Chancellor Duncan and President Mitchell to Kick Off Community Medical School

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., and Texas Tech University System Chancellor Robert Duncan will kick off the first week of Community Medical School. This program offers the community a hands-on look into the numerous TTUHSC schools over eight consecutive months beginning Oct. 21 through May 19. Participants will hear interesting lectures that discuss a variety of health care topics.

Director of the Community Medical School and Executive 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 students of all ages better insight into the medical field and teaches them the questions they should be asking their personal physicians.”

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.

This semester’s topics and presenters are:

Oct. 21
“Health Care Reform”
President Mitchell and Chancellor Duncan

Nov. 18
“Athletic Training and the Sports Medicine Team”
Toby Brooks, Ph.D., School of Allied Health Sciences

Dec. 16
“S.T.O.P. Safety Tips Over Prescriptions — Basic Medication Safety for the Older Adult”
Trista Bailey, Pharm.D., School of Pharmacy — Abilene

Jan. 20
“A Cure for Diabetes — Are We There Yet?”
Janette Dufour, Ph.D., associate dean of research and associate professor for Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Feb. 17
“The Evolution of Geriatric Trauma”
Steven Brooks, M.D., Texas Tech Physicians — Surgery and School of Medicine

March 17
“How Technology is Changing Health Care”
Susan McBride, Ph.D., R.N., and Laura Thomas, Ph.D., R.N., School of Nursing and Craig Bradley, M.D., School of Medicine

April 21
“How Simulation Learning Reduces Errors in Health Care and Promotes Safety for Patients”
Sharon Decker, Ph.D., R.N.

May 19
“Skinny Genes: New Trends in DNA Testing”
Ericka Hendrix, M.S., and Katie Bennett, Ph.D., School of Allied Health Sciences

All sessions are free and 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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