PRISON HEALTH CARE - MEDICAL STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES (FROM NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MEDICAL CARE AND HEALTH SERVICES IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS - SECOND, PROCEEDINGS, 1978 - SEE NCJ-58532)

• NCJ Number: 58540
• Author(s): D OUTCALT
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: American Medical Assoc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE VALUES OF JAIL OR PRISON EXTERNSHIPS FOR HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS AND INMATE HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

THE UNATTRACTIVENESS OF PRISON HEALTH CARE ACTIVITIES TO HEALTH PRACTITIONERS IS A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF SUCH SERVICES. THIS SITUATION CAN BE HELPED THROUGH MEDICAL SCHOOL AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY COOPERATION TO IMPROVE INMATE HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND PROVIDE LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS. THE MOST EFFECTIVE FORMAT FOR SUCH COOPERATION WOULD BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CLINICAL INTERNSHIPS FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS, WHICH WOULD COMMIT PARTICIPANTS TO 4 TO 8 WEEKS IN A JAIL OR PRISON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WORKING WITH AND BEING TAUGHT BY PRISON HEALTH PRACTITIONERS. STUDENTS CAN HELP OUT WITH THE CLINICAL TASKS AND CONDUCT SPECIAL PROJECTS SUCH AS SCREENING FOR TUBERCULOSIS, VENEREAL DISEASE, AND DRUG ABUSE. THEY CAN HELP ESTABLISH LINKS TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES FOR RELEASED INMATES AND DETERMINE THE NEED FOR PATIENT EDUCATION. FOR THE STUDENTS, EXTERNSHIPS IN JAILS OR PRISONS OFFER INVOLVEMENT IN MEETING A PRESSING NEED, THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE THE EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT ON HEALTH, KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, AND FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE OF THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF APPLIED IDEALISM. IN ORDER FOR AN EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM TO BE EFFECTIVE, THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND SUPERVISION BY COMPETENT PRACTITIONERS MUST BE ADEQUATE, THE LEARNING ASPIRATIONS OF THE STUDENTS SHOULD BE RESPECTED, AND CLINICAL AND NONCLINICAL LEARNING SHOULD BE AVAILABLE. MEDICAL SCHOOL DEPARTMENTS OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE ARE THE LOGICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR INITIATING CONTACT WITH CORRECTIONAL OFFICIALS WITH A VIEW TOWARD ESTABLISHING AN EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM. THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION IS CURRENTLY ATTEMPTING TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL PROGRAM WHICH WILL INVOLVE WORKING WITH MEDICAL SCHOOLS AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES TO ESTABLISH PRISON OR JAIL EXTERNSHIPS. A FEW EXTERNSHIPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED.