Karen Buchi (SOM Class of 1984) joined the University of Utah Department of Pediatrics in 1990. A firm believer in the University’s responsibility to the community, she helped establish South Main Clinic, a prenatal and pediatric clinic that cares for underserved families throughout the Salt Lake Valley. In order to launch the clinic, Dr. Buchi worked with a coalition including the Salt Lake County Health Department, the University Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, and the College of Nursing. In addition to providing high-quality care, the clinic is a rigorous teaching facility for residents and students, who receive both medical training and a commitment to service from Dr. Buchi and other faculty.
As the pediatric medical director of the clinic, Dr. Buchi continued her strategy of engaging community resources to provide a wide range of care. She established a lay health promoter program by partnering with Holy Cross Ministries, developed a pharmacy program to help families afford medication, led the creation of a specialized prenatal clinic for substance-abusing women, and brought the Teen Mother/Teen Health Clinic to South Main. Through her commitment to serve and her talent for collaborative leadership, Dr. Buchi brought the University into the community.