Greenville Leader

Students at the University of South Carolina's Greenville School of Medicine have the chance to get real-world experience in health care, while helping patients who are less fortunate, through a free clinic in the community. 

It's all part of the Greenville Free Medical Clinic, where students volunteer to help by doing work at the front desk, taking vitals and triaging patients, according to the University of South Carolina's website.

"Volunteering at the Free Clinic gives experience, and it also reminds you of why you want to become a doctor," Melissa Weisberg, a medical student at the School of Medicine Greenville, told the University's website.

The clinic has helped people who live in Greenville County for more than three decades. The clinic now has four locations -- two in Greenville, one in Greer and one in Simpsonville -- with a mission to "promote wellness through quality primary medical care." The clinic provides both medical and dental care, plus heath education and prescription medications free of charge to eligible residents of Greenville County who are uninsured.

Diabetes and high blood pressure are some of the most common issues facing patients who come to the clinic for help.

The School of Medicine Greenville is a trailblazer in the nation, as it requires first-year medical students to train and become certified as emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Upon completion of the EMT training course, students spend 12 hours a month serving the community as EMTs. Student volunteers who work in the clinic have to be EMT-certified in order to read patient charts, record medical information, triage patients and find out the reason for their visit. 

New student volunteers are selected and trained by the student board. The experience the students receive by working in the clinic isn't just beneficial for the students themselves but for the community as a whole.