Award for Health Circus

Students with the Health Circus organization from the College of Medicine at Texas A&M University’s Health Science Center recently received an award from the Texas Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. The student-led organization was selected as the winner of the 2004 Student Research Exhibit for the Texas Academy of Family Physicians’ 55th Annual Session and Scientific Assembly. The monetary award and a plaque were presented by Dr. Robert Pope, on Wednesday, September 22, 2004, to the College of Medicine’s dean, Dr. Christopher Colenda, and the Health Circus Board of Directors.
Health Circus is led by 2004-2005 co-directors Laurel Brown and Sarah Labuda, as well as six other student leaders. Between 20 and 30 students from the College of Medicine and the A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health volunteer at each Health Circus event. The organization was started in the fall of 2002 by students with a desire to provide health and wellness education to Bryan-College Station and the surrounding communities. Health Circus events are currently planned four times per year, making stops in Caldwell, Hearne, Madisonville and Navasota.
Students strive to provide a fun, relaxed environment for children and families while offering free immunizations, CHIP and Medicaid insurance enrollment, healthy child screenings and nutritional and development information. Events take on a circus-like atmosphere with clowns, balloons and games.
The next Health Circus event is scheduled for Saturday, October 23, 2004, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Madisonville High School cafeteria.
The College of Medicine’s primary clinical affiliate is Scott & White Hospital in Temple, which is ranked as one of the top-15 teaching hospitals in the nation.