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Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine Residency Program Heersink School of Medicine

Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine Residency Program

Health Disparities Track

PATH web

The Health Disparities Track is an opportunity for residents interested in learning about and providing care to individuals of under served populations. The strong clinical training at UAB can be attributed to the diverse population of patients that we serve, differing in socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, gender identification and sexual orientation.  However, these differences in social factors contribute to disparities in access to care, health and ultimately health outcomes.

The Health Disparities Track is a two year curriculum for PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents created to foster the knowledge and sensitivities needed to care for a diverse population of patients and recognize the cultural and social factors that serve as barriers to health equity and favorable healthcare outcomes. The curriculum includes didactics, mentorship, and a primary care experience in the UAB Providing Access To Healthcare (PATH) Clinic, a free clinic for uninsured patients with diabetes. We aim to cultivate physicians who not only excel clinically but understand the importance of incorporating cultural competency and responsiveness in medical practice.

Goals

  1. To increase knowledge about disparities in health and health care, explore attitudes and behaviors that promote and/or mitigate disparities, and develop skills in culturally responsive care.
  2. To improve internal medicine resident understanding and utilization of community resources, and in turn improve the quality of inpatient-outpatient transitions of care.
  3. To learn about the role of public advocacy in efforts to achieve health equity
  4. To explore clinical and research career opportunities within in the fields of health equity

Providing Access to Healthcare (PATH) Clinic

The UAB PATH Clinic provides primary care to local uninsured patients with diabetes. Working in an interdisciplinary clinic with limited resources allows our residents to develop an understanding of the challenges that arise when providing high quality care for under served patients. This clinic offers a wonderful opportunity for trainees to have exposure to a clinical experience that is vastly different than the typical resident continuity clinic.

Global Health

Many of our residents have interest in working internationally with underserved populations. We have integrated global health topics in our didactic curriculum and provide time and some financial support for a one-month international rotation for interested residents in their PGY-2 or PGY-3 year. 

Testimonials

  • “Our patients balance daily challenges of housing, food, and other matters with their appointments and medicines. In care of the underserved in our community we must attend to the needs of the whole person.”

    -Cameron Pywell

  • “Educating and counseling patients is why I love medicine. The health disparities track provides opportunities to help patients improve their health literacy so they can be empowered in their care.”

    -Gus Weiland

  • “To broaden my understanding of the social determinants of health. Treating our patients is much more than writing prescriptions, we must also address their psychological, social and personal needs.”

    -Sofia Zavala

  • “I love working at Path clinic. I practice there to serve those whom I can impact the most.”

    -Jacob Elrod

  • “I enjoy the holistic, multidisciplinary approach required to successfully care for patients in this vulnerable population. It is both intellectually stimulating and personally fulfilling.”

    -Steven Allon

  • "Health disparities are everywhere around us... in clinic, on the wards, throughout our communities. I hope to receive the mentorship and training needed to address these disparities at a systems-level"

    -Sal Kamal

Contact

Rebekah Weil, MD
Assistant Professor, Director of Health Disparities Track
raweil@uabmc.edu