Just got a call from a doctor at a mainstream health organization.

[Aristus]

He wants to set up a residency program for his young MD's coming up to get involved with and learn healthcare for the homeless.

My supervising physician told him about our operations here, and this doctor took a real interest in the challenges of homeless medicine. He runs a family health clinic, and I guess he thinks if his doctors can provide good clinical outcomes for people who are homeless, they can handle family health challenges.

It's exciting.

I'm glad our work here is earning some recognition.

[hlthe2b]

1. ...

Kudos!

Perhaps they could set up a nursing internship from a local program as well.

[Aristus]

3. They've already done that.

I spent parts of November and December precepting nursing students in homeless medicine. I admit I feel a little daunted at the prospect of precepting qualified MD's. My supervising physician told me that precepting won't be a proficiency exercise, just familiarizing them with the challenges of treating homeless patients.

[MLAA]

2. Congrats! I'm sure your clients will benefit as will the residents!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Congrats, my dear Aristus! What a great opportunity for all of you!

Thank goodness for forward looking people!

[Mme. Defarge]

5. I'll drink to that!

For now it’s coffee, but tomorrow evening all bets are off! ☕️☕️🍸😍

[Aristus]

6. Amen.

Hope to see you for the FNVB...

[piddyprints]

7. That's great!

I can't tell you how impressed and happy for you I am!

[Bayard]

8. Excellent!

[RainCaster]

9. So glad to hear that you are making a difference!

Congratulations, Aristus.

[CaptainTruth]

10. Congratulations and THANK YOU for doing good in the world!

[mitch96]

11. I always thought if you gave a free ride or partial free ride and have the new MD's work

in under served areas for a few years would be great..I bet quite a few people with the smarts and desire to be medical doctors but did not have the money... YMMV..
m

[Aristus]

12. That's what I would do if I had the political clout to make it happen.

Offer free medical school to any qualified applicant on the proviso that they work in an underserved, underinsured community for a certain specific length of time, say 3-4 years. I would also offer incentives to recently-graduated MD's who made a career in primary care, for which there is a shortage of providers right now.

MD's graduate with so much student debt that many of them go in to specialty care fields where they can charge for expensive procedures, thereby paying down their debt faster.

[mitch96]

14. When I worked in Hospitals I can't tell you how many times "specialists" degraded GP's

The ones I've met sort of thought that they were "losers" that could not make it into a "good " specialties"... I think working with real people not just the next facelift, tummy tuck or Blepharoplasty would be great... Not knocking plastics but that is where I heard most comments... YMMY..
m

[Aristus]

15. Comes with the territory.

Rivalries are going to happen in any profession where there's enough differentiated responsibility to cause factions.

When I was in the Army, we hated the Marines, and they hated us.

We tankers hated the infantry, and they hated us.

[mitch96]

18. Yup, You need someone to dump on bitch about and complain abt.. I guess it's in our nature...nt

[leftieNanner]

31. Just saw this after I posted a similar remark

If law schools can do it, so can Medical Schools.

[MetalMama]

33. Northern Exposure

That's the plot of the old tv show Northern Exposure. In the show, Rob Morrow played New York City native Joel Fleischman, a recently graduated physician who is sent to practice in Anchorage, Alaska, for several years to repay the state of Alaska for underwriting his medical education. However, much to his chagrin, he is assigned to the much smaller and remote town of Cicely, which is in need of a general practitioner. (from Wikipedia)

Also, there's the National Health Service Corps which provides scholarships and loan repayment programs to med school students who will serve as primary care doctors in underserved or uninsured areas for a specific length of time.

The problem is attracting the students.

[Aristus]

37. I love that show.

Watched it all the time. I thought Jeanine Turner was the sexiest woman on television. Then I found out what a right-wing loon she is, and my ardor cooled significantly.

Still love Rob Morrow, though...

I live an hour or so from the town where they shot the exteriors for the show.

Welcome to DU, MetalMama.

[lark]

40. I agree, it was one of my all time faves.

Need to find it and rewatch the series again, wonder if it's on Netflix?.

[gopiscrap]

41. welcome to DU

[ailsagirl]

13. That's great, Aristus!

Congratulations! 👏🏽👍

[Aristus]

16. Thank you, ailsagirl!

[ailsagirl]

29. Ahhh...

Ailsa Craig, the most beautiful of islands, with zero population. Wish I could move there!

