Student Profile: Matthew Goldman, JMP Class of 2012

Two JMP students, Matthew Goldman and Geraldine Slean, were featured in the Spring 2010 issue of the School of Public Health's quarterly magazine, Berkeley Health. (Download or view this PDF: Helping Those Who Need It Most)

Holistic Approach to Homeless Care

In a way, Matthew Goldman’s commitment to providing medical care to the homeless population in Berkeley is not unusual. Every student in his 16-person UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP) class also volunteers at the Suitcase Clinic, a student-founded and -run organization offering free health and social services to underserved populations. And more than 100 Berkeley undergraduate volunteers, many of them public health majors, constitute the backbone of Suitcase.In addition, physicians from the community, residents at Highland Hospital, and JMP faculty members donate their time to treat patients.

Though the mere fact of his service is not unique in a community so dedicated to serving the underserved, Goldman stands out when you consider that he is simultaneously pursuing a master’s degree in health and medical sciences, attending med school, and conducting thesis research on models of health delivery reform. Amidst this intense training, he and his colleagues still find time to give back to the community. “Generally speaking, the JMP tends to recruit very social-justice-oriented students,” Goldman says, “and Suitcase aligns very naturally with those values. We have a lot of excitement and enthusiasm in engaging these medical needs.”

Goldman began his work at Suitcase doing patient intake, which includes getting the patient’s clinical history and assessing needs. “Doing intake was great,” he says. “And it was some of the most valuable clinical experience I’ve had. At Suitcase, we’re the first people that the patient’s going to talk to, and that’s really fun and exciting. You hear some pretty amazing stories, and it’s really rewarding to get to engage with these people.”

In his second semester, Goldman will be coordinating the Youth Clinic, which he chose partly because he feels the youth homeless population—generally older teens or adults in their early twenties—have the greatest need for accessible, non-intimidating services. “That community will hardly seek services from anywhere,” he explains. “At the Youth Clinic you can just drop in, no appointment necessary. It’s a safe environment, it’s relaxed, there’s food and a free foot washing service. Youth Clinic is unique in its openness and I think it has a good reputation in the young homeless community.”

Considering that youth treated at the Suitcase Clinic for minor infections or other concerns might otherwise end up at Highland Emergency Room, the Suitcase Clinic provides a cost benefit to society in addition to much needed service. Yet Suitcase, like many nonprofit organizations, struggles with funding and long-term stability. As coordinator of the clinic’s mission—another volunteer role—Goldman hopes to put his interest in health policy to work creating a more stable future for Suitcase. He’d like to see the clinic flourish for another 20 years and beyond, providing services for the homeless and training for JMP students long after he’s become a successful practicing doctor with a commitment to social justice and a love of health policy.

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