Dr. Rebecca Karb is recognized for her exceptional contribution to medical volunteerism through the creation of Rhode Island’s first-ever street medicine program. Over the past year, she secured funding from the Rhode Island Foundation and built the program from the ground up, partnering with local community organizations to serve the state’s growing unsheltered population. Dr. Karb recruited a team of over a dozen physicians from various specialties, including emergency medicine, infectious disease, and addiction medicine, to provide direct medical care to patients in encampments and on street corners.
From wound care to managing complex conditions such as Hepatitis C and HIV, Dr. Karb’s program has made a profound impact in its first year, addressing the healthcare needs of some of Rhode Island’s most vulnerable residents. Her leadership and commitment to improving healthcare access for the unsheltered exemplify the spirit of the Halifax Award.