Earlier this April, Medical student Nam Thai and Free Clinic Project member Mai Anh were interviewed by the Vietnamese Saigon Broadcasting Television Network (SBTN).
Nam Thai explained to reporter Anh Thu that some of the patients at the Free Clinic include those who have traveled to the US on a visa or those who are in the process of applying for a green card but do not yet have access to medical insurance. Both UCI undergraduate students aspiring to be health professionals and UCI medical students collaboratively operate the clinic under the guidance of certified doctors. Students who volunteer at the clinic benefit from the experience and knowledge gained from working directly with patients while serving the community of Garden Grove. Mai Anh also mentions the clinic’s patient education program, which aims to guide patients who suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes with exercise and nutrition plans to improve their lifestyle.
In the future, “the United Methodist Church generously plans to build another facility for our clinic. We hope that this expansion will allow us to serve more members of the Vietnamese community and others in the area” says Mai Anh.