UConn Health’s Health Career Opportunity Programs (HCOP) recently received an $80,000 grant from the Aetna Foundation to expand one of its summer programs focused on health disparities. The grant will allow an increase in the number of pre-medical and pre-dental college students in the summer program who are interested in health disparities and primary care.

The program is designed to provide a clinical research and enrichment experience and an introduction to health disparities, cross cultural issues, principles of clinical medicine and skills for public health research and interventions. It also will offer an overview of approaches to cultural definitions, public health issues, and discussion of specific techniques for working with diverse populations in community settings.

“I would like to thank the Aetna Foundation, whose continued support has been incalculable in our efforts to encourage urban youth to aspire to careers in the health professions,” says Dr. Marja Hurley, HCOP director.

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