Newswise — Bethesda, Md. – Medical and nursing students at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) can now add U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Health Service Corps (IHSC) to the list of sites where they conduct clinical rotations, thanks to an agreement between the university and IHSC.
Students from USU’s F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine and Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing complete clinical rotations at numerous military and civilian sites. These rotations in direct patient care, while teaching and engaging new knowledge, prepare USU alumni to provide optimal care to military members and their families. This partnership gives USU students the opportunity to train at 19 IHSC-staffed facilities and provide direct care to noncitizens in ICE detention.
IHSC is comprised of physicians, psychiatrists, social workers, dentists, registered nurses, medical assistants, and other health professionals who manage and operate the ICE health care system. IHSC provides direct care to noncitizens throughout the nation and is committed to providing the safe delivery of high-quality health care to those in ICE custody. IHSC strives to be the best health care delivery system in detention health care.
“The Graduate School of Nursing at the Uniformed Services University is excited about this new partnership with IHSC. The memorandum of agreement provides rich opportunities for clinical rotations for our nurse practitioner students to learn about the needs of special populations and provide care under unusual circumstances. We are grateful for the IHSC nursing leadership who fostered this partnership with us," said Dr. Carol Romano, dean of the Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing at USU.
IHSC’s agreement with USU also gives students an opportunity to care for noncitizens who may be in poor health and in need of urgent medical care. Many suffer from undiagnosed and untreated chronic medical conditions, and have histories of victimization, exposure to infectious disease, or mental health conditions.
According to Dr. Stewart Smith, IHSC Assistant Director, “The memorandum of understanding gives USU students who conduct clinical rotations within the IHSC health care system a unique opportunity. The students will care for individuals from multiple countries around the world, experience muti-cultural immersion, and treat patients who may have never seen a health care provider.”
"This agreement opens the door for future interprofessional collaboration among IHSC and the School of Medicine, Graduate School of Nursing, and other USU entities,” added Dr. Eric Elster, dean of USU’s School of Medicine. “We look forward to the opportunities it will bring to our students and faculty, and to the IHSC personnel who will support our educational aims.”
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About the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences: The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, founded by an act of Congress in 1972, is the nation’s federal health sciences university and the academic heart of the Military Health System. USU students are primarily active duty uniformed officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service who receive specialized education in tropical and infectious diseases, traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder, disaster response and humanitarian assistance, global health, and acute trauma care. USU also has graduate programs in oral biology, biomedical sciences and public health committed to excellence in research. The University's research program covers a wide range of areas important to both the military and public health. For more information about USU and its programs, visit www.usuhs.edu.
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