and Social Services (HOMES) is an interdisciplinary, student-run, free clinic for the homeless, founded by several of the city's higher education institutions. More than 200 students from area health professions schools provide primary care and social services to the clinic's homeless patients.

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons: "Columbia Student Medical Outreach (CoSMO)"
Through this grant, students plan to improve access to primary care and preventive medical care for uninsured residents of the community by continuing to operate a free clinic on Saturday mornings.

Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans: "Student Run Homeless Clinics"
For 10 years the Student Run Homeless Clinics-an adult clinic, an ob/gyn clinic, and a pediatric clinic-have provided primary care and disease screening to thousands of city residents who are homeless. This grant will allow them to provide new services, such as same day prescriptions, free over-the-counter medications, more accessible HIV screening, and bus tokens for patients without transportation.

University at Buffalo, State University of New York School of Medicine and Biological Sciences: "Providing Care to Buffalo's East Side Community"
Funding for this project will cover the costs of prescribed medications and flu/pneumonia vaccines for uninsured and low-income patients who seek care at the student-run Lighthouse Free Medical Clinic.

University of Massachusetts Medical School: "Marrow for Tomorrow"
Students will educate, promote, and recruit minority residents of Worcester for bone marrow registries through presentations to high school students, multi-lingual videos, and strategic collaborations with community health centers.

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School: "Promise Clinic"
Students at this primary care clinic, located in New Brunswick, serve the medical needs of the clients of a nearby soup kitchen and work with other health professionals and community coalitions to provide much needed social services.

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine: "ESL Health Literacy Program"
Students will work to improve the health literacy of the Somali Bantu refugees living in Pittsburgh, most of whom are illiterate in their rarely spoken native language and cannot communicate with the few translators available. Through health education workshops and materials, students will teach the refugees to develop health "survival skills" and healthy behaviors, and will orient them to the city's health care system.

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry: "UR Well Free Health Center"
UR Well is a student-run community clinic that provides medical care one night a week for the city's uninsured residents.

Since the "Caring for Community" program began in 2000, more than $900,000 has been granted to support medical student community service programs and projects at 54 medical schools nationwide.

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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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