TOLEDO, Ohio — Students at The University of Toledo are working to make healthcare more accessible for everyone through their student-run health clinic, which also happens to be the largest in the U.S.
The free Community Care Clinics help anyone in the community, regardless of insurance status.
They hold five different types of clinics across Toledo. Director of Public Relations and Fundraising, Noor Abdulhamed said they are not one size fits all.
"Different locations across Toledo, and our goal is to target is to target different populations, demographics and communities," Abdulhamed said.
Their women's clinic provides pregnancy, HIV and STI testing, ultrasounds, pap smears and more. They also have clinics for Black and African American, Latino and homeless communities.
Their main clinic is every Thursday at Cedar Creek Church. It provides a pharmacy, testing, mental health services, food and more.
"We ensure that when they come in through their doors, we raise awareness and educate them on this is what we're providing today and make sure it's specific to their needs," Abdulhameed said.
Almost 3,000 patients were served last year with the help of volunteers mostly comprised of medical students.
Administrations Director, Steaurt Besly said building patients' trust and being able to connect with them is a priority.
"We had Ukrainian refugees who wanted to come and get medical treatment, so we provide that treatment in their language so they understand it and they can get the best possible care," Besly said.
Executive Director, Tatiana White said they don't just focus on the medical aspect but all aspects of a patient's life to give them the best experience possible.
"They are treated with respect and If they do have concerns, there are options to tell us so we can improve that as well, so no one has to experience that," White said.
There clinic is open to the public at Cedar Creek Church off South Byrne Road every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. Patients can come in until 7:30 p.m.