Ethical Dilemmas at Student-Run Clinics: A Narrative Review

SRCs are a growing part of the U.S. healthcare safety net system. They are also an important nexus of ethical questions that impact patient care and trainee education. Many identified concerns relate to administrative, structural, and sociological issues which may be outside the direct training (and potentially awareness) of most medical students. Some work cautions that SRCs have potential to produce results discordant with their core aims, such as racial equity, health equity, and training service-oriented healthcare professionals. Increased awareness of these potential pitfalls offers new avenues for bioethical investigation and practical opportunities to support students and faculty in positioning these unique clinics for success.