Presenter: Nikki Nguyen, Bioengineering, Global Public Health Scholars
For my practicum, I volunteered and shadowed the staff at the Community Free Clinic in Washington County, Maryland. During my time at the clinic, I was able to observe and learn about what goes into running a non-profit clinic and complete some of the clinic’s daily tasks alongside the medical professionals. More specifically, I shadowed the nurse practitioner and nurses as they saw patients and filled and dispensed medicine, and I assisted them with small tasks. I also spent time with the clinic director, grant writer, event coordinator, secretaries, and mental health professionals to learn about the administrative side of running the clinic. The Community Free Clinic is an essential part of maintaining optimal public health as they serve all Washington County residents who are currently uninsured and young adults ages 13-24 by providing medical services that are necessary for maintaining good health. By providing free care, more uninsured individuals can seek out and access necessary medical treatment. From this experience, I learned about the complexities of running a nonprofit medical clinic and how much dedication and work the staff puts into maintaining and providing efficient quality care to the community. I also learned that only a small percentage of Washington County residents know about the clinic and the resources they provide, and it makes me wonder how we can improve community outreach to improve the health of more individuals.