TRAVERSE CITY — Munson Medical Center granted $2.5 million for a five-year project to enhance street medicine training to medical students.
This was one of only 24 such grants awarded nationwide.
The funds will be used to launch the Rural Street Medicine Residency Expansion Project to train the next generation of primary care physicians in delivering care to individuals experiencing homelessness.
This project will help expand research, establish an advisory board to include community members experiencing homelessness, and support Munson, Traverse Health Clinic and Goodwill in their Street Medicine partnership serving Benzonia, Cadillac, Rapid City, and Traverse City.
Dr. David Klee with TC Street Medicine said that one of the advantages of the program is that it funds research in street medicine.
“And so we’re able to do this collaboratively with different street medicine groups around the state.” Klee said. “It provides funds for that research, to be able to find evidence-based, best practices and street medicine care. ”
This new curriculum will integrate core competencies to equip physicians with the skills necessary to practice in complex care environments, including Primary care, Behavioral health with instruction in psychiatric medication stabilization, Addiction medicine initiation and induction, and Medical-legal advocacy.