A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Care

Current medical students at IU School of Medicine work alongside school faculty to provide primary care-based medical services, free of charge, for the uninsured and under served populations of the Indianapolis community by addressing a wide variety of conditions including infections, musculoskeletal complaints, high blood pressure and depression.

Nursing services are provided by clinical and volunteer student nurses from IU Indianapolis. These services include “continuum of care” focusing on chronic disease management and client education. Nursing services are available through the IU Student Outreach Clinic year-round with home visits available during the fall and spring school semesters.

Students and faculty from the IU School of Social Work collaborate to promote social and economic justice by providing clinic visitors with empowering information and assistance free of charge. A variety of information on local resources are provided to clients during their visit to the Student Outreach Clinic, and special care is taken to ensure each client’s unique concerns are addressed.

The IU School of Medicine Ophthalmology Student Interest Group (OSIG) serves the eastside neighborhood of Indianapolis by providing comprehensive eye exams, diabetic eye screenings, free reading glasses, prescription glasses and patient education. All student-provided ophthalmologic services are directly supervised by IU School of Medicine faculty and resident ophthalmologists. The ophthalmology clinic operates at the IU Student Outreach Clinic two Saturdays each month.

Physical therapy services are provided by IU and University of Indianapolis Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) students under the mentorship of upperclassman and the guidance of licensed physical therapists. The goal of physical therapy is to provide patient education, improve movement dysfunction, identify health risk factors, alleviate pain and enhance functional mobility for a variety of neuromusculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary conditions.

Occupational therapy students help patients perform daily activities and occupations by focusing on: Promoting healthy sleep, stress reduction, management and coping skills, smoking cessation, cognitive health support, diabetes management, balancing occupational needs and connecting patients with support for repetitive strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Students from the IU Physician Assistant (PA) program work alongside medical students, residents, faculty, and other disciplines to provide free, high quality care. The Physician Assistant profession as a whole is committed to closing the gaps on provider shortages and access to care across the country, and the IU student outreach clinic provides students the opportunity to put this priority in action. IU PA students in their clinical year take part in the diagnosis and management of a wide variety of conditions seen each Saturday at the clinic, as noted by the School of Medicine.

Current pharmacy students at the Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences work with volunteer pharmacists to provide free prescription medications for the underserved population of the near-eastside Indianapolis neighborhood. Students also educate patients about proper medication use and help answer any questions about their medications, provide blood-pressure screenings, flu vaccinations in the fall, and help set up patients in patient-assistance programs to provide reliable and easy access to expensive medications.

The mission of Vida Health Partnerships at IU Indianapolis is to expand access to sustainable health care throughout the world, and to empower students and volunteers to affect global health disparities. Students with the organization check in patients and provide registration support for patients and other clinic partners.

The dental student volunteers at the Student Outreach Clinic are organizing efforts to establish a student-run clinic, free of charge, to serve our neighbors in the Indianapolis community. The clinic is not yet open, and we will update this page with details regarding our next steps. If you are in need of low-cost/free dental services, please see Indiana Dental Association’s list of low cost dental care.