October 23, 2000

UConn School of Medicine students celebrated the seventh annual National Primary Care Week, Oct. 16-20. This year's theme was "Caring for Communities." The students took part in a variety of activities throughout the week, including providing school safety education at day-care centers in Hartford; nutritional and health career counseling at the Hispanic Health Council in Hartford and at Hartford High School; and offering blood pressure and glucose screenings at the mall in Meriden. They also provided services at the Migrant Farm Workers' Clinic and at Habitat for Humanity.

A series of luncheon seminars was held during the week, when key issues concerning primary care were examined. Nicole Lurie, principal deputy assistant secretary for health, Office of Public Health and Science, spoke at a luncheon for first- and second-year students, and state Sen. Toni Harp (D-New Haven), was the keynote speaker at a dinner for students, faculty and community members at the Farmington Club on Oct. 18.

Primary organizers for the week's activities were second-year medical students Liz Chester, Maggie Callahan and Marissa Baudill. The purpose of Primary Care Week is to encourage student interest in primary care careers, increase student involvement in the community and provide information about the range of career opportunities in primary care medicine.