Droppin' Some Knowledge About JayDoc Free Clinic

What is JayRock all about? It's all about JayDoc Free Clinic! (See what we did there with the names? They sound similar, which is pretty clever.) We here at the JayRock Blog want to give you the readers a look at some of the reasons why JayDoc is so special.

You may have heard these things before…

• JayDoc is the only free clinic in the United States operated 100% independently by medical students
  
• JayDoc is available for anyone who needs medical care, regardless of income, insurance, residency status, etc.
  
• JayDoc was created in 2003 by students at the University of Kansas Medical Center
  
• JayDoc serves nearly two thousand patients every year

But do you really know JayDoc Free Clinic?
There are many unsung heroes of the clinic. So many, in fact, we can't help but "sing some heroes" as we educate you about the clinic.

Who's that lady always walking around in scrubs during JayDoc clinics?

That's Dr. Sharon Lee of Southwest Boulevard Family Healthcare, otherwise known as the Saint who so graciously allows the JayDoc staff to use her facility for our clinic Monday through Wednesday evenings. Without her generosity, I'd be studying right now, because there might not be a JayDoc Free Clinic.

How can medical students possibly handle the administrative stuff that goes along with running a medical clinic?

Good question, Walter Cronkite. The JayDoc Free Clinic Executive Board is a group of 12 students who apparently don't ever have to study for medical school, because they put in A LOT of time oiling the machine that is JayDoc Free Clinic – and it's a well-oiled machine. These people bust their humps and don't get the recognition they truly deserve.

How do medical students do all this on their own? They aren't yet fully trained physicians, right?

True, the more medical students learn, the more we realize how much we still need to learn. The clinic couldn't exist without the physicians who donate their time in order to ensure that the Greater Kansas City community receives the medical care they need. These docs work long hours, and they work hard. So what do they do when they finish at their own clinic? Plop down on the couch and take a load off? Nope - they head down to JayDoc. Why? First, they have a true passion for serving the health needs of the members of their community. Second, they love to teach medical students. Third, free snacks. But mostly the first and second reasons.

Does JayDoc provide care to the Spanish-speaking community as well?

There is never a dull moment for the interpreter volunteers at JayDoc. These medical students and community members bridge the gap that stands between many medical providers and their patients.  Since I'm not fluent in Spanish myself, I am fortunate to have an interpretor (my classmate) help me connect with my patients and provide the proper care and communication they need.

Does JayDoc Free Clinic serve as the primary provider for these patients?

Nope. JayDoc provides urgent medical care, not primary care. That's where the wonderful Social Services division really shines. They meet with nearly every patient that enters the clinic and one of their major roles is to connect patients with Safety Net Clinics where they can receive continuing medical care. 


BONUS Did You Know? Tuesdays are specialty nights – Diabetes, Women's Health, Ophthalmology, and Physical Therapy.
DOUBLE BONUS: JayDoc Free Clinic provides HIV testing free of charge for any patient.

JayRock Benefit Concert is the #1 fundraiser for JayDoc. That's why JayRock is growing each year to be a Kansas City mainstay event. Musical genius provided by The Generationals, with The Dead Girls, and THIEVES.

You can expect much more on the concert, the bands, and the sponsors in the future. Be sure to check back with us soon and stay connected with what's going on by visiting jayrockconcert.org and "Follow Us" on Twitter & Facebook.


-JayDoc Student