Research Mentor Name
Laura Benjamins, MD,MPH, FAAP, AAHIVMS
Research Mentor Email Address
laura.benjamins@wayne.edu
Institution / Department
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Document Type
Research Abstract
Research Type
medicaleducation
Graduate Level Research
no
Abstract
Title
Enhancing Medical Student Readiness to Provide Care for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System
Authors
Tara Rahmani, Noah Kos, Kristen Bartow, Sospeter Machani, Jonathan Hakim, Elyse VanderWoude, Anastasia Sahu, Abigail Schuch, Jennifer Mendez, Ph.D, Laura Benjamins, MD, MPH, Anupama, Devara, MD, Adeel Khan, DO
Background
Youth involved in the juvenile justice system face profound health inequities with higher rates of mental health needs, substance use, and trauma. Despite this, medical students rarely receive preparation to work in correctional health settings. Prior research has shown that youth in detention often exhibit behaviors shaped by past trauma and neglect, which can make communication with health providers challenging. At a Midwest university, second-year medical students participate in a correctional health unit featuring a panel of speakers with lived experiences. Building on this foundation, a training program was developed that emphasizes communication, body language, and the unique healthcare needs of correctional health facilities. Such programs may strengthen student comfort, readiness, and contribute to more equitable delivery of care.
Methods
Medical students participated in a pre-volunteering training module covering carceral healthcare systems, professional conduct, and communication strategies. Surveys were administered before and after training, and shadowing within the Juvenile Detention Facility (JDF) health unit.
Results
It is anticipated that students will demonstrate increased readiness following training, with further gains after direct JDF experience. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to evaluate changes within subjects across time points.
Conclusion
It is expected that structured training followed by experiential learning will improve medical students' preparedness to work with incarcerated youth. As a single-site, self-selected volunteer program, results may not be generalizable and may be subject to response bias. This program can inform broader curricular approaches to teaching correctional health and provide a replicable framework for institutions seeking to integrate service learning into medical education.
References
Committee on Adolescence, Paula K. Braverman, Pamela J. Murray; Health Care for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System. Pediatrics December 2011; 128 (6): 1219–1235. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-1757
Morris, R. E. How to Accomplish Effective Communication Between Juvenile Delinquents and Health Care Providers. Journal of Adolescent Health March 1995; 16 (3): 199–202. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/how-accomplish-effective-communication-between-juvenile-delinquents
Disciplines
Curriculum and Instruction | Medical Education | Medical Humanities | Medicine and Health Sciences
Recommended Citation
Rahmani, Tara; Kos, Noah; Bartow, Kristen; Machani, Sospeter; Hakim, Jonathan; Vanderwoude, Elyse; Sahu, Anastasia; Schuch, Abigail; Mendez, Jennifer Ph.D; Benjamins, Laura MD,MPH, FAAP, AAHIVMS; Devara, Anupama; and Khan, Adeel D.O., "Enhancing Medical Student Readiness to Provide Care for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System" (2026). Medical Student Research Symposium. 518.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/som_srs/518
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Medical Education Commons, Medical Humanities Commons
Comments
We gratefully acknowledge the Juvenile Detention Facility leadership and staff for allowing student participation, as well as Dr. Khan and the interprofessional team who guided the development and implementation of this program.