Prof. David Ferguson & OACA's Mini Medical School

Medicinal Chemistry’s Prof. David Ferguson is sharing his expertise in the upcoming Mini Medical School event sponsored by the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs.

The event is entitled “Food, Nutrition & the Effects of Substances on Health” and sessions will dive into the connections between food and nutrition as well as the health of our planet. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of different substances ingested – including cannabis, alcohol, psychedelics, and opioids – and their effects on mental and physical health.

Dr. Ferguson reflected on the impact the Mini Medical School can have: “These sessions force us to realize our role in the community is not only to be health care providers and innovators of the medical sciences, but partners with the community to educate and build relationships that transcend the traditional communication barriers between the healthcare system and the community. Everyone is equal and welcome here.”

The Mini Medical School takes place from 5-6pm on October 25th, November 1st, and November 8th. The event is free and open to the public as well as the University community. For more information and to register, please follow this link. We hope to see you there.

When asked about the history of the Mini Medical School, Ferguson had this to add: “In the beginning, it brought together patients, community members, faculty, and physicians in a unique educational format that forced us to communicate in a meaningful way. Participants could select specific lectures to attend, and the focus was always on building a relationship and bringing knowledge to the community. It felt like a revolution everyone wanted to be part of.”

The Department of Medicinal Chemistry is proud to have Dr. Ferguson on our faculty and we appreciate his continued commitment to sharing his expertise with the Twin Cities community in such an accessible and open format.