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| Medical student Karam Maatouk takes a patient’s blood pressure at the Student-Run Free Clinic. |
While the University of South Alabama Student-Run Free Clinic (USA SRFC) offers healthcare support at no charge to underserved people in the Mobile community, the experience it provides to students at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine and other healthcare disciplines is invaluable.
But that can’t happen without the students, volunteers, and community donations the clinic counts on.
“We are 95% dependent on donations from community organizations and businesses,” said Chandler Hinson, M.B.A., a second-year medical student who serves as USA SRFC president.
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From left, Angelique Holmes, pharmacy student, and Stephanie Rudolf, D.P.N., faculty advisor and an assistant professor of nursing, accept the donation from Cherish Posey, co-president of the Alliance to the Medical Society of Mobile for 2022-2023. |
Thanks to the alliance, the USA SRFC received $6,000 to provide much-needed care.
“In the fall, we applied for a 'Stock the Clinic Closet' grant through the Alliance to the Medical Association of Alabama (AMASA),” said Cherish Posey, alliance co-president for 2022-2023. “They awarded us with a $2,000 health initiatives grant, and we presented that check on site at the clinic in the fall.”
The AMASA provides grant opportunities at the county level to support local projects. Various events and fundraisers helped bring in the additional $4,000, which was given to the clinic at the alliance’s annual spring luncheon.
“The clinic is doing amazing things in our community,” Posey said, “and I feel honored that we were able to give back.”
The USA SRFC is a student-led initiative that provides free medical checkups and healthcare services to the most vulnerable populations in the greater Mobile community. Students in medical school or studying pharmacy, audiology, nursing or occupational therapy gain experience in numerous clinical and interpersonal skills, such as communication, empathy and cultural sensitivity.
“We provide a unique service to these individuals – health education sessions,” Hinson said. “Before every clinic, we offer a one-hour session to discuss important health topics and answer patient questions.”
The USA SRFC offers a wide range of services, including:
- Monitoring and maintenance: hypertension, pre-diabetes, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, anxiety, depression
- Screenings: hearing and balance, vision, pulmonary function tests, skin cancer, fecal occult, urinary disorders, depression, and anxiety
- Health education: diet and exercise, smoking cessation, diabetes, hypertension, mental health, health literacy, alcohol and recreational drugs, medicine management and more
According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, higher health literacy can result in the increased use of preventive healthcare, such as annual screenings and vaccinations; fewer unnecessary emergency room visits; a reduction of preventable hospital stays; better management of chronic conditions, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure; and improved health outcomes.
“Our clinic offers an opportunity to healthcare students to gain skills and experiences in providing direct patient care,” Hinson said. “It is clear from our student volunteers that they want to help and provide for the community, so the student-run free clinic provides that opportunity.”
The clinic also allows students to practice their skills in a safe and supportive environment, he said, preparing them before they start working on their clerkships.
The alliance is open to physicians and their spouses, and there is no charge for medical students, residents or their spouses to become members. For more information about joining the alliance, email alliancemedicalmobile@gmail.com.
Donations to the USA SRFC can be made via PayPal at paypal.me/usasrfc, or a tax-deductible donation at giving.southalabama.edu. Select “Choose Fund,” then click “Other” and type in “University of South Alabama Student-Run Free Clinic.”
For more information about volunteering at the clinic, contact Hinson at srfc@southalabama.edu.
