April 15, 2025
Ferris State partners with Remote Area Medical to provide free healthcare services to people in need
Free healthcare services will be provided at Ferris State University on May 31 and June 1 through a partnership with Remote Area Medical, creating an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience while residents gain services they need.
RAM is a national nonprofit serving those in need with quality medical care. Through the support of generous donations and volunteers, the university and RAM are able to bring a free medical, dental and vision care clinic to Big Rapids.
The event is RAM’s first-ever clinic in Michigan and is expected to draw more than 400 patients from across the region and the state.
The clinic is open to any adult or child on a first-come, first-served basis; no proof of ID or insurance are required. Doors open at 6 a.m. and people seeking care are encouraged to arrive early. Translators will be available for patients who may not use English as their primary language.
The event is planned for Ferris State’s Ewigleben Sports Complex, 210 Sports Drive. Faculty and students from Ferris State’s College of Health Professions, Michigan College of Optometry, and College of Pharmacy, and several from other fields will work alongside professionals and volunteers from across the region to provide care.
RAM is a Tennessee-based organization that bridges the gap in the American health system by providing free healthcare services to those in need. Using large-scale mobile clinics around the country, RAM partners with local organizations like Ferris State to deliver quality healthcare to underserved and uninsured individuals who don’t have access to or cannot afford medical, dental or vision care.
Since 1985, more than 977,000 people nationwide have received this free care.
The need for medical care in Michigan is real, said Becky Johnson Himes, an associate professor in Ferris State’s School of Nursing. She’s leading the effort with Nursing professor Stephanie Gustman.
Mecosta County, where the clinic will be held, and neighboring Clare, Isabella, Lake, Montcalm, Newaygo and Osceola counties, are designated as areas with limited access to professional medical and dental healthcare.
Lake, Isabella, Clare and Mecosta are also among the top eight poverty-stricken counties in Michigan, according to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
For many, the clinic is the only way they’ll have access to this important care.
“We believe this clinic will be an excellent opportunity for our community and healthcare partners to work collaboratively toward improved community health,” Johnson Himes said.
Free healthcare services offered will include physicals, lab work such as cholesterol, diabetic, chemistries, and blood lead testing. However, the range of services will depend on the local providers who can volunteer their time and skills to see patients.
Patients can receive dental care including cleanings, fillings, extractions and x-rays. Vision care includes as eye exams, eyeglass prescriptions, and eyeglasses made on-site in a mobile vision lab.
Many Ferris State nursing, dental, optometry and pharmacy student volunteers will join with medical professionals to serve patients in their field of study. Students across campus are invited to volunteer for other assistance throughout the event.
“Ferris nursing students have traveled to other states to participate hands-on at RAM events and provide care to people in need,” Johnson Himes said. “Attending these clinics had a profound impact on the students, leading them to advocate for a RAM clinic to be held at Ferris and serve the surrounding communities. We are looking forward to working side by side with RAM and all the volunteers to improve the health of the community.”
Volunteer providers can be primary and specialty physicians, registered nurses, nurse techs, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, phlebotomists, dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, oral surgeons, optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians and others.
People can register to volunteer at this link.
Organizers are also looking for general service volunteers to run the clinic efficiently including assisting in the parking lot, patient registration, set-up, tear-down, serving food, escorting patients from one service to the next, and more.
In addition to the clinics, human service organizations will be on-site to share community resources throughout the event. Community resources are encouraged to register and share information about the event.