Student-Run Free Clinics Stand at a Critical Junction Between Undergraduate Medical Education, Clinical Care, and Advocacy

Authors

Deborah D. Rupert, D.D. Rupert is a seventh-year MD-PhD student, Medical Scientist Training Program, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, and Department of Neuroscience, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3426-3912 .
George V. Alvarez, G.V. Alvarez is resident physician, Department of Family Medicine, Northwell Glen Cove Hospital, Glen Cove, New York.
Eric J. Burdge, E.J. Burdge is a fourth-year medical student, Long Island School of Medicine, New York University, Mineola, New York; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4724-0226 .
Roxanna J. Nahvi, R.J. Nahvi is a sixth-year MD-PhD student, School of Medicine and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7512-9736 .
Spencer M. Schell, S.M. Schell is resident physician, Department of Family Medicine, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2212-3760 .
Francis L. Faustino, F.L. Faustino is assistant professor and chair, Department of Family Medicine, NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, Mineola, New York.

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.1097/ACM.0000000000004542

Journal Title

Academic Medicine

First Page

824

Last Page

831

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-1-2022

Department

Neurology

Abstract

Student-run free clinics (SRFCs) act as primary care providers that bring health care to populations in need and are an important source of undergraduate medical education (UME), guiding trainees through the art of history taking and physical examination. However, they are also social justice and advocacy initiatives-addressing disparity in access to care and educating medical trainees with firsthand exposure to socioeconomic determinants of health as well as language and medical illiteracy barriers. Here, the authors review academic literature examining the impact of SRFCs in their 3 roles: as medical care providers, as components of medical education, and as advocacy organizations. Based on the evidence of that literature and decades of direct SRFC leadership experience, the authors make the case that SRFCs are an undersupported means by which UME institutions contribute to correcting health care disparities and to serving social justice reform.

Recommended Citation

Rupert, D. D., Alvarez, G. V., Burdge, E. J., Nahvi, R. J., Schell, S. M., & Faustino, F. L. (2022). Student-Run Free Clinics Stand at a Critical Junction Between Undergraduate Medical Education, Clinical Care, and Advocacy. Academic Medicine, 97 (6), 824-831. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000004542