The Chicagoland Free Clinics Consortium: A Model for Student-Run Free Clinic Collaboration.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health Initiatives
• Healthcare Access

Background:

• Student-run free clinics (SRFCs) are vital for underserved populations.
• Limited mechanisms exist for regional collaboration among SRFCs.
• This gap impacts resource sharing and innovation.

Purpose of the Study:

• Establish the Chicagoland Free Clinics Consortium (CFCC) to enhance SRFC collaboration.
• Provide innovation grant funding for SRFC projects.
• Host an annual conference to foster networking and knowledge exchange.

Main Methods:

• Founded in 2018 by Pritzker School of Medicine students.
• Partnered with 23 SRFCs across 6 Chicagoland schools (2018-2022).
• Distributed $15,423 in grants to 19 projects at 14 SRFC sites.

Main Results:

• 4 annual conferences engaged 176 students from 5 schools.
• 80% of surveyed participants reported increased likelihood of collaboration.
• 87% of grant recipients stated projects wouldn't have been possible without funding.
• 21% of funded projects were inter-institutional collaborations.

Conclusions:

• CFCC is a pioneering student-led organization.
• Successfully promoted sustained collaboration among metropolitan SRFCs.
• Demonstrated the impact of targeted funding and networking on clinic operations.