This environment more closely reflects the capabilities of a rural community clinic than do traditional university clinics. Additionally, the student will be confronted with public health problems, such as lack of domestic services, that impinge on patient care and require innovative clinical solutions. The student also has an opportunity to observe the local culture first hand. In addition to clinic encounters, learning exercises of the program include community field visits, home consultations, conferences, journal clubs, grand rounds, interdisciplinary conferences and teaching sessions within the local school system. A working knowledge of conversational Spanish is extremely useful, but not essential as trained translators are available at all teaching sites.
Availability is limited according to the time of the academic year.
In general, no more than three medical students will be assigned to a single clinic site.