UCSD SOM Community Service Projects

Border Health Project
The BHP is a program founded and run by the Latino Medical Student Association that aims to provide/improve access to medical care for migrant workers in San Diego County. Each clinic involves local physicians, nurses, dentists and medical student that generously give their time and abilities to care for this underserved and marginalized population. For more information please visit http://meded.ucsd.edu/groups/border_health_project/index.htm.

DOC
DOC (Doctors Ought to Care) is an organization of physicians and medical students that was created for the purpose of working with young people to promote healthy lifestyles. Our chapter visits local junior high and high schools to teach and talk with students about alcohol, drugs, tobacco and AIDS. Through this program we have also brought inner city and underrepresented high school students to the medical school for a day (DOC-for-a-Day). (http://meded.ucsd.edu/index.cfm/groups/docgrp/home/)

DOC-for a-Day
Each year, first and second year medical students receive elective credit to conduct a one day visit to the school of medicine for middle and high school students attending low-performing schools in San Diego County. Cardiovascular, musculosketal, neurologic and gastrointestinal health issues are the focus of this introduction to an allopathic school of medicine. One hundred and twenty students and teachers from UCSD partner schools receive information on health sciences, are tested on their recently acquired knowledge, and are provided with information on admissions criteria to health professions schools.

Geriatric Resource Center — http://meded.ucsd.edu/agrc/ 
The Geriatric Resource Center was created to address the health care needs of older persons in California. Students can participate in geriatric clinical preceptorships during their first and second years. The center can also assist students with geriatric research interests find funding.

 

Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies
A partnership between UCSD and Lincoln High School. This elective was created to address the need for a health education program at Lincoln High School, whose population is primarily made up of minority students. Medical students are trained to teach ten lessons on various health topics, such as nutrition, substance abuse and healthy relationships. These topics are then taught to classes at Lincoln High School by pairs of medical students. Each pair teaches the same class over two quarters, which facilitates continuity. The program culminates in a Doc-for-A-Day events specially organized for students from Lincoln High School.

Student Run Free Clinic — http://meded.ucsd.edu/freeclinic/ 
The student run free clinic provides health care to patients who are otherwise unable to afford care. It gives medical students the opportunity to experience the clinical setting from as early as the first quarter of medical school. The free clinic is a collaborative project including students from UCSD School of Medicine, UCSD School of Pharmacy, and the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. UCSD faculty and community MDs, DOs, and Pharm Ds also generously volunteer their time.

UniversityLink Medical Science Program — http://meded.ucsd.edu/ulmsp/ 
The goals of the UniversityLink medical science program are to: 1) increase the transfer rate among educationally and socially disadvantaged students, 2) enhance the pipeline for students from high school, through the community college, to the university, and 3) to strengthen the relationship between local high schools, community colleges and UCSD.
To achieve these goals, SNMA and LMSA students worked with staff and faculty to design a program with the undergraduate campus and community colleges to facilitate a timely and efficient student transfer from the community college, to the university in preparation for entrance into health professions schools.

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