More detailed info available from the Center for Community and Global Health.

Graded pass/fail only.

Goal: This course provides an opportunity for students to engage with people of Chicago who are experiencing homelessness by partnering with the Night Ministry through medical and social outreach. Students will be able to experience all facets of this ministry’s involvement with people who are homeless to better understand this unique population’s needs and how they can better serve patients experiencing homelessness as physicians in the future.

Background: People who experience homelessness are at a significantly increased risk for both acute and chronic medical problems. Understanding how best to serve this population is key for medical students planning to enter Emergency Medicine and primary care specialties. The Night Ministry is an organization which exists to serve the Chicago community experiencing homelessness through their mission to, “ provide housing, health care, outreach, spiritual care, and social services to adults and youth who struggle with homelessness, poverty, and loneliness.”

Description: During this elective the students will rotate through different areas of the ministry, including both medical and non-medical aspects. Students will primarily help to provide clinical services on the Night Ministry Bus, Street Medicine Van, CTA outreach, and at the youth shelters. Students will also work with the managers of the two youth shelters, members of the social work team, public relations office, and volunteer coordinating staff to gain experience with the social justice needs of this population. Outside of their time at the Night Ministry, students will engage with literature and podcasts on topics of social justice and medical care for people experiencing homelessness. They will submit a final reflection regarding their time at the ministry.

During this elective students will:
1. Participate in a training course for volunteers by the Night Ministry prior to the rotation.
2. Work alongside a medical provider in the medical settings on the Bus, Street Medicine Van, CTA outreach, and at the youth shelters by assessing patients and coming up with plans for the patient.
3. Shadow and assist the social workers, youth shelter coordinators, public relation officers and volunteer coordinating staff where students will get a first hand look into all that is required to make a mission to serve these underserved patients successful.
4. Be evaluated by the medical provider with whom the student staffs their patients with on a shift. These evaluations will be submitted to the course director to provide formative and summative feedback regarding the student’s clinical work.
5. Listen to podcasts or read research articles regarding some of the many issues faced by this population. For at least 5 of these podcasts or articles, record what you learned on the attached log. Recommended sources are found on the log as well.
6. Keep a log of the patients you see on the various sites and document the conditions you observe and reflect on how they are caused by or worsened by a lack of stable housing.
7. Reflect on their experiences both medically and socially through a final paper at the
conclusion of your rotation.
8. Complete a final evaluation of the rotation to assist the clerkship director in further
strengthening the elective rotation. 

The course will be graded according to the following scale: Pass/Fail

Requirements:
Students must complete all of the following to achieve a Passing grade for the elective:

a) Participate in a volunteer training provided by the Night Ministry prior to the rotation
b) Meet with the course director (virtually is acceptable) at the start of the elective to discuss the
goals and expectations for this elective.
c) Obtain evaluations from attendings on shift for summative and formative feedback.
d) Listen to or read a minimum of 5 podcasts or articles and document something you have
learned from each and how you will incorporate this into your practice.
e) Document a record of patients seen and conditions observed.
f) Submit a personal reflection on the experiences of this rotation and how what you witnessed will shape your future career. Please include your response to the following questions in your final reflection:

1) As a result of this rotation, what additional insights have you gained into the homeless population and how will this impact your future practice as a physician?
2) After seeing the different facets of The Night Ministry, what ideas do you have on ways that we can better support our homeless population?
3) What are your thoughts on the concept of homelessness being a crime?
g) Provide course directors feedback through a final rotation evaluation to assist in further course development. Please include your response to the following questions in your feedback:
1) What suggestions do you have for improving this elective in the future?
2) What advice do you have for future students to help prepare for their clinical experience at this site?