Sandwiches, 6 Feet Apart: Reflections on Community (and Medical School) During COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical students were removed from clinical clerkships. During this time of uncertainty, 4 clinical medical students at the University of Michigan returned to the community to support their neighbors experiencing homelessness. They did so by making brown bag lunches for people sleeping on the streets and acting as community volunteers in temporary shelters. Though formal education was stalled, they reconnected with the initial desire that led them to pursue medical education in the first place and developed key skills in communication, relating to others, and compassion that they believe will enable them to become better physicians in the future.