Today it enjoys the reputation of a fine institution. The student population is almost as diverse as the melting pots of New York and the east coast. Indian students from 120 tribes attend the university and utilize the health center. Each year the clinic receives some 14,000 outpatient visits, with over 7,000 of them requiring physician attendance. There are two staff physicians.
Local doctors provide consulting on a fee basis.
Drawing upon contract consultants, the health center operates in-house clinics in optometry, audiology, and otolaryngology. Community health nursing programs provide follow-up care for prenatal and postpartum patients, newborns, hospitalized persons, and those with communicable diseases. The health nurse also conducts prenatal and parenting classes and works with alcoholic support groups. Although Lawrence is an urban area with a population of 56,000, it is a city that cultivates its link with the past. There are no large shopping malls.