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Berkeley doctors, practices help offer free medical clinics

March 22, 2012 1:30 pm by Tracey Taylor

UC Optometry: one of many Berkeley medical practices taking part in a free clinic

Several Berkeley medical practices, including UC Berkeley Optometry, are taking part in a phenomenal initiative this week called RAM (Remote Area Medical) that provides free medical, dental and optometry to underserved communities.

Thousands of patients are expected to turn up to the Oakland Coliseum today through Sunday for full screenings and exams, as well as treatments such as facial surgery.

When the program was in Oakland last year, some 3,000 pairs of glasses were produced on the spot and dispensed over four 12-hour days, says UC Berkeley’s Edward Revelli.

All the 600 or so providers are usually local doctors and volunteers donating their time — doctors such as Daniel Nam, a dentist with offices in San Francisco and Oakland, who also volunteers at the Berkeley Free Clinic. Read more about him and the program in this Chronicle story.

Berkeley Optometry will be dedicating faculty, residents, interns and students to the four-day program.

RAM runs March 22-March 25, 6am-6pm. For full details check the RAM website.

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  • Heather_W_62

    RAM is an amazing resource and we are lucky that they do this here. Many communities are not this lucky. those needing care have to wait in long lines for hours, it is tiring and arduous, but the outcome is that they get desperately needed medical attention and eyecare. It’s a true calling for the organizer and he is a wonderful man. Kudo’s to the local practitioners who donate their time and resources to this amazing, much needed event. 

  • Handrichb

    as a mother of one of the RAM team and also so proud of what RAM has done I thank you so much for helping