Medical Justice Elective

Catalog description

The goal of this rotation is to provide fourth year medical students the opportunity to explore and participate in the medical care of vulnerable patient groups including: unhoused, incarcerated, and formerly incarcerated patients. Students will spend approximately 30 hours per week at two sites that are focused on providing medical care to vulnerable patient groups: (1) the city’s public health clinic at Healthcare for the Homeless, and (2) the Orleans Parish Public Defender’s office. In addition, there will be opportunities to attend peer support groups for formerly incarcerated persons and work with a prison advocacy group. Students will be responsible for participating in two discussion sections and completing two reflection papers. They will meet twice per block with a facilitator and guest speakers to learn from individuals with lived experience of homelessness or incarceration. This experience is designed to expose senior medical students to a physician’s role in public health and community medicine and give them an opportunity to witness the barriers that vulnerable patients face in seeking medical care. There will be optional activities in the evenings that students can opt to participate in. These experiences include: • Wellness Nights at VOTE (Voices Of The Experienced, a group providing support to formerly incarcerated persons) – Third Tuesday of every month from 6-8 pm • Peer support group (formerly incarcerated persons sharing experiences) There are optional experiences that will occur without regular frequency that a student may participate in, including: • Opportunities for observation of legislation discussion at the State House in Baton Rouge