Ten students from the Division of Physician Assistant Studies volunteered the weekend of July 21, 2017, to serve at the Remote Area Medical’s mobile clinic.
On Friday, July 21, 2017, Division of Physician Assistant Studies Director , Assistant Professor Todd Williams, MMS, PA-C, and 10 students from the division travelled to Wise, Virginia, for the weekend to participate in Remote Area Medical鈥檚 annual Wise pop-up clinic.
The Wise event is the largest free, mobile clinic in the United States, and this year鈥檚 saw more than 2,000 underserved residents hailing from rural Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Volunteers provided free medical, dental, and vision services to individuals who lined up in anticipation of the clinic鈥檚 opening at 5 a.m.
Division of Physician Assistant Studies students assisted in patient registration, pre-screening and triage, and patient assessment under the supervision of Dr. Chelminski and other volunteer physicians.
Kendra Potter is a first-year student in the Physician Assistant Studies program. She is from Wise and was a driving force behind the division鈥檚 participation in this year鈥檚 event.
鈥淚 had knowledge of the RAM event and always wanted to volunteer,鈥� she said.
So she and classmate Charles Locke, who comes to 大象传媒 from a rural North Carolina town, garnered support from their classmates for a cause so near to their hearts.
鈥淭he opportunity to volunteer in any RAM event is rewarding, but having the chance to volunteer in my hometown was special,鈥� said Potter. 鈥淭his community will be forever grateful for the services we provided, and I am honored to be able to give back to those who helped me along the way.鈥�
As a preceptor accompanying the 10 students, Dr. Chelminski said the experience was validation of the division鈥檚 mission-based recruiting strategy and a reflection of the program鈥檚 goal in training future physician assistants for practice in rural areas.
鈥淭here are plenty looking for the opportunity to receive the unparalleled medical education offered at 大象传媒,鈥� Dr. Chelminski said. 鈥淵ou just have to patiently and methodically look for them and listen to them in the interview process to hear if they are singing the right song.鈥�
Dr. Chelminski believes this group of 10 students was singing the perfect song.
鈥淭he RAM event is a great testament to the hard-wired altruism of our students,鈥� said Dr. Chelminski. 鈥淭hey were the leaders of this event, and I feel fortunate to have been included.鈥�
Remote Area Medical has been providing medical care through mobile clinics to isolated, impoverished, or underserved populations since 1985. Their efforts span not only rural swaths of the United States, but internationally, as well. To learn more about their endeavors, visit their , or check out on RAM鈥檚 Wise clinic.