FRESNO – UCSF Fresno Family Medicine Residency Program recently received nearly $155,000 from the Office of Statewide Health and Planning to train physicians to practice in underserved areas. The granting program is part of the Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Act (SongBrown Program).
The funds will be used to support new and existing initiatives, such as the extended developmental screening of 0 to 5 year olds in the Healthy Steps Program, and the adult mental health Well-Being Clinic, which focuses on psychosocial assessment and screening. Both programs address areas of need that are seriously lacking in Fresno County.
The Song-Brown Program, established in 1973, provides financial support to encourage universities and primary healthcare professionals to provide care in medically underserved areas. UCSF Fresno is one of 27 residency programs in the state to receive funding.
Song Brown funding is awarded based on a program’s ability to recruit residents from and place physicians into areas of recognized unmet need. Team training and preparing residents to work in team-focused healthcare models are emphasized. The Song-Brown Program does not provide funding directly to students.
UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program, established 36 years ago, plays a substantial role in providing healthcare services to residents of California's San Joaquin Valley and training medical professionals in the region. The medical education program has trained approximately one-third of Central San Joaquin Valley physicians. Annually, UCSF Fresno currently trains approximately 245 medical residents in eight specialties, nearly 40 fellows in 12 subspecialties and about 250 medical students on a rotating basis.
UCSF Fresno faculty and medical residents engage in a broad spectrum of research addressing health issues pertinent to the Valley. UCSF Fresno faculty and residents also care for the overwhelming majority of the region’s underserved populations. In addition, UCSF Fresno provides academic preparation programs for middle- and high school students interested in the health professions through the Doctors Academy and Junior Doctors Academy. UCSF Fresno is a key partner in the UC Merced San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education and is expected to play a significant role in the training of medical students in the program.
UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.
For further information, visit www.fresno.ucsf.edu and www.ucsf.edu
