Podcast

In Loyola Stritch's introductory podcast, we introduce the team and discuss topics including: what street medicine is, Loyola Street Medicine's first steps, and the basics of caring for un-domiciled populations.

In our second podcast, Serene Hadaya and Dr. Kevin Boblick discuss matters for trainees and physicians when working with children and families experiencing homelessness, including: recognizing the impact of homelessness on the health of children both in the US and in Chicago, identifying how to screen for homelessness, understanding how to improve health outcomes for homeless children, and understanding what health coverage looks like for children facing homelessness.

In our third podcast, Louise Amat and Stephan Koruba, NP (The Night Ministry) discuss: the impact of homelessness on life expectancy and infectious disease management, intravenous drug use and infectious disease, challenges in hepatitis C management, and HIV and PrEP management.

Loyola Street Medicine is excited to share a new style of podcast where we talk with individuals that have lived experience with homelessness. In this episode, Loyola EM Attending Dr. Theresa Nguyen, MD chats with Beth Warner, who is currently a paralegal in the public benefits outreach and enrollment project at Legal Aid Chicago. Beth has lived experience with homelessness, human trafficking, and being a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Join medical student and Stritch Homelessness Outreach Coalition president Dani McGinnis as she discusses the criminalization of homelessness in our society and how this negatively impacts those experiencing homelessness. Joining in on this conversation is Michael Durham, who has committed his career to ending homelessness through his involvement with agencies such as Funders Together to End Homelessness and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council.

On this episode of Loyola Street Medicine, join Stritch Homelessness Outreach Coalition research and education chair, Rylie O'Meara and Emergency Medicine physician, Dr. Theresa Nguyen as they discuss one of Loyola Street Medicine's partner organizations, The Night Ministry. Our speakers are joined by two members of The Night Ministry: Kyanna Johnson, lead Street Medicine outreach worker, and Yoela Tepper, substance use specialist. Kyanna and Yoela share details of their work with The Night Ministry and insight on their experiences working with people experiencing homelessness.

Join first year Stritch medical student Brian Tabata and second year Stritch medical student Daniel Estrada as they discuss military culture and unique challenges that US veterans face after service. Brian (Petty Officer First Class, USN) served in the Navy for 6 years as a submarine engineering technician and Daniel (Captain, USMC) served in the Marine Corps for 12 years as a pilot. They are joined in conversation by Lauren Nichols who is the Coordinated Entry Specialist for the HCHV Program at Hines VA Medical Center.

Join us as medical students Rylie O'Meara (research and education chair of the Stritch Homelessness Outreach Coalition) and Owen Lewer (Chicago Street Medicine representative for the Stritch Homelessness Outreach Coalition) discuss frostbite and cold weather injuries amongst Chicago's homeless population. They are joined in conversation by Dr. Tanya Mukherji-Stewart, who is a 3rd year emergency medicine resident and future attending at Loyola Medicine. Our speakers today cover the clinical presentation and treatment of frostbite injuries, the prevalence of frostbite and risk factors associated with its development, and information on Chicago’s cold weather policies and available resources.

Join Dr. Veronica Gonzalez, former Stritch medical student and current emergency medicine resident at Rush, and Dr. Charles Bareis, Chief Medical Officer at MacNeal Hospital in Chicago, discuss respite care. Dr. Bareis completed his internal medicine training at Loyola University Medical Center and manages Sojourner House, a medical respite center on the West Side of Chicago. In this presentation, our speakers define respite care, qualifications for patients seeking medical respite, and differences between programs.

Let’s talk mental health! Join Loyola psychiatrist, Dr. Tony Tu, and third year medical student, Cathy Zhang, discuss psychiatric care for people experiencing homelessness. In this episode, Dr. Tu pulls from their own experiences in the field to address barriers to care, psychiatric training, and how healthcare workers can best support the homeless population.

On this month’s episode of the Loyola Street Medicine Podcast, join fourth year medical students Clara Pavesi-Krieger and Louise Amat interview Michelle Kavouras, a doula and women’s health advocate at PCC Community Wellness Center. Pulling from her own experiences, Michelle highlights challenges women face in healthcare, specifically as it relates to pregnancy, substance use, domestic violence, sex work, and homelessness. Michelle is a strong advocate for women and believer in meeting people where they are at. Michelle discusses the power of listening to the lived experiences of the people we serve and how we, as Loyola Street Medicine, can improve care for women experiencing homelessness.

Loyola Street Medicine is excited to release our first bonus episode. Join Dr. Patel, an emergency medicine resident at Loyola University Medical Center, discuss maternal health and pregnancy complications with guest speaker Laura Zumdahl, President and CEO of New Moms. New Moms is a local organization supporting young mothers in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs with housing, employment, prenatal education, and more. Listen to learn about the impact of housing on maternal health and how you can get involved with New Moms.

