Access programs provide patient care health service to disadvantaged populations.
20/20
20/20’s mission is to provide free vision services to underserved populations. Student volunteers will apply their clinical and non-clinical skills to screen adults and children for eye diseases, such as glaucoma, cataracts, amblyopia and strabismus.
CDPH Vaccination & Testing Team
The CDPH vaccination and testing team allows volunteers to sign up for the dates and sites they are interested in volunteering with. Sites provide COVID-19 testing and/or vaccinations. Volunteers are active participants in both activities while working closely with the CDPH nursing and social work team. Vaccines and testing are offered for additional public health concerns as well, such as monkey pox.
Community Health Clinic
The Community Health Clinic is a nonprofit volunteer organization providing free preventive and primary health care services to members of the community who cannot afford or are ineligible for medical insurance. The clinic offers a large range of services including routine physicals, immunization programs, and a full laboratory and pharmacy. CHC is also host to several patient education classes and over 20 different specialty clinics, allowing CHC to provide more comprehensive and well-rounded care.
CURE
CURE stands for Center for the Underserved at Rush ENT. CURE’s goal is to provide continuous and comprehensive otolaryngology health care to the residents of Chicago’s homeless shelters through in-person and telemedicine visits. The framework of these visits is as follows: students will use a patient-privacy protected iPad who will facilitate the visit between residents of the shelter and a Rush otolaryngologist. Should a patient require a follow up visit or a more in-depth treatment, round-trip transportation will be arranged by the shelter so that patients can see an audiologist for hearing loss. Although driven by its virtual nature, the model includes periodic in-person visits at the shelter by a physician. Currently, CURE holds these clinics once per week at Rush, alternating between in person and telemedicine visits every other week.
DermConnect
DermConnect provides comprehensive dermatological services at no cost to members of the community who are uninsured. Our clinic offers skin cancer screenings and consultations for common skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne and much more. DermConnect is passionate about patient education and provides its patients with resources to optimize their skin health. Rush students will be involved with patient intake, presenting to attendings, assisting in dermatological procedures and helping patients access prescriptions. In conjunction with the Community Health Clinic, a nonprofit volunteer organization, DermConnect is able to improve access to dermatologic care in our community.
RCSIP Clinic at Haymarket Clinic
This clinic is housed in the Haymarket Center, 932 W. Washington Blvd, on Chicago’s Near West Side and is a bi-monthly clinic held on Wednesdays between 5 and 7 p.m. The clinic provides acute care to individuals in the substance rehabilitation program. Rush students and clinicians (physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant) provide focused physicals, basic treatments, health education and referrals. Select over the counter and prescription medications are given free of charge.
Medical Mobile Van
The Medical Mobile Van is a RCSIP that works closely with the Chicago Recover Alliance (CRA) to help provide harm reduction supplies and medical services to the community. MMV volunteers are currently involved in the packing of harm reduction supplies/kits that the CRA distributes through the warehouse and mobile van. The MMV RCSIP is in an exciting time of transition post COVID-19 as the steerers work to develop a program that would allow volunteers to provide both medical care and harm reduction supplies to the community. Stay tuned to updates on different volunteer opportunities that may become available throughout the year.
RU Caring
RU Caring has three main goals:
- Serving the uninsured and underserved population of the city of Chicago
- Providing educational clinical experience with underserved populations for members of the Rush community
- Creating a forum for interdisciplinary interaction by combining the talents of students from across the university, impacting the community through diverse initiatives
A major component of RU Caring is its annual Back to School Health Fair which provides basic vitals checks; physical exams; dental, vision, and hearing screenings; immunizations; disease screenings; health and nutrition education; health benefits enrollment; and referrals for follow-up care. RU Caring provides a platform for new community initiatives based on need and that are sustainable.
Street Medicine
Join us in partnership with the Night Ministry and become a crucial member of our multidisciplinary team. Together, Rush Street Medicine works alongside attending physicians, residents and social workers within the unique context of a medical mobile van. Our mission is to provide free and easily accessible acute health care services, including wound care, antibiotics, and prescription medications to individuals experiencing homelessness in Chicago. As a volunteer, you will find yourself on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, gaining valuable insights into addiction medicine, trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, harm reduction, and homeless health care. In this role, you'll have the opportunity to make referrals to substance use treatment programs, distribute harm reduction resources, and offer essential hospitality items such as socks, food, warm clothing, and sleeping bags to those in need. Our team, though small, is immensely dedicated. We ask for a minimum one-year commitment from our volunteers, and completing an application is a prerequisite for joining. Once selected, volunteers are expected to participate in at least one shift every two months, with shifts scheduled every Saturday and lasting seven hours. Rush Street Medicine holds mandatory bi-monthly street team meetings to discuss updates and share insights.