Educational Opportunities
Residency Programs
CommUnityCare Health Centers partners with Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin and serves as an affiliate site to train physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics-gynecology and dermatology. This partnership facilitates our teams to advocate for patients by using the most updated clinical protocols, and it provides an opportunity for learning for patients, students and residents.
What is a Resident Doctor?
Residents are doctors in training. They have graduated from medical school, been awarded an M.D. or D.O. degree, and are now conducting additional training in a specific specialty. All residents are supervised by teaching physicians.
What is a Teaching Physician?
A teaching physician is referred to as a preceptor or attending. The teaching physician supervises and educates resident doctors in delivering high-quality, safe, and efficient patient care, identifying the best care plans and treatment for each patient. The teaching physician is ultimately responsible for every patient.
How Resident Clinics Works
A resident doctor learns in both outpatient clinics and hospitals. Resident clinics serve to educate future doctors while caring for current patients. Residents are scheduled in clinic regularly and far in advance to maintain stable teams and provide patient continuity. Patients can see their primary resident doctor as much as they need. However, if the patient has an acute or urgent need, there are other resident doctors available to address their health concerns in a timely manner.
Team Based Care
CommUnityCare delivers care by way of a team-based approach. Evidence demonstrates that when health care experts work in a collaborative fashion with the patient, his/her family and the community, outcomes are better. Members of our health care team include:
- Medical Assistants
- Physicians/Advanced Practice Providers
- Nurses
- Clinical Pharmacists
- Clinical Dietitians
- Behavioral Health Counselors
- Community Health Workers
- Health Care Professional Students
For more information on the residency programs:
- Family Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Women’s Health/OBGYN
- Pediatrics
- Dermatology
- Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship
- PGY2 Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency
Research and Affiliated Schools
Research
At CommUnityCare Health Centers, we are dedicated to providing evidence-based care. This includes facilitating research projects across health institutions to create better tools and treatment practices for our patients.
If you are looking to do research at CommUnityCare, please refer to the process outlined in our Research Portal. Once you submit the Research Proposal Form to the portal, our organization will match an internal expert to provide feedback and establish whether the project is aligned with our current initiatives. If the project aligns, it will move onto the next stages outlined in the portal flow chart.
If you have any further questions, please contact the Department of Education and Research at: educationandresearch@communitycaretx.org
Affiliated Schools
CommUnityCare is affiliated with the following schools:
- Austin Community College
- Austin Independent School District
- Concordia University – Texas
- Huston-Tillotson University
- Texas State University-San Marcos
- Texas Tech University – Health Science Center
- University of Texas – Arlington
- University of Texas – Austin
- University of Texas Health Science Center – San Antonio
- University of Texas Medical Branch
- University of Texas – Tyler
*Please note this list may not be all-inclusive of our affiliated schools through CommUnityCare. However, we are unable to expand the student placement program with other universities at this time.
Clinical Placement & Internships
What is a clinical placement and who qualifies?
Clinical placement is defined as any arrangement of medical field students present in an environment that provides health care to patients or the public. It provides a practical experience of working with patients.
The student must attend a school that has an affiliation agreement or memorandum of understanding with CommUnityCare. The Department of Education and Research will determine the number of students the clinic can accommodate.
*Because of preceptor availability and clinic capacity, available spaces are limited.
*An affiliation agreement/MOU and a request do not guarantee a clinical placement in a CommUnityCare clinic.
How do I apply?
Our organization has transitioned to a new process for receiving and reviewing clinical placement requests. Students seeking clinical placement rotations will submit a completed online application with required paperwork for consideration.
Please visit our Clinical Placement & Internship Portal (link below) and choose the applicable form for your education level.
Clinical Placement & Internship Portal
The Department of Education and Research at CommUnityCare has deadlines for each applicable term for accepting requests.
- Spring Term Deadline: November 30
- Summer Term Deadline: March 30
- Fall Term Deadline: June 30
Please note all supplementary documents are to be completed prior to submission. All paperwork and applicable costs are independent of CommUnityCare and are at the responsibility of the student. Incomplete submissions beyond the deadline dates will not be considered. Deadlines are critical in meeting the follow-up requirements in the event the student’s rotation request is approved.
The Clinical Placement process is a 3-step process:
Step 1: Download the on-boarding and compliance forms below. These are also accessible on our Clinical Placement Portal along with the clinical modules.
1. Attestation Letter (Template) (the form must be signed and authorized by the student’s Clinical Coordinator)
OR documents verifying
2. EHR Access Agreement
5. Professional Photo
6. List of Clinical Skills Check-Offs (Medical Assistants ONLY)
Step 2: Complete the Clinical Placement Form on our portal for consideration of a clinical placement rotation with CommUnityCare clinics.
