The vast majority of medical care in the United States is administered in a community based-setting.  Yet, training for clinicians and clinician-researchers rarely concentrates in a community setting, and thus many important social underpinnings of disease go unnoticed and unaddressed.

​With the advent of community-university partnerships such as the teaching health centers program, community based participatory research and clinical and translational research programs, stronger connections between community and university are being made possible.  

Still though, as social determinants of health are increasingly seen as the key to many chronic diseases, we feel that academic health institutions and local and regional community health entities stand to partner, communicate, and connect in many more radical ways. 

This conference targets a vibrant audience of clinicians, academics, health service organizations, social workers, public health, regional and local foundations, community health workers and community leaders with interest and passion for social justice, health equity, community and patient advocacy.