Ruiz-Huidobro Nicholas A M, Kala Shashwat, Gray Sydney, Lopez Rebecca, Silva Michelle A
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
Acad Psychiatry. 2025 May 9. doi: 10.1007/s40596-025-02153-3.
Student-run free clinics are primary care clinics committed to providing medical care to uninsured or underinsured individuals. The HAVEN Free Clinic has a department dedicated to mental health called the Behavioral Health Department (BHD). Volunteers include undergraduates and health professional graduate students from the schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health, as well as the Physician Associate Program. Licensed faculty supervise students in conducting screenings, providing psychoeducation, and facilitating referrals; volunteers also participate in didactic sessions and weekly case discussions. This brief report presents the reported experiences and perceived impact among a group of student volunteers.
Study participants (n = 30) comprised current and former student volunteers who completed a mixed-methods survey. The surveys were collected retrospectively and gathered quantitative and qualitative data to understand the perceived personal and professional impact associated with volunteering in a behavioral health department at a student-run free clinic.
Survey results revealed that volunteering improved students' cultural awareness, confidence initiating referrals, and comfort recognizing emotional distress. There was also improved consciousness surrounding systemic issues (e.g., inadequate access to health insurance) affecting mental health and greater intention to pursue careers that include care to the medically underserved. Limitations include the limited number of respondents and non-behavioral outcomes for patients and students.
This study suggests that exposure to a medically underserved immigrant patient population in a student-run free clinic and volunteering in BHD to provide mental health support contributed to students' development as culturally informed future healthcare professionals.
学生运营的免费诊所是致力于为未参保或参保不足的个人提供医疗服务的初级保健诊所。避风港免费诊所设有一个专门的心理健康部门，称为行为健康部（BHD）。志愿者包括来自医学院、护理学院、公共卫生学院的本科生和健康专业研究生，以及医师助理项目的学生。有执照的教员指导学生进行筛查、提供心理教育并协助转诊；志愿者还参加教学课程和每周的病例讨论。本简要报告介绍了一组学生志愿者报告的经历和感知到的影响。
研究参与者（n = 30）包括现任和前任学生志愿者，他们完成了一项混合方法调查。这些调查是回顾性收集的，收集了定量和定性数据，以了解在学生运营的免费诊所的行为健康部门志愿服务所带来的个人和职业影响。
调查结果显示，志愿服务提高了学生的文化意识、发起转诊的信心以及识别情绪困扰的舒适度。对影响心理健康的系统性问题（如医疗保险获取不足）的认识也有所提高，并且更有意从事为医疗服务不足人群提供护理的职业。局限性包括受访者数量有限以及未涉及患者和学生的非行为结果。
本研究表明，在学生运营的免费诊所接触医疗服务不足的移民患者群体，并在行为健康部志愿服务以提供心理健康支持，有助于学生成长为有文化素养的未来医疗保健专业人员。
