KPSOM Spotlight

Student-Run Clinic Brings Care to Communities in Need

All-volunteer KPSOM initiative aims to help address crucial gaps in medical services

November 13, 2025

Left to right: Boston Lutfi, Jacqueline Masehi-Lano, Dr. Marc LaRiviere, Abigail Li, Destiny Rochester, Sanah Basrai, and Dr. John Su at the Student-Run Clinic.

Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM) has launched a new Student-Run Clinic in partnership with Wesley Health Centers (JWCH), serving underresourced neighborhoods in northern Pasadena. This initiative, held twice monthly at the Andrew Escajeda Comprehensive Care Services Clinic, brings together dedicated medical students and volunteer faculty to provide accessible care while enriching medical education through real-world experience.

The Student-Run Clinic was created to address a crucial gap in healthcare access for Pasadena’s marginalized populations. Unlike the typical Kaiser Permanente patients that the students see in their Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships (LICs)—often insured, employed, and comfortable with technology —this clinic’s patients are diverse, including uninsured individuals and many facing complex social, economic, and health challenges.

“All students come into medical school eager and excited to serve and take care of patients,” said Dr. John Su, KPSOM Assistant Professor of Health Systems Science and a faculty adviser to the clinic. “Most schools don't provide any clinical exposure until the third year. But at our school, instead of waiting until the third year, they get to start with one half day of clinical care in the first year and are fully immersed in clinical care and learning in the second year as part of the LIC. The Student-Run Clinic is another opportunity for them to get involved, providing care to an underserved community where their school is based. It’s a different system and model, and being student-run and student-initiated, there are opportunities for leadership and mentorship.”

Student Destiny Rochester and faculty adviser Dr. Marc LaRiviere, discuss a patient’s status at the Student-Run Clinic.

Dr. Marc LaRiviere, KPSOM Clinical Assistant Professor of Clinical Science and a faculty adviser to the clinic, added, “The community clinic sees a wide range of patients, from no insurance to partial insurance, immigrants—all a much more varied population.” He noted that students’ passion is vital to the effort’s success. “I’m really loving their enthusiasm,” he said. “Because if you're going to be a well-rounded physician, you need to develop a certain comfort level with people you might not otherwise be in contact with or get a chance to know. It’s a broader experience.”

Student Leadership and Volunteerism

The clinic is operated by student volunteers, with no academic credit awarded for participation. Leadership responsibilities, such as scheduling faculty and student volunteers, patient management, and coordination with clinic staff, are entrusted to more experienced students, who serve as “Officers” of the clinic. Less experienced students are paired with senior colleagues for mentorship.

“Pairing the newer students with the older students…sets us up for success,” said Sanah Basrai, an Officer of the Student-Run Clinic, “Newer students can ask questions they might be hesitant to ask in other clinical settings. It’s a space to learn from each other and build bonds.”

Hands-On Clinical Experience

For many students, the clinic offers their earliest opportunity for substantial patient care responsibility. Unlike their LICs, where students may have more limited patient ownership, the clinic fosters direct involvement: interviewing patients, presenting findings, and collaborating with attending physicians on treatment plans. “The student is the one finishing up that visit,” said Basrai. “Being in the student-run clinic gives you a very special sense of responsibility—this is your patient. It reconnects you to the empathy that brought a lot of us to medicine.”

Faculty adviser Dr. John Su and student Boston Lutfi at the Student-Run Clinic.

Student Boston Lutfi described the environment as “more informal, but you’re doing it because there are patients you have to see.” Lutfi said his motivation stemmed from personal experience: “I had a very disparaged background growing up…so I just wanted to give back to people that I identify with.”

Volunteer KPSOM faculty, including Dr. Su, Dr. LaRiviere, Dr. Connie Casillas, and Dr. Moises Cruz, play a central role in overseeing student-patient interactions, mentoring students, and ensuring safe, effective care. The presence of faculty is crucial, both for educational and practical reasons, as only attending physicians can access the electronic health record.

Bridging Gaps Through Trust and Continuity

One of the clinic’s most meaningful impacts is its continuity for patients often accustomed to sporadic care. The overlap with “street medicine” initiatives—also staffed by volunteering KPSOM students—means that unsheltered individuals can access ongoing, follow-up care, helping rebuild trust in the medical community. “A lot of people who are living on the streets don’t have trust in the medical community, and it’s on us to rebuild that trust through long-term, continuous care,” said Basrai. “We see the same people in clinic and on the streets, and that’s how we build trust.”

Educational Growth and Professional Development

Students at the clinic don’t just learn clinical skills—they gain experience navigating regulations, managing logistics, and understanding the realities of community medicine. Student Abigail Li sees this work as a reflection of her future aspirations: “I want to work in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or in an underresourced setting. It’s just really important work, trying to connect patients to resources and have continuity, especially if you’re uninsured.”

Destiny Rochester, another student volunteer, highlighted the clinic’s representation and opportunity: “I like to be in communities that feel similar to the ones I grew up in. The Student-Run Clinic is an opportunity to see patients for whom the general healthcare system isn’t readily accessible. I’ve always wanted to show people that ‘medicine is for you.’”

Student Jacqueline Masehi-Lano added, “Being part of a student-run clinic is something I knew I wanted coming into KPSOM. Pasadena is my hometown. Learning patient communication, understanding social determinants of health, and connecting people to resources—those are my goals here.”

A Lasting Impact

The clinic offers KPSOM students a rare chance to serve while learning, instilling values of compassion, practical skills, and leadership. But there’s more student volunteers than slots available currently, and a growing waiting list. “There’s significant student interest,” said Dr. Su. “The objective is for students to rotate two to three times per year to ensure quality exposure.”

Ultimately, Dr. Su said, the KPSOM Student-Run Clinic stands as a model for how medical schools can partner with community organizations to improve health equity and prepare the next generation of physicians—cultivating empathy, skills, and dedication to those most in need.

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