January 12, 2007

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — UC Davis School of Medicine students continue to earn recognition for their good work within the local community.

During annual ceremonies on Friday, January 12, the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society will honor UC Davis' student-run health clinics with its 2006 Medical Community Service Award.

UC Davis School of Medicine sponsors five community clinics in the Sacramento area. Each year, they provide thousands uninsured and underinsured patients with preventive care and treatment. Under the supervision of at least two volunteer physicians, the facilities are staffed and managed by first- and second-year medical students.

Sacramento ophthalmologist Byron Demorest, who chairs the medical society's scholarship and awards committee, says the honor is being presented in recognition of the services each clinic provides to underserved populations in the greater Sacramento area.

“The student-run clinics provide an invaluable contribution to our community,” said Demorest. “For many individuals who visit the clinics, this is the only access they have to proper health care. My colleagues and I have long been impressed with the dedication of the medical students who volunteer their time at the clinics.”

Beginning with the Paul Hom Asian Clinic more than 30 years ago, the five student-run facilities have typically focused on distinct populations in offering free medical care to low-income patients.

The Hom clinic got its start with a largely Chinese group of patients. Several years later, students established Clinica Tepati to provide primary care services to Spanish-speaking patients. It was followed by the Imani Clinic in 1994, which today continues its focus on care for the African-American community of Sacramento's Oak Park neighborhood.

For Muslim residents, students created the Shifa Clinic, locating it next door to a downtown mosque. Joan Viteri Memorial Clinic was established to provide care to high-risk populations such as drug users. It has a unique location, operating out of a converted recreational vehicle and driven by students to different parts of the city to dispense care.

“Our student-run clinics are a vital part of the educational process because they present a very real sense of the complexities and challenges in patient care and community medicine,” said Claire Pomeroy, dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine. “Nearly all of our medical students volunteer to work in a clinic. Many of them have said it is one of their most important and rewarding experiences in their lives.”

The student-run clinics are open on weekends and operate year-round. They are funded through a collaborative effort involving students, faculty and staff volunteers, along with community leaders and local county government support. The UC Davis Health System provides medical liability and credential support for the volunteers.

The origin of what is known today as the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society dates back to 1850. With more than 2,400 doctors and UC Davis medical students as members, it is the region's largest physician organization. This year's awards dinner includes the installation of Dr. Richard A. Jones as the society's 133rd president.