Michele Tracy Clinic
The Michele Tracy Clinic began as a collection of preventive health clinics designed to benefit the residents of the Porchlight community. The program was first coordinated by Elizabeth Bahn in 1997 and continued by Michele Tracy in 1998 and into 1999. Porchlight maintains 102 transitional housing units that are made available to low-income adults at reduced rates. A large number of the residents are or have been affected by alcohol and other drug abuse. A proportion of the residents also suffer from mental and physical health problems. Lack of education about proper health care and a deficiency in self-advocacy skills has made this population more susceptible to illness and poor health care maintenance. In response to this situation, the Michele Tracy Project began to provide educational and emotional support for the residents so they might assume a stronger role in meeting their individual health care needs.
In the fall of 1999, the project was formally adopted as a MEDiC Clinic, and given the name Michele Tracy Project after the late Michele Tracy from the UWMS class of 2002 who was tragically killed during an outreach trip to Africa. The project received a grant to assist in the coordination of the clinic as well as to provide funds for various health care supplies needed by the residents. The following topics have been addressed at clinic: General Health Care, Medications, HIV, Flu and Respiratory Health, First-Aid, Hygiene, Infectious Diseases, Men’s/Women’s/Sexual Health, Cardiovascular Health, Vision and Hearing Screenings, Dental Health, and Summer Health. The Michele Tracy Project differs from other MEDiC clinics in that it does not provide acute care. The Project focuses on prevention and education for the residents of Porchlight. Medical students and physician assistant students give talks and support to the residents of Porchlight and work with pharmacy and physical therapy students depending on the nature of the topic. For more information on Porchlight visit http://www.porchlightinc.org/
306 N Brooks Street
Across From Grainger Hall
Day: 2nd Tuesday of every month
Time: 5pm