Equal Access Birmingham (EAB) is a free-clinic that is student run and sponsored by the UAB School of Medicine.  EAB affords many medical students their first experiences working directly with patients out in the community.  EAB’s Outreach Executive Officer, Sydney Middleton, an MS-2, discusses EAB and how to get involved.

Q: What is the purpose of Equal Access Birmingham?

Sydney Middleton:  EAB has a dual mission to provide meaningful service-learning opportunities for students and to provide access to healthcare to the underserved in the Birmingham area.  
For many medical students, volunteering at EAB is their first opportunity to work with patients one-on-one and provides these students with clinical experience early on that they can use as they develop their history-taking and physical examination skills.  There is a great need in the Birmingham area for access to free healthcare, and we are able to help alleviate this need through the wonderful work of our student volunteers and volunteer physicians. 

The clinic is located in the Church of the Reconciler, where we hold Sunday chronic care clinic and a Wednesday acute care clinic every week.

Q: Who runs and operates EAB?

SM:  EAB functions through the efforts of student officers.  Student officers work closely with faculty advisors as well to gain insight into the optimal way to run EAB's clinic and other activities.  Dr. Craig Hoesley is EAB's central faculty advisor, but officers also work closely with Dr. Caroline Harada and Kristin Boggs in the Office of Service Learning and with Dr. Nicholas Van Wagoner for research initiatives.

Q: Who does EAB serve?

SM: EAB works to serve the underprivileged in the Birmingham area.  Unfortunately, there are many people in our community who are homeless or lack health insurance for various reasons, and therefore are unable to access healthcare as many of us might.  EAB works to fill that gap and provide long-term primary care for patients with conditions such as hypertension or diabetes, as well as acute care for those needing help with a short-term problem like an upper respiratory infection.
 

Q: How can first-year students get involved at EAB?

SM: Any first-year medical student can volunteer at EAB as long as they have completed the initial volunteer and risk management trainings.  The volunteer training, usually occurs in early August, so it is important to keep an eye on one's e-mail inbox for reminders!  Risk management training usually takes place around the same time.

Once training is complete, a sign-up sheet will be opened to volunteers with instructions on how many shifts each volunteer can take.  First-year medical students can sign up to perform histories and physicals, work in the clinic's on-site dispensary filling patient medications, or providing health education.

Q:  Are there any other services provided by EAB?

SM: In addition to our regular clinics held on Sundays and Wednesdays, EAB holds a few specialty clinics as well.  The Mental Health Clinic, run by both EAB officers and Psychiatry Interest Group officers, is usually scheduled for the first Saturday of the month and provides care for those with mental health needs.  EAB has a biannual Saturday Women's Clinic with the OB/GYN Interest Group to address women's health needs, and a Saturday Dermatology Clinic with the Dermatology Interest Group to help patients with skin conditions.  EAB is also involved in outreach work, through regular staffing of the MPower clinic, a fellow community free clinic; hosting community health screenings and participating in various projects organized by the Office of Service Learning.  Also of note, EAB works to provide interdisciplinary care to patients: during particular Sunday clinics, social work students, PT/OT students, and pharmacy students are on-site to further assist patients with their medical needs.

Q: Where can I go for more information?

SM: We are currently in the process of updating our website, and we hope that that will be a main source of information for interested students once it is finished.  Students are always free to contact current EAB officers through the EAB e-mail address (equalaccess@uab.edu), and they can follow our Facebook page (Equal Access Birmingham) for updates on big events that go on with our organization!


Written by Carter Boyd