The Midwestern University Clinics

Not too far from Midwestern University's Downers Grove campus, a new multi-story building is being constructed that will eventually be the Midwestern University Clinic.

You might be curious about why I'm blogging about this from Glendale. Well, the truth is that I'm extremely excited for the Downers Grove-based University students, faculty, and staff that this Clinic is being built.

I came to work at Midwestern University in an era when the Glendale Campus already had three community clinics on campus - the Midwestern University Multispecialty Clinic, the Midwestern University Dental Institute, and the Midwestern University Eye Institute. The latter two clinics had only been open for a brief time - in fact, my hiring date was only days after the Eye Institute opened its doors for the first time.

My point is that I have only worked at the University during a time when these clinical resources have been available both to the community and to Midwestern students. Therefore, you might say I'm a little bit spoiled, because I have been able to see first-hand how the practical application of Midwestern's instruction can be carried out without always having to travel to a clinical rotation site.

The three campus clinics are staffed by the same faculty practitioners who teach students on campus. Additionally, the Dental and Eye Institutes add third- and fourth-year dental and optometry students into the caregiving mix. I have interviewed a lot of patients at these clinics for media purposes, and I have yet to meet one who has offered anything but rave reviews about the quality of care received from the hands of Midwestern University students.

I am thrilled for our colleagues in Downers Grove that they will soon have their own facility. Because of the premium put on real estate acreage in that part of the city, the Downers Grove clinic will be a single multi-story building a short drive from the campus proper. But if that is a difference from the Glendale clinical offerings, the similarities are far more critical - state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, dedicated faculty, students, and staff, and a patient-first philosophy.

Put the MWU clinics together with the widespread clinical rotation network set up across the U.S. by the University, and you end up with a tremendous arsenal of resources for Midwestern University students to hone their training. Moreover, the Midwestern University clinics offer our institution significant opportunities for community service and care.

If you want more information on the Midwestern University clinics, check out the website at http://www.mwuclinic.com.