1. EmilyLenna
SERV 1020
October21, 2014
Reflection Paper: Remote Area Medical
Remote AreaMedical wasfoundedin1985 by StanBrock in response toa promise he made to
himself while livinginGuyana.He realizedthe importanceof havingmedical care close byafterhe
sustainedaninjuryandwas26 days awayfrom any kindof medical aid. Inessence,the missionof RAM
isto “preventpainandalleviate sufferingbyprovidingfree healthcare tothose inneed.We use ourcore
valuestodrive outdecisionmaking,ensuringwe make valuebaseddecisionsthatwill protect,guard,
and guide usto fulfillourmission.”
Low availabilityof healthcare isahuge issue inAmerica,andaroundthe globe. Causesforthis
are natural disasters,lowincome, andlackof sufficientinsurance ortransportation.RAMcurrently
providesservice inthe third worldcountriesof Guyana,India,Philippines,and Haiti byoperating
emergencyairlift programsandmedical camps.Hundredsof liveshave beensavedbyRAMair
ambulances. InAmerica,RAMreachesthousandsof people whocannotaffordmedical service. They go
to citiesall aroundthe countryand provide free healthcare.The servicestheyofferare general medical,
dental,vision,education,preventativeandsometimeseven veterinarian care.Peoplecome fromall
around,some bybus, carpoolingorevenwalkingtoreceive help.Many spendthe night because
volunteersstartlettingin patientsatthree o’clocka.m. onthe day of the clinic.People inneedsleepin
theircars, intentsor justin blanketsonthe pavement.Some waitall daytogettheirfirstdental
checkupor to gettheirfirstpair of glasses.
Remote AreaMedical’sprojectforthe nexttwoyearsisto “Stop the Suffering”inAppalachia.
RAMestimatesthat42% of the people livinginthe “DistressedCorridor”of Appalachialive inrural
areas,whichmeansthat itis mostlikelyverydifficulttogettomedical attention. The “Distressed

2. EmilyLenna
SERV 1020
October21, 2014
Corridor”include countiesinTennessee,Kentucky,NorthCarolina,Virginia,WestVirginia,Ohio,and
Mississippi. There are approximately 1,200,000 people livingthose “distressed”counties. Of that
population,itisestimatedthat180,000 people are inurgentneedof healthcare access. Tosolve this
problem,RAMhas several bigtrucksequippedwiththe propertoolstoprovide certainareasof health
care. Thisallowsthemtomove aroundthe country andget to remote areaswhere healthcare would
otherwise be nonexistent.RAMsetsupclinicsalmostanywhere:schools,openfields,armories,airfields,
and evenNASCAR’sinfield.Onaone day clinic,RAMmay serve over200 patientsinjustone area.Not
everyone whocomesthroughneedsall the servicesprovided.
Most clinicsare three day clinics:Friday,Saturday,andSunday.SetupisusuallyFridayevening.
ParkingopensatmidnightFridaynight,andtheybeginpassingoutnumbersat3 a.m. Registration
beginsat5:30 a.m.Most of the medical volunteersdonot arrive until 6:00 or 6:30 a.m. During
registration,patientssignupforgeneral medical (exams,physicalsetc.) andone otherservice,either
visionordental.Theydetermine whichtheyneedmost.Insome clinics,patientswill be allowedtohave
bothvisionanddental care.In that case,it is a longand painful dayforthose particularpatients.
I participatedinmyfirstRAMclinicinSeptemberof 2013. It was the VeteransStand
Downat the National GuardArmoryinKnoxville.Thatwasthe mostlife changingexperience Ihave ever
had.I personallyhelpedalmost100veteranspickouta pairof glasses.Manyof which neverhadglasses
before.Some were so blindthattheycouldnot evensee toputthe glassesonthemselves.Itwas
humbling.Some were sohappyjusttogeta pair of glasses,thattheyjusttoldme to pickout whateverI
thoughtlookedbest. Whenthe patientscame backto pickup theirpairof glasseswiththe prescription
lensesinthem,Iputthemon the patient.The veterans wouldlookaroundforasecond,tearup, lookat

