For individuals who live in areas of the city where access to medical services is limited — and in many cases, nonexistent — a trip to the doctor can mean traveling across the city for basic care. To help fill this void in Philadelphia's most underserved neighborhoods, Penn Medicine brings support and care to the communities needing it most.
At community clinics around the city and region, Penn's physicians and medical students join staff and students from the University of Pennsylvania schools of Social Policy and Practice, Nursing, and Dental Medicine to provide free routine screenings, referrals for follow–up care, prescription programs, and education about resources and other social services.
The Department of Family Medicine's involvement in public health has greatly strengthened their work in communities, with a major focus on partnering with organizations in urban Philadelphia neighborhoods. The Department has many community links which continually expand. They have a particularly strong link with a broad partnership program at the Sayre High School in West Philadelphia, where the unique Sayre Health Center, a student–based Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), is located. Several of the Department's faculty and residents provide prenatal care at local FQHCs. Learn more about the Department of Family Medicine's community outreach programs and the Center for Public Health Initiatives.
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The residency training program exposes residents to a variety of community initiatives.
There are a variety of independent organizations available to the community that can serve as a primary care safety net for patients and their families.
The residency training program stresses community service and community engagement throughout the Philadelphia area.