Role of a medical student initiative in supporting homeless and precariously housed populations

Abstract

Homeless and precariously housed populations experience complex medical needs that are complicated by social marginalization and public health crises. Although still at the beginning of their training, health professional students have been shown to effectively work with vulnerable populations while building clinical and advocacy skills by participating in student-run clinics. Given this unique privilege and opportunity, we propose a novel student-driven initiative based in downtown Vancouver for the purpose of supporting the wellbeing of homeless and precariously housed individuals while preparing students for an impactful career in addressing the health needs of underprivileged British Columbians.