UCSD MD/PhD Student Liam King Describes His Work at the UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic

Many individuals in San Diego lack access to healthcare. UCSD 5^th year MD/PhD student Liam King presented at the July 20, 2017 meeting on the UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic that seeks to provide a range of medical services for individuals who have either no or limited access to affordable healthcare. The Clinic was founded in 1997 by Dr. Ellen Beck and currently serves patients every weeknight at one of three clinics run out of the Pacific Beach United Methodist Church, the First Lutheran Church in downtown, and Lemon Grove Academy in east San Diego. The Clinic’s clientele base has grown steadily and treats more than 2,500 patients annually. Students at the UCSD Schools of Medicine and Pharmacy and members of the Pre-Dental Society, as well as students at the USD Hahn School of Nursing, and the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine are primarily responsible for running the Clinic. Patients are further assisted by students working towards degrees at the SDSU School of Social Work and California Western School of Law. On any given night, more than 60 volunteers, including students and licensed professionals, staff the Clinic. 

 

In his talk, Liam outlined a typical night at the Clinic. He noted that the students take the patient’s history and perform a physical, and then present the case to licensed professionals who advise on the appropriate treatments for each patient. The Clinic serves homeless or low- income individuals and immigrants, both documented and undocumented. The most common problems these patients have are diabetes, heart disease, obesity or food insecurity. Patients have access to a variety of specialty clinics at the Clinic, where they can receive treatment for heart, eye, kidney, mental health, and dermatology issues, along with a range of other specialties. 

 

Liam told about two patients he had treated since he began volunteering at the Clinic at the start of his medical studies.  Both patients had delayed medical care due to financial or legal obstacles, and both required extensive help to address their varied medical issues. The Clinic was instrumental in getting them the help that they needed even to survive.   

 

The Clinic relies on donations from Government agencies at the state level, as well as local and national foundations and individual donors. 

 

Liam is a Torrey Pines High School graduate and received his Bachelor’s degree from Berkeley.  He is currently performing the PhD portion of the UCSD MD/PhD program in the lab of Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire, at The Scripps Research Institute, where his research focuses on the use of structural biology to develop effective immunotherapies for filoviruses such as Ebola and Marburg.