When does the Clinic open?” I hear amongst the bustle, as I walk down the crowded aisles of beds at the Multi-Service Center South with my pen, notepad, and stethoscope.

I’m spotted easily, as this is a routine that has been familiar to the MSC-South since 1991. As I survey the shelter, I see scores of men and women sitting patiently with their scant belongings, waiting for a bed to sleep in for the night.

The MSC-South is San Francisco’s largest homeless shelter, located at 525 5th Street, and it is home to the UCSF Shelter Clinic. Here, teams of UCSF medical students, nursing and nurse