IU School of Medicine Correctional Medicine Student Outreach Project

Abstract

Background: This project was founded on the basis that correctional medicine is an important component frequently missing from medical school curriculums. Opportunities to participate in medical care within correctional facilities, while concurrently engaging in discussions about the institutions that have contributed to disproportionate incarceration of certain populations and mass incarceration as a whole, will cultivate empathetic, socially-engaged, and passionate young physicians. This student organization was formed to facilitate clinical opportunities within correctional facilities and host events that focus on the broader socioeconomic and political context and forms of structural and cultural violence that have contributed to mass incarceration in the United States. Methods: The overall goal of this project is to send medical students into Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) facilities, or county jails, to work closely with the medical providers as they provide care to incarcerated individuals. In order to facilitate this goal, a relationship was fostered between IUSM and Dr. Kristen Dauss, the Chief Medical Officer of the IDOC. Upon completion and approval of the contract between Centurion, the IDOC medical provider, and IUSM, students will have opportunities to shadow providers at the Indiana Women’s Prison. This pilot location was chosen due to the unique opportunity it presents to learn about the medical needs of the incarcerated women and young children, as it is the only facility in the state with a mother-baby unit. Since its creation, IUCM has also hosted numerous virtual educational lectures, panels, and journal clubs in collaboration with other student organizations and scholars in the field of correctional health. Lastly, the organization encourages engagement with original research through the IMPRS program, in coordination with Niki Messmore, our faculty advisor. Conclusions: As physicians who will practice medicine in the country with the highest incarceration rate in the world, having a fundamental understanding of topics related to correctional health, adverse health experiences while incarcerated, and longstanding traumatic effects of incarceration is imperative. IUCM’s goal is to create introductory materials and share resources with medical students relating to the create introductory materials and share resources with medical students relating to the Powered by Qualtrics A socioeconomic and political context which has led to mass incarceration, the lived experiences of people who are incarcerated, and the deficits in care for currently and formerly incarcerated people. Developing a better understanding of the justice system as well as the emotional, mental, and physical impact incarceration has on patients, and will stimulate interest in engaging with these concepts through research, volunteer work, educational events, and in patient care. In the future, each campus will partner with local correctional facilities and community organizations. After accruing a critical mass of student involvement at educational events and within facilities, we will utilize surveys to study the impact of the project. Additionally, we hope to expand the project to include other healthcare professional programs, and involve other facilities statewide. Lastly, due to our belief that correctional health should be a component of the core curriculum, we are currently working with IUSM administration to create material for the FCP course related to these topics.