Pikes Peak State College Partners With Remote Area Medical to Expand Access to Care in Southern Colorado

Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) partnered with Remote Area Medical (RAM) to host a large-scale free health clinic in August, bringing together hundreds of volunteers and health care professionals to expand access to essential medical, dental, and vision services for underserved communities across southern Colorado.

Over the course of the two-day event, 299 patients received no-cost care through a collaborative effort involving PPSC students, faculty and staff; licensed dental, medical, and vision providers; approximately 50 members of the United States Public Health Service; and nearly 500 community volunteers and support personnel. The clinic provided a broad range of services, including comprehensive medical evaluations, women’s health services, eye examinations and prescription glasses, as well as dental cleanings, fillings and extractions. These services addressed critical health needs for individuals who may otherwise face financial, geographic or insurance-related barriers to care.

RAM is a national nonprofit organization that operates temporary pop-up clinics throughout the United States. Since its founding in 1985, RAM has worked to improve access to health care by delivering free medical, dental and vision services through volunteer-driven events. Hosted in schools, community centers, fairgrounds and similar venues, these clinics are designed to address unmet health needs in both rural and urban communities.

Hosting the RAM clinic aligned closely with PPSC’s commitment to community engagement, workforce development and service learning. As one of Colorado’s largest community colleges, PPSC serves a diverse student population through a wide range of academic and career and technical education programs, including health sciences and allied dental education. The college’s health programs emphasize experiential learning opportunities that prepare students to meet the evolving needs of their communities while fostering a strong culture of service and civic responsibility.

For students in PPSC’s allied dental programs, the event provided a unique opportunity to work alongside experienced clinicians and public health professionals in a high-volume, interprofessional care environment. Student volunteers assisted with patient care operations, clinic logistics and community outreach efforts while gaining firsthand exposure to the impact of collaborative, patient-centered care. The experience reinforced the importance of teamwork, service and access to care as essential components of health professions education.

The success of the clinic reflected the strength of partnerships among educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, public health agencies and community volunteers. Through the combined efforts of RAM, PPSC, the United States Public Health Service, licensed providers and hundreds of volunteers, nearly 300 community members received essential health services that might otherwise have gone unmet.

PPSC hopes the clinic will serve as a model for future community-based health initiatives that address access-to-care challenges while providing meaningful educational experiences for students pursuing careers in health professions. The event demonstrated how collaboration among educational institutions, health care professionals and community organizations can improve health outcomes while preparing the next generation of providers to serve communities in need.

Courtesy of Pikes Peak State College