Integrating Reentry Medicine Into Medical Education: A Student-Run Free Clinic Model

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Medical Education

Background:

• Formerly incarcerated individuals face significant structural barriers to healthcare access.
• Existing academic medical center resources, like student-run free clinics (SRFCs), are underutilized for reentry health.
• There is a need for innovative models to address the health disparities of individuals returning from incarceration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of a novel reentry clinic.
• To assess the feasibility and impact of embedding a reentry clinic within an existing SRFC network.
• To highlight the role of academic medical centers in promoting health equity for criminal-legal-involved populations.

Main Methods:

• Collaboration between a university-affiliated SRFC and a community reentry organization.
• Integration of a reentry clinic into the existing infrastructure of an SRFC.
• Utilized institutional funding, student volunteers, and established administrative systems for sustainability.

Main Results:

• The inaugural year saw 13 clinics held with 91 patients scheduled, achieving a 53% attendance rate.
• Patients most frequently sought referrals for primary care and dental services.
• The model demonstrated improved access to care and fostered clinical competencies in medical students.

Conclusions:

• Embedding a reentry clinic within an SRFC provides a sustainable and replicable model for improving health outcomes for formerly incarcerated individuals.
• Academic medical centers can leverage existing resources to address reentry health barriers and advance health equity.
• This initiative prepares future physicians to provide patient-centered care to underserved populations.