Challenging The Darkness: Metropolitan Universities in Today's Society

Abstract

Metropolitan universities have an obligation to work with their communities to address infrastructural problems related to health care, education, and economic opportunity. Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas, part of a campus shared with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, instigated its successfu.l Community Oriented Primary Care COPC) program to deliver primary and preventive care to local communities at risk. Like Parkland, metropolitan universities should lead in attacking health care problems, starting by re-examining their medical schools' policies. Other challenges include community involvement; seeking solutions to community problems; fostering partnerships for change; discussing social issues; helping the community; and encouraging communityoriented disciplines.