A University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria faculty member was selected to receive the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award for establishing the Cordoba Health Clinic, a clinic located in South Peoria providing specialty care to patients with little or no insurance at little to no cost.
Dr. Wasim Ellahi, a gastroenterologist at Illinois Gastroenterology Institute and Clinical Assistant Professor at UICOMP, opened the clinic in 2016 to help bridge the gap for accessible and affordable specialty care, which is provided entirely by volunteers. The clinic includes cardiology, gastroenterology and pediatric gastroenterology, nephrology, oncology, and pulmonology.
Ellahi and eight members of the UICOMP class of 2018 were selected for membership in the local chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS).
The student honorees are:
Gary Bhagat of Chicago
Chancelor Cruz of Peoria
Carley Demchuk of Park Forest, Ill.
Joseph Krob of Wheaton, Ill.
Saleha Mallick of Naperville, Ill.
Paulo Michelini of Ponta Grossa, Brazil
Mati Segev of Skokie, Ill.
Justin Steele of White Hall, Ill.
The Gold Humanism Honor Society, sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, exists to recognize outstanding humanistic activity among students. Over 100 medical schools have established active GHHS chapters.