Solving health problems in rural and urban communities will be the focus of several grants received this week by the Kansas University Medical Center.

The Medical Center will receive $596,656 in grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

A $215,649 grant will establish a program to allow third-year medical students to work with community-based organizations to identify problems in specific communities in Kansas City, Kan., and find solutions for the problems.

Joshua Freeman, chairman of the department of family medicine, said students would work with at-risk populations such as victims of domestic violence, people with developmental disabilities, adolescents, substance abusers and geriatric patients.

He said the program was a win-win situation for the prospective doctors and the community.

“When they become doctors, they’ll be able to understand the health needs in the community,” Freeman said. “The purpose of the grant is something that’s often missing from medical education. Sometimes it’s too focused on diseases and treatment instead of clinics and patients. A lot of people who are not walking in (the clinic) still need you.”

Another $140,400 grant will help fund a similar program at the KU School of Medicine campus in Wichita.

Freeman said a $216,000 grant also announced this week will help the Medical Center establish the administrative framework for treating community-based health needs throughout Kansas. In that program, students completing their first year of medical school will collect data on health problems in communities and propose solutions.

He said similar, smaller-scale programs completed by medical students included studies on why people don’t undergo screening for colon rectal cancer and the effectiveness of hospice care.

KU also will receive a $24,607 grant to encourage senior nursing students to complete a long-term care program at a nursing home.

The grants were announced by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.