Skip to main content
2025 CHI - Community Health Conference & EXPO Main banner

Whole Person Health and Quality Improvement

CE Credit Available

CSB1 - Exploring Community-Oriented Primary Care: A. T. Still University and Health Center Partnerships

Sunday, August 17, 2025
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM CT
Location: Crystal A (West Tower, Lobby Level)
Knowledge Level: Basic
Prerequisite: N/A
CPE: 1.2
CME: 1.0
CE: 0
CEU: 1.0
Session Description: Students at A.T. Still University of Health Sciences conducted community-based studies while at a partner health center community campus. Attend this session to learn about Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) and how you can apply their innovative approaches to engage the community in your health center.
A.T. Still University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA) accepted its first class of students in 2007, and is fully accredited by the AOA’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. SOMA fulfilled a national need for an innovative medical education program to prepare
osteopathic physicians for the unique demands of working within American’s health care safety net—most notably the U.S. Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (CHCs) that serve 22 million patients, regardless of ability to pay.
Over the past 10+ years, SOMA students developed and delivered a unique and growing library of over 200 COPC projects. We have created a COPC toolkit with detailed instructions for students and grading rubrics for instructors. These projects allow for active learning by students and for significant contributions to vulnerable communities. Using knowledge acquired from the Epidemiology and Biostatistics & Preventive Medicine courses, students develop, implement and evaluate projects that address non-clinical factors of health. We will share our methods and detailed toolkit to enable others to replicate our methods and empower people to make a difference in their communities. Student teams will present their impactful health center and community focused work.

Learning Objectives:

  • Recognize the potential benefits of community-oriented primary care projects conducted at community health centers.
  • Demonstrate how academic organizations, health centers, and community organizations can work together to improve health and well-being.
  • Identify various projects that address non-clinical factors of health for health centers and communities.