Grant bolsters primary-care externship

An innovative program providing real-life clinical learning opportunities in primary care for medical students has received a $150,237 three-year grant from the Charles E. Culpeper Foundation of Stamford, Conn.

Administered by UB's Primary Care Resource Center, the six-week Medical Student Summer Externship program is recognized as the largest of its kind in the nation by the American Medical Student Association's Generalist Physician in Training Initiative. The paid externship exposes first- and second-year medical students to the practice of primary-care medicine in community-based settings throughout Western New York.

Diane Schwartz, executive director of the Primary Care Resource Center, said the Culpeper Foundation grant will help fund an assessment of ways to retain UB medical students to practice primary care in Western New York. "With more analysis and evaluation on the primary-care externship program, we will have valuable information on how we can retain the medical students entering primary care in Buffalo and the surrounding areas."

This information, explained Schwartz, could have a significant impact in areas with too few medical professionals. "It is important to attract students to practice primary care in these areas," said Schwartz. "Developing long-term relationships with patients and the community through the externship program, we believe, provides the impetus for the medical students to continue practicing medicine here."

The Culpeper Foundation grant also will fund stipends for 20 medical students per year to participate in the externship program, as well as provide partial funding for an associate director of the program.

The Charles E. Culpeper Foundation, a private, non-profit, charitable foundation, provides approximately $7 million per year in support for activities in health, education, arts and culture, and the administration of justice.