The University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) is situated in the culturally rich South Side of Chicago – an area of 34 neighborhoods with around one million people, primarily African American with a large Hispanic and immigrant population, many impoverished, with significant health disparities. A community health needs assessment sponsored by UCM in 2012 prioritized access to care for all, diabetes and cancer care for adults, and obesity and asthma care for pediatrics, as well as sexually transmitted infections and violence.
The University of Chicago faculty and trainees partner with community leaders and organizations to promote health through research, advocacy, and community development.
The Community Health Track connects students participating in the service learning opportunities of the Pritzker School of Medicine with the community outreach of the Urban Health Initiative (UHI) and community engaged research of the Institute for Translational Medicine. Medical education is situated within and with the community, allowing students to develop necessary skills in establishing community partnerships for research and advocacy, public speaking, fundraising, consensus building, community organizing, organizational management, team building and inter-professional collaboration. The Community Health Track prepares students to promote population health.
Meet the Track Leaders
Julie Chor, MD, MPH, specializes in patient-centered gynecologic and reproductive healthcare for adolescents and young adults. Dr. Chor’s interests focus on contraceptive care for adolescents and young adults with complex medical conditions, menstrual irregularities, LGBTQIA care and sexually transmitted infection screening and counseling. Dr. Chor’s is committed to guiding adolescents and young adults through their first gynecologic visit in order to ensure this an educational and non-intimidating experience. She collaborates with colleagues in pediatric and internal medicine specialties to develop programs designed to help adolescents with complex medical diseases effectively transition their medical care from pediatrics to adult treatment
Dr. Pho is an Assistant Professor in the Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health at the University of Chicago. She was previously an International Health Clinical Research Fellow in the Center for Global Health at the Feinberg School of Medicine. Her work seeks to improve clinical outcomes and health policy surrounding a variety of diseases, including HIV, hepatitis C, and tuberculosis. Dr. Pho’s research involves decision analytic modeling and economic evaluation to optimize disease screening, treatment, access to care, and shared decision making, particularly for marginalized populations.
