Street Medicine Track

“We stand there with those whose dignity has been denied. We locate ourselves with the poor and the powerless and the voiceless. At the edges, we join the easily despised and the readily left out. We stand with the demonized so that the demonizing will stop. We situate ourselves right next to the disposable so that the day will come when we stop throwing people away.”

—Gregory Boyle, Tattoos on the Heart

Program Mission

The mission of the Mount Carmel Family Medicine Street Medicine Track is to prepare future physicians interested in Street Medicine and community outreach to provide high-quality, comprehensive care for people experiencing homelessness.

Summary

Mount Carmel has a robust, distinguished Street Medicine program that has been operating for over 30 years. The Street Medicine track for Residents is comprehensive and includes longitudinal experiences starting in the first month of residency. Residents will regularly work on the mobile medical coach and with the outreach teams to meet individuals where they are and to provide high-quality care in various environments. As residents progress through their training, they will progressively spend more time with the Street Medicine team.

Each resident has two elective months during PGY-2 and 4 elective months during PGY-3, which will be spent with teams providing resources and skills necessary to treat people experiencing homelessness. Elective months during residency can be used to spend concentrated time with the Street Medicine team and to further clinical experience per the resident’s specific areas of interest. Upon graduation, residents will possess the skills and experience needed to provide care in any setting and to continue practicing Street Medicine in whatever capacity each resident chooses.