Helping at Home
Global health includes international health as well as domestic health. In addition to work in the Bloomington community, Guatemala, and Ecuador, IU Timmy is the only chapter in the nation that offers a domestic service trip to Rockford, Tennessee. This trip provides an opportunity to support communities in need and learn about how health disparities present themselves within the United States. The domestic service trip is designed to help students recognize that health inequities are not only a problem in developing nations. Students do not have to travel abroad to make a difference in the lives of the underprivileged. An emphasis is placed on the fact that there are an enormous number of people within our own home, the United States, that lack access to quality healthcare.
Rockford, Tennessee
Our domestic brigade is an eye-opening experience for participants. We partner with Remote Area Medical (RAM), a nonprofit provider of free mobile clinics, to support their work over the course of Spring Break. For the first weekend, we help RAM run a clinic in Nashville at Meharry Medical College. During the clinic, students help with patient registrartion, language interpretation, triage, dental assistance, patient flow management, and more. Hundreds of patients are served at this clinic, and over $150,000 of free care is provided. Afterwards, Timmies experience the beautiful and diverse city of Nashville through excursions.
During the workweek, Timmy members are welcomed at RAM HQ in Rockford, TN. Here, we learn about the inner workings of a major nonprofit and gain firsthand experience in the behind-the-scenes operation of RAM by working as interns in the office. From advocating to policymakers, to helping load the trucks with medical equipment, to pursuing fundraising opportunities, students have the opportunity to make an impact during their time at RAM HQ.
During our final weekend, we run a two-day free clinic in Cookeville, TN. With 966 patients seen and $554,332 in free care provided in 2019, the Cookeville clinic is one of RAM's largest and most efficient operations. Students gain hours of clinical experience as dental assistants, optometry technicians, and medical scribes during this clinic.
If you have any questions, please contact the Domestic Brigade Director, Alicia Martinez. We hope to see you in Tennessee!