Adam RasmussenChannel 2 News
The University of Nevada, Reno held its free health clinic Saturday. It's a service that's put on every month, and run by students.
They offer everything from basic check-ups, to EKGs to referrals. It especially helps out families that don't have insurance, and gives medical students a chance to see patients.
"I definitely can tell that every clinic I come to, I feel more confident in my abilities," says Rachael McCabe, a UNR medical student. "I feel more confident in the way I interact with the patient."
McCabe is in her second year of medical school at UNR. She says getting away from books, and seeing patients on a regular basis is helping her a lot.
"You do get to build relationships and basically act as their care physician while we're in our first and second year of medical school, so it's been really rewarding," she says.
UNR offers free medical services every month to those who can't afford to see a doctor regularly. The clinic tells us they treat 20 to 30 patients, offering check-ups, screening exams and answers to any questions the patients may have. One patient we spoke with had blood work done, and says the service is a big help.
"There is no prejudice, and they're very nice to everybody here," says Terry, who did not want to give her last name.
Trena Munson comes to the clinic every month, and says the service is great because she doesn't have insurance. She says she can't pay doctor fees, but she feels comfortable seeing students.
"Every doctor they trust was a student at one time, so the students need the hands-on experience," she says.
And a physician is always there to help. Dr. Jonathan McCaleb watches over students during their evaluations of patients. He says it's the students that work hard to get grants and other funds to pay for these free services.
"It's really a valuable learning experience for the students, but it's also a great opportunity for the patients to get good, solid health care," he says.
