Community Medicine Fellowship

Program Overview

The Community Medicine Fellowship program was established in August, 2008, to continue serving the needs of low income patients in Dallas. The idea was born out of the belief that primary care physicians must effectively use principles of public health, epidemiology, and preventive medicine in new and innovative ways. The program, in response, offers graduates of primary care residencies the necessary training to develop and implement these innovations. (We currently do not have an opening for a fellow.)

Goals and Objectives

The fellowship prepares primary care physicians for leadership roles in the community and in academic medicine.

Design and Implementation
This is a one-year program designed to enable participants (fellows) to gain the experience needed to teach and mentor medical students and residents in multiple aspects of community medicine, and participate in faculty development training. The fellowship is comprised of teaching and community-based research activities (50%) and direct patient care (50%). Fellows serve in a Parkland clinic that mainly concentrates on the underserved population in Dallas County, and participate in innovative community based research experiences. All fellows complete a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) project. Using CBPR principles, fellows develop replicable models for understanding the causes of health and disease, and implement tools for promoting healthier lives for individuals, families, neighborhoods, and communities. The program also offers fellows the opportunity to obtain a Certificate in Public Health.

Projects and Outcomes
Since its inception, the Community Medicine fellowship has graduated one fellow, Dr. Natalia Gutierrez, who is currently practicing in an underserved population in North Dallas. During her fellowship, Dr. Gutierrez completed work on her community-based project, Shared Medical Appointments among Hispanic Patients with Diabetes. Results from this study have been presented at several professional meetings. She also conducted a health literacy study that has generated a considerable amount of interest.