Korrinne Yurick, MSPAS, PA-C (she/her) was recently hired as the Director of the Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Residency Program and the Director of the Mobile Medicine and Street Medicine Program at HealthRIGHT 360’s Integrated Care Center in San Francisco. With five years of experience as a physician assistant, she has worked in primary care in Philadelphia and in street medicine with USC Street Medicine in Los Angeles. Korrinne is passionate about addiction medicine and street medicine, having participated in the 2023 CSAM Conference and Review Course as a MERF Scholar and has spent over a decade involved in the Street Medicine Institute (SMI). NHC SF AmeriCorps Member Shreyas (he/him) spoke with Korrinne to gain insights into her role and the impact of the services she oversees at HealthRIGHT 360.

S: As the director overseeing both the APP Resident and Mobile Medicine programs at HealthRIGHT 360, you hold significant leadership responsibilities. Could you outline the primary duties and responsibilities associated with these roles? 

K: As the APP Resident Director, I am responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating a two-year residency program designed for recently graduated physician assistants and nurse practitioners dedicated to primary care. Some of my duties include developing the didactic and clinical curriculum and schedule, completing resident evaluations, coordinating preceptors, recruiting and interviewing residents, applying for and securing funding sources, and directly teaching and precepting residents. As the Director of Mobile Medicine and Street Medicine, I am launching a mobile medical van and street medicine program through HealthRIGHT 360. We are in the beginning phases of the development of this program. The purpose of this program is to “go to the people,” and deliver high-quality, evidence-based medical care to patients in their lived environment, whether that be under a bridge, in a park, on a street corner, or in a shelter. We hope to launch the program in the summer of 2025. 

S: Having been involved with USC’s Street Medicine for three years, you bring a wealth of experience to the field. What specific responsibilities and experiences did you have while in the program? 

K: With USC Street Medicine, I was a street medicine physician assistant providing direct care to patients who lived on the street every day. Again, with the mission to, “go to the people,” we met patients exactly where they were and provided medical care to them. Our goal was to provide longitudinal primary care to patients experiencing particularly unsheltered homelessness. This was accomplished through walking rounds or “backpack medicine,” where we brought all of our medical supplies with us and completed a medical visit with a patient on the street. Each of our five teams was assigned to a particular geographic area of Los Angeles. Most recently, I worked within Council District 1 and provided medical care to patients in MacArthur Park, Pico Union, and Highland Park. Prior to that, I worked in the Lincoln Heights and Boyle Heights neighborhoods. The medical care we provided included managing chronic medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, COPD, etc., addiction medicine services including medication-assisted treatment (MAT), harm reduction, opioid overdose reversals, psychiatric care, wound care, STI testing and treatment, and Hepatitis C care. Particularly, I was the provider lead on treating Hepatitis C in the street and developed a protocol and research study surrounding this work. Additionally, our team provided several social services to our patients, including housing navigation, case management, and assistance with basic needs such as food, water, and clothing. It was an absolute privilege to meet patients on the street, hear their stories, and do my best to care for them. Although the work was very challenging at times, it was also extremely rewarding. I loved my work with USC and hope to bring this passion and experience to HealthRIGHT 360.  

S: Given your significant involvement in both addiction and street medicine, these areas clearly play a central role in your professional journey. What influenced your decision to integrate these two fields into a unified focus? 

K: When I started as a full-time street medicine physician assistant in Los Angeles, I realized that many of my patients had severe substance use disorders. Although I had some basic knowledge of addiction medicine from my training, I recognized a gap in my understanding. To better address addiction in its entirety and improve my ability to treat it in the community, I needed further training. Therefore, I attended the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the California Society of Addiction Medicine (CSAM) Conferences to meet with board-certified physicians to increase my skill set in addiction medicine. Thereafter, I was more confident in discussing addiction with my patients and offering several options for treatment, if this is what they were pursuing. Another significant experience for me was attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings with one of our community health workers on our street medicine team. Through these meetings, as well as through hearing my own patients’ stories, I started to understand more thoroughly the journey of addiction and how difficult the lifelong struggle is to stop using substances. At the same time, I began to understand the importance of harm reduction. I realized that harm reduction means meeting a patient where they are in their journey with addiction and supporting them, whether they're ready to seek rehab that day or if they never want to stop using substances. As an addiction medicine and street medicine provider, my role is to radically accept wherever our patients are on this journey and support them wholeheartedly.  

S: With HealthRIGHT 360 continuing to expand its services, street medicine plays a crucial role in addressing the healthcare needs within our San Francisco communities. How do you plan to implement street medicine at HealthRIGHT 360 to further support these efforts? 

K: We are currently in the development phase of the Mobile Medicine & Street Medicine program at HealthRIGHT 360, with plans for implementation in Summer 2025. I am currently in discussions with community partners involved in street medicine in San Francisco to identify the neighborhoods where our work would have the greatest impact. Additionally, I am conducting a needs assessment by directly asking individuals experiencing homelessness about their needs and how the Mobile Medicine & Street Medicine team can best support them. I want to “let the streets build the program” and decide where we start and what services we provide based on the true needs and preferences of the people.

S: Looking ahead, what are some valuable insights or principles that you believe are crucial for future professionals pursuing careers in addiction and street medicine? 

K: My recommendation is to spend time with people in the street, get to know them, and ask them their stories. I started doing this during undergrad, as a volunteer with my local street medicine program and homeless shelter. It is here that I “caught the bug” for street medicine and realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life involved in this field. If you're interested in this field, it's crucial to engage directly with the population you will be serving to understand their needs. This work presents unique mental and emotional challenges, making it difficult and not suitable for everyone. A strong foundation in primary care, addiction medicine, and psychiatry is highly valuable for street medicine, as these skills are utilized daily. Additionally, flexibility, creativity, and the ability to multitask in a dynamic environment are essential, particularly given the often chaotic nature of street settings.