By SHAWN RHEA
The Cherry Hill Courier-Post Staff

Born and raised in Willingboro, David Hicks, 26, is a second-year medical student at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey's School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford.

Growing up, Hicks said he saw the challenges some residents in his ethnically diverse, working-class community faced in getting affordable health care.

"We were better off than some communities, but I knew people who didn't have health insurance," Hicks said.

Accessing nearby care also presented a challenge to Willingboro residents regardless of their insurance status, Hicks added.

"I remember my mother had to drive us around because things were so spread out. We had to drive around to go to the dentist, the doctor. Fortunately, we always had transportation."

The fact that other members of his South Jersey community weren't so lucky didn't escape Hicks. A public health graduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh coupled with his current medical training at UMDNJ has broadened Hicks' understanding of the problems ethnic minority and low-income residents often face getting affordable and convenient health care.

As a result, the Willingboro native plans to develop a wraparound social services center that would provide family and mental health care, child care, door-to-door transportation for clients, food vouchers and other services.

For full text of article http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/southjersey/m062105a.htm