Toni's mother, Chapel Hill resident Chantris Bray, stands by observing as medical students provide free care for her young children.
Bray was just one of many who visited the Student Health Action Coalition at a routine Wednesday night clinic. SHAC, made up of UNC professional students, meets Wednesday nights from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. to offer free medical care to patients in the community.
Founded in 1968 by UNC students, SHAC is the oldest student-run medical clinic in the country and is fueled by about 640 volunteers from the Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Public Health and Social Work schools.
The SHAC medical clinic is offered to local residents on Lloyd Street in Carrboro. There also is a SHAC dental clinic provided on select Wednesday nights in Carrboro's Carr Mill Mall.
SHAC is a learning environment, said Tiarra Gordon, a third-year dental student who serves as a coordinator for the dental branch of SHAC. She said volunteering at SHAC is especially exciting for dental students because it is the first time they get to treat patients. "It's a chance to sit and learn and not worry about being graded or evaluated," she said.
She said at times, demand for SHAC services becomes overwhelming. "The biggest problem we see is too much to do in one night," she said. "People have to be turned away."
At the medical SHAC, the coordinators strive to serve the public and have students practice their skills in an interdisciplinary setting, said Jan Hughes-Austin, co-director of SHAC.
Hughes-Austin said patients might choose SHAC for several reasons, including the free medical care and the after-work hours that are convenient for some.
In addition to free medical attention, SHAC patients also receive free lab work and free medication. Sutton's Drug Store provides the medication.
