Physician to be Honored For Work with Student-Run Free Clinic

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine will honor Fiona Prabhu, M.D., professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and announce the Lubbock Banker’s Association Professorship for Community Outreach at the Student-Run Free Clinic at 5 p.m. Tuesday (Jan. 29) at the TTUHSC Academic Classroom Building first floor lobby, 3601 Fourth St.

Steven L. Berk, M.D., TTUHSC executive vice president, provost and dean of the School of Medicine, said it is an honor to recognize Prabhu and the Department of Family and Community Medicine for their continued work and dedication to the field of medicine.

“While this professorship recognizes the value of our free clinic and the years of service Dr. Prabhu has given to the clinic, this also honors her years of teaching clinical skills and continuity of care,” Berk said. “I hope this endowed professorship will add to the prestige of family medicine as a discipline that has promoted primary care and has forged such programs as the Family Medicine Accelerated Track program (FMAT), the Medicare Wellness Clinic, as well as created the free clinic as an outstanding community resource.”

Since opening, the Student-Run Free Clinic has treated more than 4,000 patients in more than 3,450 patient visits, averaging 25 to 30 patients a week. Uninsured patients of all ages from low-income backgrounds are seen based on severity of their health concerns. Each patient is triaged and assigned to a medical student/physician team. This offers an opportunity for medical students to receive hands-on educational experience while providing service to the community.

“The School of Medicine is grateful for the support of the Lubbock Banker’s Association,” Berk said. “We hope by supporting the free clinic, the FMAT program and endowed chairs such as this one, we will lead the way in telling our students, residents and our community that family medicine is a prestigious discipline, and at this time, our most needed discipline in the State of Texas and the nation.”

Funds from the endowment will be used to support Prabhu and other critical faculty in the operation of the free clinic.

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