Clinical Placement & Internship Portal
Step 3: If the request is approved, the Department of Education and Research will reach out to the student about the next steps. In the event the request is denied, our department will notify the student.
Please note that the Department of Education and Research will evaluate each application on a case-by-case basis to determine candidates appropriately. A completed form does not guarantee placement. Limited to one application per term, per student.
Be sure to send a copy to yourself for your own records.
Questions?
Please contact our Education and Research Department at: educationandresearch@communitycaretx.org.
Observerships
What is an observership experience and who qualifies?
An observer is a student who is involved in health care education through a formal officially recognized, educational program who requests approval to observe patient care in a CommUnityCare Clinic in a strictly nonmedical capacity (i.e., this is a one-way experience with absolutely no physical contact with the patients). The student must attend a school/university and be enrolled in courses toward a degree. An example of an observer is a premedical college student, or any student interested in pursuing a medical profession in the future.
Observation is limited to 24 hours. It does not need to be three consecutive days and can be spread over multiple days (within one month) but cannot exceed 24 hours. Observers must be 16 or older. Observers will not assist in any procedures or take part in any action other than passive observation. Stipends are not offered.
Who is NOT an Observer?
- Clinicians with a Texas medical license who expect to practice medicine or engage in education.
- Visiting fourth-year medical school students.
- Those in physician residency or fellowship training.
- Individuals who are observing patient care at the request of a patient or a patient’s legal representative.
- Media or vendors.
- CommUnityCare associates observing patient care in a manner related to their job duties.
*Because of preceptor availability and clinic capacity, available spaces are limited.
How do I apply?
Our organization has transitioned to a new process for receiving and reviewing observership opportunities. Students seeking shadowing experiences will submit a completed online application with required paperwork for consideration.
The Department of Education and Research at CommUnityCare has deadlines for each applicable term for accepting requests.
- Spring Term Deadline: November 30
- Summer Term Deadline: March 30
- Fall Term Deadline: June 30
Please note all supplementary documents are to be completed prior to submission. All onboarding paperwork and applicable costs are independent of CommUnityCare and are at the responsibility of the student. Incomplete submissions beyond the deadline dates will not be considered. Deadlines are critical in meeting the follow-up requirements in the event the student’s rotation request is approved.
The observership application process is a 2-step process:
Step 1: Review and download the on-boarding compliance forms.
- Background Check
- Immunizations
- Code of Conduct
- ID Badge Agreement
- Professional Photo
- Shadowing Agreement
Review each required module.
Step 2: Complete the CommUnityCare Observership form below including documents and related modules. If the request is approved, the Department of Education and Research will reach out to the student about the next steps. In the event the request is denied, our department will notify the student.
Please note that the Department of Education and Research will evaluate each application on a case-by-case basis to determine candidates appropriately. A completed form does not guarantee placement. Limited to one application per term, per student.
Be sure to send a copy to yourself for your own records.
Questions?
Please contact our Education and Research Department at: educationandresearch@communitycaretx.org.
Area Health Education Centers (AHEC)
What is AHEC?
Area Health Education Centers, better known as AHECs, are academic and community partnerships that address health care workforce issues. CommUnityCare currently hosts Texas AHEC East – Capital Region, which collaborates with organizations and educational institutions to improve the supply, distribution, retention and training of varied health professionals in medically underserved areas.
Our activities include:
- Promoting health careers to high school students.
- Enhancing the health care workforce quality with its AHEC Scholars program.
- Supporting rural/undeserved clinical rotations for health professions students.
- Offering academic enrichment opportunities for students planning to enter the health care field.
- Providing health care professional development.
Why AHEC?
Because…
- Too few students enter careers in health care.
- Too few health care professionals choose employment in underserved areas.
- Too few racial and ethnic minorities and underprivileged people choose careers in the health workforce.
- The population does not appropriately use the existing health care resources.
- Divisions exist between the missions of health profession training programs and community needs.
AHEC Scholars
The AHEC Scholars Program is a two-year program for current health profession students interested in gaining additional training and team-based clinical experiences working in rural areas and/or with underserved populations. It requires 40 hours of didactic learning and 40 hours of experiential learning each year. A few notes:
- This program supplements students’ existing health professions programs.
- Participation commitment is for two years and culminates in completion or graduation from a certificate or degree program.
- Students must have at least two years remaining in their degree program prior to graduation.
For more information on AHEC or AHEC Scholars, please visit our website.
AHEC Scholars Flyer: Download the file below.
More information