Yesenia Anaya, a second-year learner at the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM), was one of the many students who participated in the third session of the Amigos en Medicina clinic on Saturday, Sept. 17. UIWSOM, along with the UIW School of Physical Therapy (SoPT), Ortho-SA and CHRISTUS Health, provide free hip and knee arthritis evaluations for Southside residents in San Antonio at each Amigos en Medicina clinic. Saturday’s session was the third such event, with the first session originally held in January and a follow-up clinic held in May.Last Saturday, the Amigos en Medicina clinic opened its doors to the public of the South District in San Antonio. Although it was an early Saturday morning, I could feel the excitement everyone was feeling over getting the opportunity to help each patient as they walked through those doors. I worked alongside other osteopathic medical students, physical therapy students, doctors and volunteers with the common goal of helping our community. We were there to make each patient feel welcomed and cared for throughout their appointment. We took each patient through every step of the process, from helping with paperwork to going over x-rays, physical exams, and exercises they could do at home.
I also had the opportunity to interview some of our patients about their experiences in the clinic. Each interview gave me a greater insight into the clinic's success and the significant impact it could have on the Southside. Every patient I spoke to mentioned the need for better healthcare service. They commented on the struggles they have had in the past to find quality care and physicians who listened to their needs. You could tell that the patients felt comfortable and learned from their visit. Everyone was very thankful for our presence and even more so for the groceries they received at the end of their appointment. It was an eye-opening experience to hear their input about our clinic.
I feel that the Amigos En Medicina clinic not only had a significant impact on the patients, but on us students as well. We had the opportunity to hone our physical exam, patient-physician communications, and interprofessional skills. Training and working with the UIW School of Physical Therapy students and orthopedic doctors was incredible since, together, we met the patient's needs and learned from each other throughout the process. We also had the chance to meet our Southside community … our school has shown, from our previous research, that there is a need for better healthcare in the Southside district and we opened a clinic to make the positive impact it did Saturday. The clinic's success came from the effort of great teamwork and the common goal to serve our community.