News Release
October 5, 2009
Contact: Carolyn Pennington, 860-679-4864
e-mail:
cpennington@uchc.edu
Community Health Fairs Emphasize Prevention
UConn Marks National Primary Care Week
FARMINGTON, CONN. – University of Connecticut medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy students are participating in community health fairs in Hartford and Willimantic as part of National Primary Care Week.
UConn is observing Primary Care Week October 3 to 10. This year’s theme is "The Future of Primary Care in America."
Physician assistant students from Quinnipiac University and community clinicians and pharmacists also are taking part in the health fairs, which are scheduled from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7.
Other UConn Primary Care Week events include:
- A banquet at the Farmington Club, with a keynote speech by Richard J. (Rick) Smith, associate administrator for clinician recruitment and service at the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Monday, October 5, at 6:30 p.m.
- A Family Medicine Interest Group hands-on clinic Thursday, October 8, at 6 p.m. at 99 Woodland Street, Hartford.
- “Lunch and Learn” sessions from noon to 1 p.m. on October 5, 6, 8, and 9 simultaneously at the Health Center campus in Farmington and the Storrs campus.
"These educational efforts provide needed exposure to future health care providers about the importance of primary care and about the altruism and caring that is part and parcel of the practice of medicine," says Dr. Bruce Gould, associate dean for primary care at the UConn School of Medicine and director of the Connecticut Area Heath Education Center.
Primary Care Week is an observance in celebration of the contributions of primary care to community health. It aims to introduce health professions students to the importance of community-responsive primary care, encourage their collaboration as members of future primary health care teams, and to work to reduce problems in healthcare access experienced by underserved populations in the United States.
Institutions throughout the country observe National Primary Care Week, with the dates varying by school. The national effort is a collaboration of the Area Health Education Centers, the American Medical Student Association, and the Health Resources and Services Administration in Washington.
At the October 7 community health fairs, students will provide free blood pressure and blood glucose screening as well as preventive health education materials at the following locations:
- Charter Oak Health Center, 21 Grand Street, Hartford
- Hartford Public Library, 500 Main Street, Hartford
- UConn Storrs Campus, Student Union Green
- Stop and Shop, 1391 Main Street, Willimantic
- East Hartford Community Health Center, 94 Connecticut Boulevard, East Hartford
- Covenant Soup Kitchen, 220 Valley Street, Willimantic
- Hispanic Senior Center, 45 Wadsworth Street, Hartford
- South End Senior Wellness Center, 830 Maple Avenue, Hartford
- North End Senior Center, 80 Coventry Street, Hartford
- McSweeney Senior Center, 47 Crescent Street, Willimantic
UConn Health includes the schools of medicine and dental medicine, the UConn Medical Group, University Dentists, and John Dempsey Hospital. Home to Bioscience Connecticut, UConn Health pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and public service. More information about UConn Health is available at www.uchc.edu.
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