In 2011, a bi-national student-run free clinic for
the underserved, known as ‘‘Health Frontiers in Tijuana’’
(HFiT), was created in Tijuana, Mexico. Students and
faculty from one Mexican and one US medical school staff
the clinic and attend patients on Saturdays. Students from
both medical schools enroll in a didactic course during the
quarter/semester that they attend the free clinic. The course
addresses clinical, ethical, cultural, population-specific
issues and the structure, financing and delivery of medical
care in Mexico. The clinic implements an electronic
medical record and is developing telemedicine for consulting
on complex cases. Despite challenges related to
sustaining adequate funding, this program may be replicated
in other border communities.