June 20, 2012 – With the donation last fall of a building near 12th and Cedar streets four blocks south of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), the College of Pharmacy is working with all units at UAMS to establish a community-based, student-provided, interprofessional health and wellness center.

This will carry on the long tradition of patient care established by the donors, Vicki and Karrol Fowlkes of Salem. Alumni of the UAMS College of Pharmacy, the couple owned the building when it was Finnegan’s Pharmacy and later USA Drug.

“Though the building was donated to the College of Pharmacy, it’ll be important for us to stress the collaborative aspect of what an opportunity this can be for educating students across UAMS and giving them experience outside of their classrooms,” said Amy Franks, Pharm. D., chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and coordinator of the center’s establishment. “We also want to establish this building in the community as a place that promotes good health and wellness and makes a difference.”

The 12th Street Health and Wellness Center will offer a variety of student-provided health and wellness services, initially focusing on cardiovascular risk reduction.

Professional and community advisory boards have been formed to incorporate members of churches; citizen groups; business leaders; and UAMS faculty, staff and students to help guide and participate in the establishment of the center. Students from the Clinton School of Public Service will partner with UAMS faculty and students to better determine the health-related needs of the community.

As the possibilities for interprofessional service to the community have become evident, the UAMS Colleges of Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health are also finding ways to utilize the center, and their representatives participate as members of the Professional Advisory Board.

“As students gain early practice experiences with the supervision of licensed health care professionals, they will be better equipped to understand and respond to the needs of their patients,” Franks said. “At the center, they will provide disease management, medication management and counseling, lifestyle recommendations, risk-factor screening, education and immunizations.”

In the lead-up to its opening, additional funding and in-kind gifts are being sought from a variety of sources, including corporations, foundations, and alumni and friends of UAMS. If you would like to be involved or need more information, please contact Franks at: Afranks@uams.edu, or by phone at (501) 296-1296.