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United Community Health Centers

Site Coordinator: Don Smith, MD

1 Student per period

Three rural clinics: Continental (Green Vally); Three Points; Arivaca (all south or SW of Tucson)

81 W. Esperanza, Ste. 201
Green Valley, AZ 85614 (main office)

Housing: N/A

Mileage: compensation not provided by FCM (see below)

Residency: No
100% with attending, Dr. Smith, who is a FCM Teaching Fellowship graduate; also some pediatric and internal medicine experience

Hospital Affiliation*:
St. Mary's and UMC

Daily # of FP Patients:
Continental 15-25; Three Points 15-20; Arivaca 10-20

Patients Population Profile:
4000 patients enrolled at Continental; 1500 at Three Points; 600 at Arivaca; 25% Hispanic at each site

Rural AZ community health centers (federally-assisted CHCs)
Physician's assistant/nurse practitioner
Some travel required (but only one site per day); Continental (2 days), Three Points (2 days), Arivaca (1 day)
Carpooling available

Flex-time Activities:

Evaluation of patients in nursing home
Home visits
Procedures: suturing, skin biopsy, small labs, EKGs
Special projects possible

Insurance Spectrum:
Mix of private pay, Medicare, AHCCCS, sliding fee, HMOs

Specific Site Info:

Spanish a plus, but not required (5% monolingual Spanish)

Comments from Dr. Smith:

"We care for patients of all socio-economic levels, from very poor to working poor to working insured and retirees with Medicare. This give us a wide range of practice which is never boring. Students often get to be involved in the frequent minor procedures which we perform. Caring for communities like Arivaca gives a real rural health experience. The staff and physicians enjoy having the students here and they are given increasing levels of responsibility."

Comments from Students:

"All of the doctors and nurse practitioners were excellent teachers. It was a wonderful hands-on learning experience, and I would recommend this site to everyone."

"Dr. Smith's greatest strength is his attitude. He is an excellent instructor,always challenging me in a positive manner and he really cares about his patients and their communities."

"The ability to work in three separate clinics with diverse populations really provided a broad range of patient encounters. Staff was friendly, patients were great."

"An excellent venue for practice and development of rural aspects of medicine."

"Dr. Donald Smith is very knowledgeable on a broad range of subjects. Able to handle complex patients with ease. Respectful to patients and willing to listen to patients empathetically wh8le maintaining good focus. Excellent teacher and patient educator."

Location http://www.fcm.arizona.edu/index.cfm/1,134,396,0,html