The mission of the Department of Family Medicine is to:

• Teach Family Medicine as a model of excellence in primary care and community health to medical students, residents, fellows, and other health care professionals
• Provide personalized evidence-based patient-centered care in a medical home model, with special emphasis on care to the underserved
• Conduct community oriented, patient-based, and interdisciplinary research
• Foster national leaders and educators in Family Medicine
• Create and sustain campus/community partnerships that recognize our mutual assets and improve the health of our community.

Community Health's overall mission is to provide a transformative learning experience that links the health and well-being of communities through community/campus partnerships, research, education and direct service. This mission fosters strong relationships between communities and educational institutions and promotes the health of medically underserved communities. Fulfillment of this mission is achieved by:

1. recruiting and retaining community-engaged faculty leaders who embrace experiential pedagogies and teaching excellence;
2. emphasizing democratic community/campus partnerships through education programs;
3. developing and empowering medical students to be civic-minded and good stewards of the public trust;
4. supporting and encouraging scholarly research, diffusion of innovations and academic rigor;
5. being a resource in the community for effective economic, political, ecological and systems change;
6. serving as a catalyst for individual reflection, rejuvenation and collegial support;
7. and promoting human health and wellness through prevention, improved access to programs and proven interventions.