University of Colorado Denver

Students learn about important topics in urban underserved healthcare, and experience firsthand services and organizations providing care to the local community. These experiences occur twice monthly during the first year and continue into the second year. Topics include homeless, refugee and correctional healthcare, and an overview of metro Denver safety-net clinics and hospital systems.

Students participate in hands-on workshops to practice suturing, apply fluoride varnish and perform joint injections.

Students participating in CU-UNITE will receive priority based on interest to participate in selected urban underserved electives. Electives include those affiliated with Stout Street, the medical student-run clinic for the homeless, or Sheridan, a nurse practitioner student-run school-based health center.

CU-UNITE will provide interested students who are not Spanish-proficient with opportunities to take courses through the university, paid for by CU-UNITE. Students may also complete an elective Spanish language immersion rotation with stipend support by CU-UNITE.

CU-UNITE students will learn how to develop community partnerships and work with community-based organizations to improve the health of local urban underserved populations. Students will engage in service learning activities and complete a group community service project during their second year of the program. These community service projects may be integrated into individual medical student Mentored Scholarly Activity projects for the School of Medicine requirement.

• Service Learning Reflection

The rigors of serving urban underserved populations require students to develop professional goals and values to strengthen their commitment. CU-UNITE supports professional identity formation through mentoring, peer-supported activities and Balint sessions. Balint sessions – debriefings with a trained moderator regarding the emotional aspects of the provider-patient relationship -- will include regular meetings led by a trained clinical psychologist.

Students may do several of their core clinical clerkships and electives at metro Denver safety net sites. These include Denver Health, Salud Family Health Centers, Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics, Sheridan School-Based Health Center (College of Nursing, Nurse Practitioner Program) and Stout Street Clinic for the Homeless (School of Medicine).

• Professional Identity Formation

CU-UNITE faculty will provide guidance and career counseling in specific areas of interest for students. Other opportunities will include learning about loan repayment, debt management and scholarships.