The Q Clinic is the school’s newest student-run free clinic, dedicated to serving homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) youth. Clinic organizers say this is the first student-run free clinic in New York City to serve this demographic. 

Studies have shown that while LGBTQI youth are at an especially high risk for a variety of medical and psychiatric problems, they are hesitant to seek health care out of fear of discrimination. Providers themselves often do not feel prepared or trained to address the specific needs of this group. The clinic’s mission is to provide free, LGBTQI-friendly medical care to this underserved and vulnerable population while teaching future doctors to practice medicine in a humanistic and sensitive way.

At Q Clinic, students are trained in the specific health needs of the LGBTQI population. Under the supervision of attending physicians, students at the pre-clinical and clinical stages of medical education work in pairs to take histories, perform physical exams, and generate assessments and treatment plans for their patients, including prescriptions and referrals. Q Clinic also takes an active interest in promoting awareness of LGBTQI issues on campus through activities and panel discussions. The clinic operates Wednesday evenings out of the Metropolitan Community Church of New York in downtown Manhattan. More information is available by sending email to qclinic@columbia.edu.

— Yichun Fu’19

Photo Courtesy Tina Roa

Dígame Mas: Expanding the Spanish Experience

Dígame Mas is one of the newest P&S Clubs, stemming from the Dígame summer experience in which students become immersed in the culture of Washington Heights while doing a community-based summer research project and taking Spanish classes.

Now, students can engage in the same mission—to learn about Washington Heights and connect with the neighborhood and its residents—throughout the entire academic year via language, service, and cultural activities and health education programming. Students can work on their Spanish by participating in our popular “Familias” program, where they are grouped with other students of varying Spanish-speaking abilities into a “family” and learn/practice new medical Spanish vocabulary. We also offer opportunities to participate in a Spanish mock patient interview, tutor and/or mentor adolescents from the community (many of whom are learning English as a second language), and go on cultural outings (such as seeing exhibits and shows at El Museo del Barrio), among other activities.

This club is open to any interested student on the CUMC campus, and our current board has students from almost all of the CUMC schools, as well as the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Our board meetings take place every other week on Friday evenings, and we aim to plan at least one event a month for the CUMC community, in addition to the ongoing programming we offer. For more information or to join our list serv, students may contact Tina Roa, tr2468@columbia.edu, or Emma Marquez, egm2133@columbia.edu, or visit our website, www.digamemas.wordpress.com, to learn more.

— Tina Roa’19