3. EmilyLenna
SERV 1020
October21, 2014
me in awe,andthank me ina quivering,weakvoice.Seeinggrownmenwhohave servedinourmilitary
cry because theycan see the worldclearlyforprobablythe firsttime inalongtime made me suddenly
aware of howblessedIamfor everythingI have. Ievenhadsome people come backandfindme justto
hug me and thankme again. All the patients see isthe partI helpedthemwith,theyare not evenaware
of the othertenor so people whoare behindthe scenesof makingthe glasses. RAMisdefinitelyateam
effort.Everyone hastobe willingtoworklong,harddaysand put forth theirbesteffort.Everypatient
has to have an equal andenjoyable experience.
Our jobis to keepthe patientscalmandhappy.Theyhave hadto sit and waitfor mostof the
day,and by the time theycome to us,theyare testyandready to getout of there.Unlike dentistry,we
have to reallytalktothe patienttofindouttheirlikesandneeds.Sometimesthe patientmaynotspeak
verywell,orevenbe able totalkat all. Thisiswhere patience comesinonourpart. I have been
surprisedatmyself forhowmuchpatience Ihave had withsome of the people thatcome through.Every
nowand then,I will serve someone whohasastoryfor everypairof framesthey try on.They talkso
much,it is hard to give themsuggestionsorkeepthem ontopic.Inthat case,all I can do ishand them
framesI thinkwouldlookgood, holdamirrorup to theirface and let themlookwhile theytalk.Mostof
the time,whentheystoptalking,itisbecause theylike the pairand theyare aboutto complimentthem.
Sometimes,Iwillserve afewpeopleintheireighties whowillbe extremely picky,notwillingtotalk,
negative abouteverythingI sayandeverypairof frames.Ihave learnedthatthe bestthingto do with
these types istotry to get themtalking aboutthemselves.Ihave foundthattheyusuallyliketovoice
theiropinions,andthatiswhatI want…well,theiropiniononglasses. Make itall aboutthem.I do not
mindthembossingme aroundabouttheirlikesanddislikesbecausetheyare the onesthatare goingto
be wearingthe glasses. Myfavorite kindof patientisthe kindwhoisjustso thankful tobe gettinga free

4. EmilyLenna
SERV 1020
October21, 2014
pair of glassesthattheyjustcome in and value myopinionandknowledge of the eyewear.Thismay
soundselfish,butthisiswhenthe patientandIhave the mostfun.As we talk and I findoutmore about
them;theyare opentosuggestions.Thiskindof patientwalksawaymore satisfied thanall the others.
Havingthat kindof attitude allowsme tohelpthemfindwhatframe will serve thembestanda frame
they will like. Thisgivesme asense of accomplishment.
I have learnedsomuchthroughvolunteeringwithRemote AreaMedical. This
experience hasallowedme toputintoactionall that I have beenlearninginmyclasses.Workingthese
clinicshave helpedme betterunderstandthe material Iamlearninginclass. I have alsofound
volunteeringtobe rewarding. Helpingothersand makingthemhappyisawonderful feeling.The
adrenaline rushof the busydayfeelsgreat!At the endof the dayafter cleanupwhen that rushgoes
away andI am deadtired,there isa sense of accomplishmentthatleavesme smilinginspite of my sore
feetandtiredvoice. Ihave learnedthatopticiansare notjust lightbenders; we are motivators.We help
people feelgoodaboutthemselves.WhenIaska shyperson“Whenpeople lookatyou,whatis the
impressionyouwanttohave onthem?”a lightcomesinto theireyesandtheybegintotalkaboutwhat
theywantto portray. Believeitornot,a pairof glassescanhelpboosttheirself-esteem. RemoteArea
Medical ishelpingimprove people’slives.Asavolunteer,Iletthemknow thattheyare caredabout. I
helpease theirhardshipsabitbyprovidingthemwithbettersight.
Before volunteeringwithRAM,Ineverreallycaredaboutanyone outside of myfamily.But
these clinicshave shown me thatthere are otherpeople outthere thatneedme.Iam more open-
heartedtotheirneedsnow,andam willingandwantingtoreachoutto themand give themhope.My
interactionswiththe RAMpatients have changedmyoutlookonlife.Now Iwanttocontinue tochange

5. EmilyLenna
SERV 1020
October21, 2014
theirsforthe better.I thankGod for myopportunitytoworkwithRemote AreaMedical,andI pray He
continuestoletme do so.

6. EmilyLenna
SERV 1020
October21, 2014
WORKS CITED
n.p. www.ramusa.org.RemoteAreaMedical,n.d.Web.21 Oct.2014

7. EmilyLenna
SERV 1020
October21, 2014