September 18, 1997

FREE FLU SHOTS AT UNT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR

FORT WORTH - In celebration of National Primary Care Day, October 1, the University of North Texas Health Science Center is bringing free health services to residents of Fort Worth and surrounding communities through a health fair, including flu shots, vision tests and blood pressure screenings.

The health fair is free and open to the community, and will take place Saturday,
September 27, from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. The health science center's new Patient Care Center at
855 Montgomery Street is the site of the health fair.

The student organizations of the UNT Health Science Center's medical school, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, will sponsor the booths to promote primary care. The student chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians is leading the health fair effort. Faculty physicians from the health science center's Physicians & Surgeons Medical Group will oversee all health activities.

Health fair attendees can take advantage of the following free medical services and educational materials:

Flu shots
Blood pressure screenings
Vision screenings
Healthy pregnancy materials
Accident prevention facts
Osteopathic manipulative treatment
Osteopathic health care information

The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine sets annual records in graduating primary care physicians, with more than 70 percent of TCOM's graduates practicing in primary care. About
2 million Texans are medically underserved, and over 900 primary care physicians are needed in this state alone to meet all of Texas's current healthcare needs.

All medical students participating in the health fair have worked with a family physician caring for patients. Medical school courses completed include Physical Examination, Physician Diagnosis, Anatomy, Medical Interviewing and Public Health/Preventive Medicine.-
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"Although a health fair is not to be substituted for a complete physical exam by your primary care physician, it is an opportunity to receive important medical services and information, particularly free flu shots," said Dr. David Richards, president of the UNT Health Science Center. "TCOM's role as a medical school since it's inception 26 years ago has been to bring primary care to Texas's underserved communities ‹ and primary care physicians are equipped to handle
90 percent of their patients' medical needs."

Other primary care activities taking place at the health science center include two seminars:

Monday, September 29 ‹ "Approaching the Adolescent Patient," UNT Health Science Center, Medical Education Building One, Room 108, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.; Speaker Dr. Amy Tunanidas, Family Practice Physician and Immediate Past President, Ohio Osteopathic Medical Association
Wednesday, October 1 ‹ "Osteopathic Family Practice Residencies," UNT Health Science Center, Medical Education Building One, Room 108, 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.; Speaker Dr. Roberta Bealls, Family Practice Physician, Osteopathic Medical Center of Texas Family Practice Resident

The UNT Health Science Center is located at the corner of Camp Bowie and Montgomery in Fort Worth's Cultural District. Parking for the September 27 event is available in Lots A, B and C off of Clifton Avenue, behind the Patient Care Center.

For more information on the health fair, call the Department of Family Medicine at the
UNT Health Science Center at 817/735-2440.