Teddy Bear Clinic

WHAT: Teddy Bear Clinic sponsored by Borderland Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Youth Health Service Corps.

WHEN: 9 a.m.–noon, Wednesday (June 1)

WHERE: Coldwell Elementary School Gymnasium, 4101 Altura Ave., El Paso, Texas

EVENT: In an effort to get children interested in health careers, engage community partners and educate children about common clinical procedures, the Borderland AHEC will host a Teddy Bear Clinic for 1,368 fifth-grade students.

The clinic consists of stations manned by health professionals. Children from 18 elementary schools will receive a free teddy bear that is sick and needs medical care provided through five stations: medical assistance, nursing, doctor, pharmacy and emergency medical technician. Stations will be co-facilitated by community partners including Walgreen's, the El Paso Independent School District, the Texas Tech Health University Sciences Center and Salud Y Vida.

The El Paso region faces an urgent need to cultivate the next generation of culturally competent health professionals. According to the 2004 County Health Workforce Profile prepared by the Bureau of Health Professions, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there were approximately 108 physicians per 100,000 residents in Texas border counties, compared with the national ratio of 278 physicians per 100,000 residents.

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