Education

Community-University Health Care Center’s (CUHCC) educational mission is to engage students in developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to provide primary care to culturally diverse patients in the community setting. Students learn how to address health and disease in a culturally positive way in order to reduce health disparities.

CUHCC partners with the Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota to offer educational and training opportunities to students and faculty in a collaborative and interprofessional clinic environment. In addition, students from the School of Public Health, Hubert Humphrey Institute of Public Policy, the Carlson School of Management, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Argosy University, and various schools within the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center also participate in internships, fellowships, or other clinical rotations at CUHCC.

We have a yearly average of 24 dental, medical, and mental health residents; 148 students; 35 observers; and 13 volunteers who have worked with CUHCC to provide services to the patients. There time at CUHCC has been essential to our success as a clinic! All of CUHCC services provide opportunities to students and residents. Some specific programs include:

Dental

CUHCC’s Dental Director, Jeff Luke; Jan Reiling, Dental Clinic Supervisor; and other dental staff, supervise the following programs:

• The University of Minnesota Senior dental students complete two week rotations and provide all types of dental care.
• Hygiene students from Argosy University provide two half-day clinics: a pediatric prophy (cleanings) and a pediatric sealant on two Saturdays each month.
• Endodontic Residents provide root canal therapy to CUHCC patients at the University of Minnesota Dental School.
• University of Minnesota Pedodontic Residents, and two hygiene students provide one half-day Saturday clinic for pediatric treatment and hygiene.

Medical Clinical Continuity

Residents of internal medicine and medicine/pediatrics programs follow a group of patients throughout their 3-4 years at CUHCC. Residents are supervised by CUHCC staff: Clinical Director, Dr. Chris Reif; Dr. Michael Aylward; Dr. Iris Borowsky, Dr. Thokozeni Lipato; Dr. Cuong Pham, and Dr. Dawn Wheeler.

Medical Primary Care Clerkship

All year round, fourth year medical students come to CUHCC for four week rotations to experience medicine/pediatrics and family medicine in a community-based clinic.

Medical and Mental Health Nursing

Advance practice nursing and registered nursing students develop their skills to provide primary care and behavioral health services during the fall and spring semesters. The registered nursing students are trained in both the medical and behavioral health areas in order to learn how to integrate and coordinate care for patients needing multiple services. Nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists (Advanced Practice Nursing), and registered nurses precept the nursing students accordingly. 

Pharmacy Residency

Each year (July-June) CUHCC accepts one pharmacy resident. The resident works under the supervision of Christina Cipolle, PharmD. The position provides patient care both on an individual and group basis, and works with a team of health care providers to provide integrated care through education, counseling, and medication management.

Psychiatry Residency

Under the supervision of Dr. Jerome Kroll, second and third year psychiatry residents complete six month rotations at CUHCC.

For more information about possible opportunities contact Mala Thao, Education Coordinator.