Clinical Preventive Medicine and Maternal Health Care

You will work in a continuity clinical site for one session per week (half day).  This will be either at one of BMC’s primary care clinics, or at one of the BMC HealthNet community health centers, most of which are Federally Qualified Health Centers. This will be an opportunity to get to know the community on a deeper level through direct clinical care, and also to understand some of the challenges that contribute to maternal health outcomes.  Your continuity clinical site placement will offer opportunities for interdisciplinary teamwork and partnerships, in addition to QI and Preventive Medicine projects.

You will rotate through programs related to preventive medicine clinical practice and maternal health including Project Respect (integrative prenatal clinic for people with substance use disorder), BMC QI rotations, Occupational Health and BMC’s “Birth Sister” doula program.

One of the core clinical Preventive Medicine rotations will be with the Boston Public Health Commission’s Boston Healthy Start Initiative (BHSI): BHSI provides direct support to pregnant and parenting women, children and families through care coordination, connection to resources, health education, and advocacy. During this rotation, you will be paired with a “Family Partner” that supports women and families to collaboratively learn about:

Discussing information related to healthy  pregnancies, infant health, and  parenting such as prenatal nutrition, safe sleep, breastfeeding and infant  feeding, infant safety, and child development

Connecting women to resources and programs that help them access food, education, employment, housing, child care, and other support as needed

Helping to coordinate medical care and other services such as father engagement and support, home visiting nurses, WIC nutritional support, legal services, immigration support, etc.