A Transient Doctor for the Homeless
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 05:13PM by Randy Dotinga (for Voice of San Diego)
Dr. Chris Searles holds office hours all over town. He's both a family physician and psychiatrist, and he travels in mobile clinics to places where the homeless gather, whether they're in North Park, Pacific Beach or Chula Vista. In the winter, he treats people at San Diego's cold-weather homeless shelter.
Searles is director of clinical outreach at St. Vincent de Paul Village and an associate professor at University of California, San Diego. His job is to gain the trust of homeless people who are often ravaged by physical illness and suffer from crippling mental problems. He might never see them again, or he may serve their needs for years to come.
In an interview, we talked with the Chula Vista High and UCSD graduate about the unique medical needs of the homeless, how he measures success and how he draws fulfillment from his work.
Read More Here at Voice of San Diego...
