Founded in 2000, the Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Department of Community Service (DOCS) Program is a student-led community outreach program at the Miller School of Medicine and is one way our trainees and faculty members provide health care to underserved patients.
About DOCS
The Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Department of Community Service (DOCS)History
Since they hosted their first health fair in Big Pine Key in 1971, students at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have prioritized access to care for the medically underserved. In the 2000-2001 academic year, these health fairs evolved into DOCS, a student-run, non-profit organization endorsed by the medical school. In 2006, a generous donation endowed the organization as the Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Department of Community Service.
DOCS Work
Annually, DOCS serves over 1,800 patients through the volunteer efforts of more than 300 medical students, trainees and faculty members at the Miller School. We expect these numbers to grow. DOCS hosts 10 annual health fairs in various communities throughout Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Broward counties, with an additional four free clinics operating for these medically underserved populations. We screen for the most prevalent diseases in our community including; hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, vision loss, obesity, and depression, as well as colon, breast, cervical, and skin cancers. Using a referral system of free clinics, we also act as a portal for entry to care for those patients identified to be at risk.
A Day at DOCS (Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Department of Community Service)
Staffed primarily by University of Miami Miller School of Medicine students, faculty and staff, Wolfson DOCS operates 10 community health fairs in many of South Florida’s most medically underserved areas. The fairs provide health education and screening for hypertension, diabetes, various cancers and other conditions.
Mission Statement
DOCS supports the overarching mission of the Miller School of Medicine:
- To provide excellence in medical education.
- To expand medical knowledge through research.
- To provide high-quality care to those who need it.
- To be a community partner.
Joining DOCS offers Miller School students a unique opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, gain practical clinical experience, and contribute to the education of both patients and the wider community. We focus on:
- Leading: Fostering students’ leadership abilities among peers, colleagues and patients.
- Training: Through practical experience, each participating student will demonstrate proficiency in the clinical skills to be performed.
- Educating: Realizing the importance of not only educating ourselves, but also our patients and the communities in which they live.