EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon Community Credit Union is doing its part to ensure area residents get the best medical care.

The credit union will contribute $1 million to Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation, to be paid in $100,000 installments each year over a ten-year period.

The gift will fund an innovative new program to enable approximately 80 medical students a year to receive practical training in the form of five-week clerkships at clinics throughout Oregon. Funding for the donation comes from the recurring small fees merchants pay when credit union members use their debit cards.

"We understand that health care is an important issue that affects members in every community we serve. With this new program, we have an opportunity to address both a growing physician shortage, particularly in smaller communities, and the need for better access to quality health care throughout the state," said OCCU CEO Mandy Jones. "We're pleased that, with our support of the Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation, we continue our long tradition of supporting education and we also directly improve the quality of life for members in all our communities."

The first of its kind in Oregon, the Sacred Heart Medical Center is part of a unique collaboration between OHSU, PeaceHealth and the University of Oregon to advance the medical profession regionally and statewide.