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School of Medicine Community Health Workers

It is part of the core mission of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah (SFESOM) to reduce health gaps for vulnerable populations and increase access to high-quality care for all. One approach to achieving this goal has been to restructure the Mission Driven MD Program to integrate experiential learning opportunities in five Student-Led Clinics (SLCs) for all first-year medical students. This initiative is designed to enhance students' comprehension and application of health gap principles at the community level.

In August 2023, the community-engaged learning (CEL) curriculum expanded to include community health workers (CHWs) within the SLCs, providing students with practical experience in addressing social determinants of health, population health, cultural humility, advocacy, and community engagement. Community Health Workers (CHWs) serve as a bridge between community members and healthcare systems, social services, and public health. CHWs typically share socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicity, language and/or life experiences with the communities they serve. They increase education, health knowledge, and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy. In addition to the work they do in their communities, the CHWs at the SFESOM are trained to mentor, support, and educate students, helping them make connections between classroom-based learning and real-world application. 

Meet the CHWs

Cathy Wolfsfeld

Cathy Wolfsfeld

Community Health Worker & Diabetes Prevention Specialist

Calvary Baptist Church

Ivana Holiday

Ivana Holiday

Indigenous Community Health Advocate & Engagement Specialist

UTA

 

Jeannette Villalta

Jeannette Villalta 

Community Health Worker Coordinator & Outreach Specialist 

Vamos Healthcare

Kevin Nguyễn

Kevin Nguyễn

Community Health Worker & Project Manager

Office of the President - University of Utah

Princess Bombyck

Princess Bombyck 

Clinical Community Health Worker

SFESOM

Yeny Arones

Yeny Arones

Community Health Worker & Rural Area Community Outreach

Maternal Mental Health Care Access Project at the College of Nursing
 

FeliAnne Hipol

Feli Anne Hipol 

Community Health Worker, Program Specialist & Public Health Researcher

Utah DHHS OHE 

Jakey Sala Siolo

Jakey Sala Siolo 

Community Organizer, Victim Advocate, Community Healthcare Worker, Public Speaker, Lobbyist, LGBTQ+ Advocacy 

PIK2AR

Kamaile Tripp Harris

Kamaile Tripp 

Health Equity Consultant, CHW Coordinator

SFESOM

 

Oreta Tupola

Oreta Tupola

Community Health Coordinator & Director

UCHWA

Tatiana Allen-Webb

Tatiana Allen-Webb, BS, CCRP 

Community Health Worker & Program Manager

Utah Area Health Education Centers (AHEC)

News

Accelerate - Wellness Without Borders: A Blueprint for Community Engagement

February 26, 2024

Community health workers Kamaile Tripp-Harris and Princess Bombyck and medical students Wesley Allen and Silvia Soule share their event's impact on the community, how medical students and community health workers were involved, and how a coalition came together to serve their community. 

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Wellness Without Borders: A Blueprint for Community Engagement

KRCL RadioACTive Interview with Princess Bombyck and Kamaile Tripp-Harris

January 11, 2024

Our CHW, Princess Bombyck, at the Rose Park Clinic speaks to RadioACTive about their work Medical Students in their clerkship and connecting them with patients to support their wellness. 

Listen Now

RadioACTive Interview

Good Notes: Community Health Workers Are Essential to Medical Education

January 10, 2024 

Integrating community health workers into the new MD curriculum is building a generation of physicians with greater empathy, cultural humility, and the ability to ask for help.

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Kamaile Tripp-Harris with ScoPE team and students