Undergraduate Medical School Health Fair Hepatitis Screenings: Utilizing Non‑Profit Community Organizations

Undergraduate medical schools serve a critical role in providing screenings to medically underserved populations through the use of health fairs. Non‑profit community organizations (NPCO) often participate by providing local credibility, administrative resources, and technical knowledge. Here we present a three‑year narrative of hepatitis B and C screening efforts to highlight the challenges and benefits of undergraduate medical school and NPCO partnerships.

Hepatitis screenings were conducted at biannual health fairs in Harlem, New York from 2017 to 2019. Meeting minutes from post‑event debriefings were analyzed to identify any overarching themes with NPCOs.

NPCOs share a common goal in working with the community to advance their access to medical care and treatment. Communication and prompt follow‑up are critical to maintaining expectations between NPCOs and health fair organizers.

NPCOs can play an important role in encouraging, outreaching, and even managing hepatitis screening initiatives in conjunction with medical school health fairs.