Presidents Without Borders Students Volunteer at Free Local Health Clinic

Vaishnavi Peyyety Red & Black Current Events Staff Writer

DEC. 5 - Washington & Jefferson College senior Rachel Karman is the leader of Presidents without Borders (PWB), a club dedicated to volunteering, fundraising and mentoring students pursuing a science-related degree. This semester, PWB has taken on yet another powerful initiative at Jefferson Avenue Methodist Church where students help local physicians run a free clinic. This local church is only a few minutes away from campus and this free clinic serves residents from Washington county and beyond. PWB members also help with food and clothing donations. This volunteer experience takes place biweekly for two hours. W&J students are able to converse with patients, get to know people of various backgrounds, learn about their medical history, shadow physicians and take vitals including blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels.

When interviewing Karman, she shared her belief that “It’s so important to learn how you can help your community in areas they are struggling with. I think most students at W&J are privileged in ways we take for granted. This, to me is an experience all prehealth students need to take advantage of because you learn how to have conversations with patients and also learn the ways in which our current mode of health access is falling short.”

Health disparities — rooted in social and economic inequities — are especially prevalent in underserved communities, as seen in parts of Washington county and the surrounding area. “Karman states that ‘It’s also important to realize you won’t always have patients that can afford everything you prescribe to them, so this is a great exposure to necessary medicine compared to accessory medicine.”