Penn to open clinic for W. Philly residents

Students and faculty from across the University are combining their efforts to establish a free clinic in West Philadelphia for legal advice, educational screening and referrals, according to second-year Medical student Eric Fleegler, founder of the project. The clinic, which is being sponsored by the Dental, Law, Medical, Nursing and Social Work schools and the Wharton School of Business, is scheduled to open within the next month, according to Silja Haagenson, Nursing senior and representative of the Nursing School's steering committee. She explained that her committee's aim is to have the clinic open one night a week for two or three hours. "We're still in the process of organizing all the schools and finalizing details, but we hope to open the clinic to the community within the next month," Haagenson said. She added that the committee is currently attempting to recruit physicians, nurses and students as volunteers. According to Haagenson, the goal is to have "a functioning clinic offering a wide range of services that raises health awareness among residents within the community running years down the road." The idea for a free clinic struck Fleegler after he volunteered for the Habitat for Humanity located within the Cathedral Park community. "It occurred to me that there was more than helping to build houses that we could do for this community," he said. Fleegler then approached fellow second-year Medical student Colleen Monaghan, who manages a similar clinic, the University City Hospitality Coalition on 38th Street, for suggestions. The two worked together to outline a proposal which they presented to Gail Morrison, the Medical School's vice dean for education. A lengthier proposal was written when the idea evolved to include additional schools. After several meetings and a presentation, the project was officially launched and a group of eager participants was recruited last semester. Nursing School students then conducted research to assess the medical and social needs of the community's residents. Haagenson emphasized the importance of the cooperative efforts of all the schools. "We often don't have enough exposure to other schools and hardly have a chance to work together. This is a big step for all the students," she said. Presently, the committee has raised more than $10,000 for the clinic, including donations from the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, the Philadelphia Foundation and School of Social Work. Additional funds were raised through the efforts of Wharton students in Management 100 classes. Funding was not a problem for Fleegler and his team. The main obstacle has consistently been finding an appropriate site for the clinic, he said. "The original location of the clinic was suppose to be at the Habitat for Humanity on 49th Street and Jirard Avenue," Fleegler explained, adding that there was not enough space at the actual site. Monaghan said the goal is to have the clinic within the boundaries of the Cathedral Park community. "But if that is not possible, the clinic will still be accessible to residents of the community," she added. Fleegler said the committee is currently choosing among three sites and expects to come to a decision within the next two weeks.