Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Mobile Medical Unit July 8

The *Brazos Family Medicine Residency* (BFMR) is holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony *Friday, July 8* at *9 a.m.* to commemorate the acquisition of their new *Mobile Medical Unit*. *Congressman Chet Edwards*, who helped secure funding for the state-of-the-art vehicle, will be the honored guest and speaker at the ceremony. Brazos Family Medicine Residency Program Director *Dr. David McClellan*, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center President *Dr. Nancy Dickey* and A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Dean *Dr. Christopher Colenda* will also be speaking and participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Designed to make health care more readily available to rural and medically underserved communities across the Brazos Valley, the Mobile Medical Unit is a 39-foot Airstream vehicle that contains two exam rooms, a lab and patient education center. Dubbed “Hippocrates”, the unit is equipped with satellite, telehealth and internet capabilities, and will soon have the capability of accessing electronic medical records that enable physicians to track their patients.
The Mobile Medical Unit utilizes *telemedicine*-technology that gives patients in remote areas access to primary and specialty medical care without having to drive long distances to a larger community. Telemedicine allows physicians to “see” patients with the use of telecommunications equipment-bringing the skills of a physician located hundreds of miles away into the examination room via a live interactive system.
BFMR physicians and staff have already taken the Mobile Medical Unit on a few test runs to the community of Cooks Point, and they received great feedback from residents in that community. Eventually the unit will operate five days a week in communities across the Brazos Valley. Those involved in operating the unit are excited about its potential and grateful for the opportunity to reach residents with limited access to care.
The Brazos Family Medicine Residency is a three-year training program for residents interested in practicing family medicine or entering a career in academic medicine. The BFMR is committed to a program that is broad in scope of practice, deep in the principles of quality care and seated in teaching the importance of compassionate patient care and respect for others. The A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine fills the role of academic partner to the BFMR, and provides faculty appointments to program physicians. Additionally, the BFMR assists the college in medical student education by providing support to the Leadership in Medicine program, physical diagnosis course and clerkships. The BFMR’s facilities are located at 1301 Memorial Drive in Bryan.