Expanding Medical Student Knowledge and Impacting Patient Outcomes Through a Student-Run Clinic: A Case-Based Reflection

Cryptogenic stroke is a debilitating condition that requires follow-up care and treatment that is appropriate for the underlying etiology. Here, we present the case of a 46-year-old uninsured patient with an undocumented immigration status who presented to our student-run clinic (SRC) for the management of her post-stroke care. She initially presented to an outside hospital with focal neurological deficits, was diagnosed with an acute stroke, and was told to follow up with a primary care provider. The patient established care at the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University’s SRC one week following her stroke event. The SRC served as a conduit for access to healthcare services necessary for her recovery and secondary prevention of future strokes which otherwise would have been unattainable due to the patient’s socioeconomic constraints. These services and treatments included specialist appointments, anticoagulation medications, physical and speech therapy, labs, placement of an internal heart rhythm monitor, and surgical closure of a patent foramen ovale. All services, medications, and procedures were provided free of charge. One year following her stroke, the patient is living without disability and has had no recurrence of a cerebrovascular ischemic event. This case highlights the dual-purposed value of SRCs in providing both meaningful clinical educational experiences to students and necessary health care to disadvantaged patients.