The UCR Chapter of the Global Medical Brigades and the Lestonnac Free Clinic organization opened a free medical clinic in San Bernardino on Saturday, Nov.7. The clinic is located at 401 E. 21st St., across the street from the St. Bernardine medical center. The clinic will be open from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month.
About six people attended on the first day, according to the Press Enterprise. UCR Medical school student Matthew Gomez, began working on opening a free clinic in the Inland Empire during his fourth-year as an undergraduate at the campus, and is credited as the major contributor to this project.
The clinic seeks to assist those who cannot afford expensive insurance premiums, or refused to enroll in health insurance, in addition to undocumented immigrants. “Some of the very marginalized people are just not into the system,” stated Margot Young, a doctor at St. Bernadine’s. “You have the people who … don’t have the disposable income to pay the premium and co-pay (for insurance). There is always going to be a need.”
In regards to opening the project Gomez stated, “There were a lot of times I felt, ‘What did I do to myself?’ It all paid off today, that’s for sure.”