[jaxexpat]

17. I've always been somewhat interested in the backstories of the homeless.

I wonder how many are put on the path to homelessness because of unpaid medical bills? Or addiction issues with prescribed drugs?

Could be that the medical community can help with prevention on the front end as well as healthcare after the fall.

[Aristus]

20. There are lots of reasons.

Unpaid medical bills or bankruptcy of any kind.
Domestic abuse.
Mental illness.
Drug abuse. Although this one may also be a result of homelessness, as much as a cause. I have female patients who take methamphetamine to stay alert at night so they don't get raped.
Family rejection. I had one patient who was undocumented from Mexico. He came out as gay to his conservative Catholic family, and they threw him out. He came to the States hoping for better treatment as a gay person, and ended up on the streets.
Physical disability. My military veterans fill in a huge crossover between this reason and mental illness.
Ex-cons. These guys don't usually stay on the streets long. They either mainstream pretty quickly, or end up back in the joint. People express fear around ex-cons, but they are routinely my most polite and cooperative homeless patients.

The list goes on and on...

[fierywoman]

19. I'm so happy for you, Aristus! Lifting up fellow human beings is one of the most

satisfying activities that exist.

[Aristus]

22. Thank you, fierywoman.

[hibbing]

21. Great n/t

[calimary]

23. That's terrific news, Aristus!

Thank you for all that great and most necessary work!

[SWBTATTReg]

24. Congrats and thank you for your service, ALL of you. My doctor worked originally as a

biologist or something similar at Monsanto, and wanted to become a doctor, so he went the full route and got his doctorate, ever since then, he's been my family physician. He's always bringing in young NPs, and others that I assume that are on the path of gaining their degrees and/or NP licenses.

It's nice to see these young professionals coming in, and since I don't have to see my primary physician (my aliments aren't severe enough to warrant), I will have one of his NPs see me instead (I usually go just for a physical every year, refills on blood pressure meds).

All are great, all are wonderful, and I want to continue to support his practice, he is also one of the primary care doctors in my geographical area that specializes in HIV related care, so he also has a strength/discipline that has unfortunately picked up (last 20 years or so), demand wise. But it is nice to know that he has the expertise too in this area too.

It's hard enough to keep up w/ the general literature, new and / or constantly revised medical procedures and / or processes, etc. I don't see how you all do it. You have my upmost admiration and respect.

[BobTheSubgenius]

25. Congratulations!

It's not just about accolades and personal visibility. 95% of doctors would rather be good doctors the celebrated doctors, in my experience.

Visibility for the program is very beneficial, though, and not just for recognition, but for increased funding and for credibility when you need someone with say-so on your side.

A very good day for you and your program, I'd say.

[In_The_Wind]

26. Great news!

[Aristus]

27. Thank you.

[TNNurse]

28. Gives us hope for the future.

[leftieNanner]

30. Very Cool.

I wonder if the medical schools would allow graduates to "work off" some of their debt by doing this kind of work.

A friend of my daughter's graduated from Harvard Law a few years back, and because she is working for an immigration focused non-profit organization (not one of the big Manhattan firms), they are gradually erasing her $240,000 debt.

Low income and homeless folks need good healthcare too.

[Alice Kramden]

32. So encouraging - sorely needed

Thank you for this - our homeless are just that: "ours"

[bluestarone]

34. Congrats to you!

I feel honored knowing you ( by all your comments here) and KNOW you will be one of the best persons to do this!! There IS hope for America with people like yourself!!!!

[Aristus]

35. That's very kind of you.

I feel a little overwhelmed, but thank you...

[bluestarone]

36. You are very welcome!!

[3catwoman3]

38. The recognition must be so gratifying.

Don’t let the letters after their names intimidate you. Nothing substitutes for the expertise gained from real-world experience, and you have loads of that

I am always impressed by your descriptions of the clinical situations you handle, and I am quite sure the young MDs will be, too.

[Raster]

39. Bless your heart, Aristus and your colleagues...

...the homeless, the working poor are vastly underserved and in great need.

[malthaussen]

42. Hooray for our side! n/t