Experience Medical School Firsthand

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) and University Medical Center (UMC) Health System will co-host Community Medical School. This program offers the community a simulated medical school experience over seven consecutive weeks beginning Sept. 27 through Nov. 8. Participants will hear interesting lectures that discuss a variety of health care topics.

Director of the Community Medical School and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Rial Rolfe, Ph.D., said this program gives participants the opportunity to be lifelong learners.

“Community Medical School opens the doors of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to the Lubbock Community and invites them to explore modern health care,” Rolfe said. “Additionally, Community Medical School will help the community become better health care consumers. The program gives the students better insight into the medical field and teaches them the questions they should be asking their personal physicians.”

Rolfe added that this semester’s theme is, “Tomorrow’s Best Medicine Today.”

TTUHSC encourages anyone who has ever been interested in health care to attend. Courses are open to everyone and prior knowledge or experience is not required. In addition to learning about advances in technology and medical knowledge, students will receive a syllabus, lecture notes, supplemental materials and suggested reading for further understanding. Students also will have the opportunity to speak with faculty one-on-one to have their questions answered. Cost of Community Medical School is $20 with scholarship opportunities available.

This semester’s topics and presenters are:

Sept. 27
“Academic Health Centers: Honoring the Past, Excelling in the Present and Shaping the Future Practice of Innovative Medicine”
TTUHSC President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., and UMC Health System Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Mike Ragain, M.D.

Oct. 4
“Beyond the Scalpel: The Impact of Advanced Technologies on the Future of Surgery”
John Griswold, M.D., Dixon Santana, M.D., and Larry Whitcomb, M.D., Department of Surgery

Oct. 11
“Matters of the Heart: Advances in Cardiac Care”
Ashwani Kumar, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine

Oct. 18
“Current Concepts in Total Joint Arthroplasty as a Treatment Alternative for Degenerative Arthritis in the Adult”
George Brindley, M.D., Department of Orthopaedics

Oct. 25
“All About You: Transitioning to Electronic Medical Records”
Craig Bradley, M.D., Department of Family Medicine

Nov. 1
“How Technology Aides in the Battle Against Breast Cancer”
Candy Arentz, M.D., Department of Surgery

Nov. 8
“Dizziness and Falling: The Neurological Challenges of Maintaining an Upright Position Against Earth’s Force of Gravity”
John DeToledo, M.D., Department of Neurology

All sessions will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the TTUHSC Academic Classroom Building located at 3601 4th St.

For more information, call (806) 743-2008 or email CommunityMedicalSchool@ttuhsc.edu.

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