Social determinants of health such as poverty, unequal access to health care, lack of education, stigma and racism are underlying factors of health inequities. The Urban Medicine Program at Indiana University School of Medicine–Northwest-Gary is committed to achieving improvements in people's lives by reducing health inequities in the most underserved communities throughout Northwest Indiana.
This unique four-year MD program emphasizes primary care and other specialties of need in medically underserved communities. The curriculum is constructed to maximize exposure to clinical experiences early in the training process. Additionally, all basic science courses in the first two years of the program have a clinical correlation with emphasis on social determinants of health and diversity, equity and inclusion work. The Urban Medicine Program strives to develop a culturally competent and uniquely well-rounded physician poised to serve urban communities.
IU School of Medicine's Gary campus provides training to first- and second-year medical students from both the traditional MD track and the urban medicine track. Students in the urban medicine track stay in Gary for the third and fourth years of medical school.
Medical students at IU School of Medicine–Northwest-Gary benefit from the statewide MD curriculum paired with remarkable access to patients and a broad range of clinical experiences in nine full-service hospitals and five federally qualified health clinics throughout Northwest Indiana. Alumni report stellar preparation for externships and graduate medical education, and graduates of IU School of Medicine’s Gary campus successfully match among their top choices of competitive residencies.