This month on the Loyola Street Medicine Podcast, join medical student, Jennifer Krupa, and emergency medicine physician, Dr. William Toepper, discuss wound care considerations for people experiencing homelessness. Dr. Toepper is the founder of Portland Street Medicine, an organization providing care to people who face unstable housing or live on the streets in Oregon. Learn from Dr. Toepper's own experiences as he provides insights into wound care fundamentals, common injuries, and barriers to care faced by this population.

On this month’s episode of the Loyola Street Medicine Podcast join Dr. LJ Punch and Stritch Medical Student, Vinith Ilavarasan, discuss LGBTQI+ considerations for the unhoused community. Dr. Punch is a healer and surgeon based in St. Louis, Missouri and is currently the Medical Director for the harm reduction program, Power for STL. Touching on his personal experiences navigating medicine, Dr. Punch discusses how to best work with a population that is often marginalized and mistreated by the medical system. Listen to learn about the importance of trauma informed care, navigating gender affirming care in the current political climate, and how to provide safe and equitable care to the LGBTQI+ community.

This month on the Loyola Street Medicine Podcast join second year medical student, Martin Arceo, and guest speaker, Marc Raifman, discuss the legal challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness. Marc is a Supervising Attorney for the Health Justice Project (HJP) at Loyola University, protecting client civil rights, advising clients on health-related legal needs, and supporting the training of law students. Marc provides insight into the legal challenges this patient population encounters, such as referrals, administrative burden, navigating benefits like SNAP, disability, and social security, as well as the unique partnership between Loyola and the HLP. Follow this link to learn more about the HLP and ways to get involved as a medical student.

This month on the Loyola Street Medicine Podcast, join Van Asher, the Director of Policy and Advocacy for Chicago Street Medicine, and Stritch medical students, Johanna Wefes Potter and Jennifer Krupa, discuss harm reduction. Van has been a strong advocate for and changed the landscape of harm reduction since the early nineties. Van details his introduction to the field, current policies, the power of language, and the future of harm reduction in the United States. Follow this link to view Van’s animated harm reduction videos.

Photo credit: https://egov.ct.gov/norasaves/

In this episode of the Loyola Street Medicine Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Samuel Jackson, a street psychiatrist dedicated to serving some of Chicago’s most vulnerable populations. Dr. Jackson completed his undergraduate education at the University of Michigan, medical school training at Central Michigan University, psychiatry residency at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, and Public Psychiatry Fellowship at Columbia University. He has a particular interest in street psychiatry, advocacy, and improving systems of care. He has published several peer-reviewed papers, a book chapter, and multiple op-eds in the last year on these topics. He is currently the Clinical Director of Psychiatry at Erie Family Health (a large Chicago-based federally qualified health center) and a part-time street psychiatrist for The Night Ministry and Rush's The Center to Transform Health and Housing.

Join us as we explore the unique challenges and strategies involved in street medicine and managing behavioral health crises. Dr. Jackson shares insights on his experiences and the importance of meeting people where they are—both physically and emotionally. He discusses the impact of mobile crisis teams, shares resources for early career involvement in street medicine, and touches on some of the most uplifting and discouraging aspects of his work.

Thank you so much for listening, and we hope you enjoy the episode!

This special anniversary episode of the Loyola Street Medicine Podcast celebrates five years of service, advocacy, and community. We’re honored to be joined by a distinguished panel of guests who have each played a vital role in shaping the program’s growth and mission.

Dr. Veronica Gonzalez, a third-year emergency medicine resident at Cook County Hospital and Stritch School of Medicine alumna, was a co-founder of the Loyola Stritch Homelessness Outreach Coalition (SHOC). She is joined by fellow Stritch alumna Dr. Sofia Ruiz-Castaneda, a third-year internal medicine resident at the University of Texas at Austin and another founding member of SHOC. We also welcome Owen Lewer, a recent Stritch graduate and incoming family medicine resident at Providence Hood River in Oregon. Rounding out the conversation are Dr. Theresa Nguyen, an attending emergency medicine physician at Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC) and medical co-director of Loyola Street Medicine, and Dr. Kevin Boblick, an attending primary care physician at LUMC who serves alongside Dr. Nguyen as medical co-director.

Our guests reflect on the origins of Loyola Street Medicine, share stories from their experiences, and discuss the program’s impact on the community over the past five years. They also look ahead, offering insights into the future of street medicine and how the next generation of physicians can continue this mission of compassionate, dignified care.