Community Partner: Student Run Free Clinic
The Student Run Free Clinic (SRFC) is an organization that was created in 2016 by a group of medical students to address unmet needs in the Cincinnati community. The clinic runs out of The Healing Center, a church-based organization that provides a multitude of resources to those in need such as a food, clothing, financial services, English classes, and more. SRFC is able to take advantage of the building already frequented by an underserved community and offer their services without inconveniencing the patients.
The mission of SRFC is “to partner with faculty, students, patients, and community members to provide quality, dignifying, and empowering primary care to the underserved populations in Cincinnati.” This involves health screenings for any adult who is interested, and the opportunity to address acute medical concerns for adults without insurance. The volunteers are also well equipped with the knowledge of other resources in the Greater Cincinnati area that they can refer patients to for further care.
About Shivani
My name is Shivani Reddy, and I am a Cincinnati native. I went to Walnut Hills High School then onto the University of Cincinnati for college and now medical school. Even before I started medical school, I was eager to participate in one of the free clinics that were available for UCCOM students, and I ended up spending a lot of time working with the Student Run Free Clinic (SRFC). I gained patient care experience with health screenings and acute visits, leadership skills as a clinic manager, and the opportunity to practice my medical Spanish. I thought it was only fitting to continue my work with SRFC into my 4th year through this elective.
After medical school, I plan to go into an emergency medicine residency program and eventually work in a community-based setting. One of the pieces of emergency medicine I appreciate is that the ER may be a person’s only contact with the healthcare system and therefore can serve as a primary care space along with critical traumas. Likewise, SRFC reaches out to a vulnerable population who otherwise may not have the chance to see a doctor or even know where to start establishing care.