Science Briefs

A $588,830 grant from the Public Health Service, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will aid a three-year program that provides health care services to underserved populations along the Arizona-Mexico border.

Nuestra Comunidad, Nuestra Salud, a collaboration between the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center and Arizona State University, is an interdisciplinary program that links the UA Colleges of Pharmacy, Nursing and Medicine, and ASU's School of Social Work, with health promoters and residents of Nogales.

Health sciences students implement rural community intervention programs and develop case-management skills. They learn firsthand the importance of teamwork, leadership and cultural sensitivity.

"The program offers a rich and rewarding learning experience to students from various disciplines at both universities," said Marion Slack, principle investigator, assistant research scientist and teaching associate for the UA College of Pharmacy.

"It also provides an opportunity for students to become role models because a great majority of the people they work with are in their age group," Slack said.

The program addresses issues such as teen-pregnancy prevention, substance abuse and immunizations. Students develop these programs, make home visits and access community health care needs.

UA College of Nursing student Rachel Martin said by assessing the resources available to the community, students can put together a reasonable health care plan.

The grant will help over the next three years to:

• Improve the training program

• Increase the number and variety of students in the program

• Increase the collaboration between rural practitioners and university faculty and students

• Increase the number of faculty with experience in rural health care and interdisciplinary teamwork.

Minority Medical Education Program

Nearly 50 Arizona minority undergraduates participated in the Minority Medical Education Program, a nationally recognized summer pre-med program that ended last month.

The six-week program helps promising, highly motivated minority college students who are Arizona residents get admitted into medical school.

"The program offers educational and practical experiences to help students compete successfully for medical school admission," said Linda Don, director of the UA Office of Minority Affairs.

Students participate in activities such as review sessions for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), science course preview sessions, and clinical experiences with the UA College of Medicine or community physicians.

Students also get the opportunity to interact with medical students, physicians and guest speakers to learn about specialties, medical ethics and current issues, Don said.

MMEP participants receive guidance in selecting medical schools and in the application process, along with mock interviews and recruitment visits.

In order to be selected for MMEP, students must demonstrate serious interest in a medical career, have completed at least one year of college, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and be from one of the following minority groups:

• African American

• Mexican American

• Native American/Alaskan Native

• or mainland Puerto Rican.

Compiled from news releases.