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. 2015 Apr 21:20:27535.
doi: 10.3402/meo.v20.27535. eCollection 2015.

Health disparities and underserved populations: a potential solution, medical school partnerships with free clinics to improve curriculum

Lynn M VanderWielen  1 , Allison A Vanderbilt  2   3 , Steven H Crossman  4 , Sallie D Mayer  5 , Alexander S Enurah  6 , Samuel S Gordon  7 , Melissa K Bradner  4
Affiliations

Health disparities and underserved populations: a potential solution, medical school partnerships with free clinics to improve curriculum

Lynn M VanderWielen et al. Med Educ Online. .

Abstract

Health-care educators share the social responsibility to teach medical students about social determinants of health and health-care disparities and subsequently to encourage medical students to pursue residencies in primary care and medical practice in underserved communities. Free clinics provide care to underserved communities, yet collaborative partnerships with such organizations remain largely untapped by medical schools. Free clinics and medical schools in 10 US states demonstrate that such partnerships are geographically feasible and have the potential to mutually benefit both organizational types. As supported by prior research, students exposed to underserved populations may be more likely to pursue primary care fields and practice in underserved communities, improving health-care infrastructure.

Keywords: free clinics; health disparities; medical education; underserved populations; uninsured.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Free clinic and medical school locations throughout Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Texas, California, Washington, and Missouri.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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