Primary Care Training and Enhancement -- Residency Training in Street Medicine - The purpose of this project is to increase the number of family medicine physicians who are prepared to provide care for people experiencing homelessness. The objectives of this project serve to integrate structured street medicine training into our family medicine residency programs to equip future physicians with the skills necessary to provide high-quality, patient-centered care to individuals experiencing homelessness. This initiative addresses critical gaps in healthcare access for this population while also enhancing residents’ competencies in chronic disease management, behavioral health, substance use treatment, and social determinants of health (SDoH). Through a combination of didactic education, clinical rotations, and interprofessional collaboration, the program will develop and enhance curricula to include dedicated training in street medicine, focusing on mental health, substance use disorders, trauma-informed care, harm reduction strategies, and coordination with community-based service providers. In addition, we believe this project will serve to increase the level of empathy and intention for advocacy of residents, specifically related to this vulnerable population. A key component of this initiative is the establishment of clinical rotations focusing on street medicine. These rotations will allow residents to provide direct care in non-traditional spaces such as encampments and mobile clinics. These hands-on experiences will prepare residents to deliver healthcare outside of traditional clinical settings while working in interdisciplinary teams. Additionally, residents will receive training in collaboration with social workers, behavioral health specialists, addiction medicine providers, and legal aid professionals to address complex patient needs and systemic healthcare barriers. The program will integrate and understanding of the barriers faced by individuals experiencing homelessness into residency training to help physicians recognize and mitigate legal and social issues affecting patient health, such as eviction prevention, access to disability benefits, and housing rights. To support residents' well-being, the program will integrate evidence-based burnout prevention strategies. Key performance indicators for the program will include the number of residents trained in street medicine annually, the number of graduates working with homeless populations, the development and expansion of clinical training sites, and improvements in resident competency in chronic disease management and understanding of community-based services. Patient-centered outcomes, such as improved access to care and better chronic disease management, will be monitored. Additionally, this project will examine residents’ levels empathy and intention for advocacy throughout the project for both residents participating in the specialized training and those not participating. By integrating structured, interprofessional street medicine training into our family medicine residency programs, this project will prepare a new generation of physicians to deliver compassionate, evidence-based, and sustainable care to one of the most vulnerable populations in our healthcare system.
