Campbell University Free Clinic Ribbon Cutting Hosted at First Choice Community Health Center

The Campbell University Community Care Clinic announced its new location at First Choice Community Health Center in Lillington, NC at a ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, March 16th.

“We are so excited to be part of this collaboration because we know that the mission is always to serve, said Ms. Shelia Simmons, CEO of First Choice Community Health Centers. “Together, we will be able to give to those in need.”

“Today we have expanded the opportunities for the medical school to serve Harnett County and this region, and nothing is clearer to the purpose of Campbell than to do that,” shared Dr. Jerry M. Wallace, university chancellor and namesake of the School of Osteopathic Medicine, who was instrumental in developing this collaboration.

The CUCCC was founded by the inaugural Class of 2017 and opened to patients in March 2015 at the University Health Center on Tuesday evenings. Over the past six years, the clinic has provided invaluable primary care and referral services to uninsured patients. The clinic is an interprofessional volunteer-staffed organization with students and faculty from the schools of osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physicians’ assistant, public health, and social work, and is one of only 17 student-run clinics affiliated with U.S. medical schools. Dr. Joe Cacioppo is the chair of community and global health at the medical school and is the primary advisor and faculty volunteer who oversees the operation of the clinic weekly.

“Dr. Joe Cacioppo has been diligent in every aspect of this and above all else – our students. The free clinic was conceived, implemented and given to the community as a service by the students of our medical school,” affirmed Dr. Wallace.

Student Doctor Maren Downing, executive director of the clinic board, emphasized the importance of the new location in the clinic being able to accommodate more volunteers and see more patients.

“Without the collaboration with First Choice, our ability to provide health care to the uninsured of the community would be greatly hampered, so we would like to thank Ms. Simmons, the First Choice Community Health Board, and the community for their support.”

“Myself and all of the student volunteers look forward to coming to the clinic every week to extend our educational efforts beyond the classroom. Having this wonderful facility house the clinic can open many doors for us and further our efforts to provide quality and passionate healthcare to the medically underserved in the community.”

The Community Care Clinic saw patients at approximately 1,000 appointments in 2020 and has approximately 300 regular patients. The operational budget is funded by grants and private donations with most of the expenses being labs and medications for patients.