SJVC Lancaster Medical Assisting students help provide health screenings to 500+ people

Lancaster Medical Assisting students were eager to join many medical professionals and community volunteers to provide free health screenings to more than 500 people earlier this year at an annual event sponsored by the Sathya Sai Baba organization.

This year’s theme was “Spread Love and Treat All Like Family,” and that spirit encompassed all the care, education and services provided that day at Corona High School in Corona, Calif.

Recipients were bussed to the school where could receive primary care (blood screenings, labs, vitals, EKGs) and specialty care (pap smears, mammograms, podiatry, urology, cardiology), vision checks (with glasses provided), dental care, MediCal sign-up, and other screenings specific to their health needs and concerns.

“Our students left at 4 a.m.and traveled almost 200 miles to provide many of these services,” says Jamila Clark, Clinical Medical Assisting instructor at the Lancaster campus. “It was an amazing experienced, and our students gave their time and gas, and gained so much in return.”

This is the second year that the Lancaster campus has participated in the free health screening, and its success makes this event a strong contender for ongoing medical assisting student support. “We hope to bring this momentum on campus with a health fair and booths, and look forward to more events and volunteer work,” says Jamila.

All SJVC programs place a high value on community service. It gives students an opportunity to practice their newly acquired skills and knowledge, allows them to network with other professionals in the community, and gets them familiar with the importance and intimacies of direct patient care.

“This experience was life-changing for me and touching for students, as well,” says Jamila.