A two-day free medical, dental and vision clinic organized by students will return to Willimantic this weekend, offering health services to local residents at no cost.
For the third consecutive year, the student-run initiative—organized by the University of Connecticut’s Medical Clinic Club in partnership with nonprofit Remote Area Medical (RAM)—will provide pop-up health care services on March 7 and 8 at the Windham Senior Center, located at 1 Jillson Square.
Patient parking will open at midnight each day, with clinic doors opening at 6 a.m. Services will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis and will continue until the clinic reaches its daily capacity.
Organizers encourage patients to arrive as early as possible to increase their chances of receiving care. All services are free and open to the public. No identification is required, and Spanish-speaking interpreters and providers will be available both days.
Patients may receive up to two services per day, according to Cameron Costa, president of the Medical Clinic Club and a physiology and neurobiology major at UConn Storrs.
“They can get medical and dental, or medical and vision,” Costa said. “But they’re welcome to return the next day to receive additional services.”
The clinic is organized by a nine-member student leadership team that spends much of the year planning, fundraising and coordinating the event.
Last year’s clinic drew about 400 UConn student volunteers and delivered more than $142,000 worth of medical, dental and vision services to 196 patients.
Costa praised RAM’s support, noting that the organization has a strong national record of delivering free care. Its flagship clinic in Tennessee recently provided more than $1.1 million in services.
This year, organizers moved the clinic to the Windham Senior Center after hearing from residents who found the previous location difficult to reach. In the first two years, the event was held at Windham Middle School.
“When we were dropping off food donations at soup kitchens in downtown Willimantic, some people told us they wanted to come but didn’t have transportation or that the walk was difficult,” Costa said.
The new venue was selected for its accessibility, available space and proximity to public transportation, including a nearby bus stop.
After the clinic ends, student volunteers will also conduct a follow-up call campaign to help patients connect with additional care if needed. Many of the volunteers participating in the effort are Spanish speakers.
RAM will provide organizers with a list of patients requiring follow-up treatment. Volunteers will then contact them to help schedule appointments with local providers or connect them with other available health resources.
Although volunteer registration for this year’s clinic has already closed, interest among UConn students has remained strong, with volunteer spots typically filled months in advance.
Organizers are already planning for next year’s event and encouraging interested students to join the Medical Clinic Club through the university’s UContact platform to learn about future opportunities.
The group also maintains leadership continuity by having graduating student organizers recruit and train successors each year.
Costa said that despite the logistical challenges involved in planning the clinic, the experience has been one of the most meaningful parts of his college career.
“It’s a lot of work and sometimes stressful,” he said. “But when you see patients receiving care and realize how important it is to them, it really shows how impactful something like this can be.”