Given the eight million people annually re-entering communities from carceral settings, most healthcare professionals will come into contact with someone with a history of incarceration while practicing medicine. There is limited research on clinical students’ stigmatization of individuals with a history of criminal legal involvement. In 2019, Touro University California's (TUC) Masters in Public Health (MPH) Program launched a concentration in Health Equity and Criminal Justice (HECJ) that examines the intersection of public health and the criminal legal system, addressing the health impacts of incarceration on individuals, families, and communities. This study examines associations between students’ exposure HECJ themes and holding stigmatizing attitudes.

Methods

This mixed-method study collected survey data from 329 Physician Assistant, Pharmacy, and Osteopathic Medicine program students. A thirty-question survey was sent to students matriculating between 2019-2021 who could have completed HECJ coursework. We constructed a stigma scale, performed bivariate and multivariate regression analyses, and coded qualitative responses to open-ended questions for key themes.

Results

Preliminary analysis indicates significantly lower stigma scores among students participating in the MPH program compared to those who did not complete MPH coursework. Students in the HECJ concentration have the lowest scores overall.

Conclusion

The students who enrolled in the MPH degree were relatively less stigmatizing towards individuals with a history of criminal legal involvement. Our findings suggest that educating clinical students on the criminal justice system is critical to reducing stigma and improving population health.