Sophia F Mercadante1, Leah A Goldberg1, V Laavanya Divakaruni2, Ryan Erwin3, Margot Savoy4, David O'Gurek4. 1. Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. 2. Department of Family Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. 3. Division of Internal Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA. 4. Department of Family and Community Medicine, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, PA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Student-run clinics can supplement medical education by exposing students to diverse clinical scenarios and collaborating with underresourced populations. We examined the impact of volunteering at THRIVE, a student-run bridge clinic located within sheltered housing for individuals with substance use disorder, on students' attitudes toward people experiencing homelessness (PEH). METHODS: This cohort study analyzed pre- and postsurvey matched responses from nonvolunteer and volunteer first-year medical students utilizing the Health Professional Attitudes Towards the Homeless (HPATHI) tool, totaled into three subcategories: Cynicism, Social Advocacy, and Personal Advocacy. We evaluated the association between change in scores and volunteering utilizing Student t tests and adjusting for participant characteristics using multivariable regression analysis. RESULTS: We received 106 responses (53% response rate); 58 students (55%) volunteered at the clinic and were mostly female (62%), White (52%), and had previous experience working with PEH (71%). The mean change in Personal Advocacy scores was higher for volunteers compared to nonvolunteers, even when adjusting for respondent characteristics (P=.02). Additionally, students who held a prior advanced degree and/or current enrollment in the master of bioethics program (Higher Education Students) had a positive association with change in Personal Advocacy scores (P=.02). CONCLUSION: Volunteering at the THRIVE Clinic appears to impact the Personal Advocacy scores of medical students. This suggests that interacting with PEH early in students' career may be associated with a commitment to working with this population. However, our study has multiple limitations, including self-selection bias, limited sample size, and unclear permanence of students' attitudes over time. Further studies of this cohort could help clarify the significance and permanence of volunteering in student-run clinics.
INTRODUCTION: Student-run clinics can supplement medical education by exposing students to diverse clinical scenarios and collaborating with underresourced populations. We examined the impact of volunteering at THRIVE, a student-run bridge clinic located within sheltered housing for individuals with substance use disorder, on students' attitudes toward people experiencing homelessness (PEH). METHODS: This cohort study analyzed pre- and postsurvey matched responses from nonvolunteer and volunteer first-year medical students utilizing the Health Professional Attitudes Towards the Homeless (HPATHI) tool, totaled into three subcategories: Cynicism, Social Advocacy, and Personal Advocacy. We evaluated the association between change in scores and volunteering utilizing Student t tests and adjusting for participant characteristics using multivariable regression analysis. RESULTS: We received 106 responses (53% response rate); 58 students (55%) volunteered at the clinic and were mostly female (62%), White (52%), and had previous experience working with PEH (71%). The mean change in Personal Advocacy scores was higher for volunteers compared to nonvolunteers, even when adjusting for respondent characteristics (P=.02). Additionally, students who held a prior advanced degree and/or current enrollment in the master of bioethics program (Higher Education Students) had a positive association with change in Personal Advocacy scores (P=.02). CONCLUSION: Volunteering at the THRIVE Clinic appears to impact the Personal Advocacy scores of medical students. This suggests that interacting with PEH early in students' career may be associated with a commitment to working with this population. However, our study has multiple limitations, including self-selection bias, limited sample size, and unclear permanence of students' attitudes over time. Further studies of this cohort could help clarify the significance and permanence of volunteering in student-run clinics.
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