About 300 Oregonians received free health and vision screenings, and free COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, among other health services, on Sunday, Oct. 3, at a community event organized by Oregon Health & Science University students at Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square.
The OHSU Health Care Equity Fair was temporarily paused in 2020 out of an abundance of caution due to the coronavirus pandemic, but was held for the 13th time this year with safety requirements, including face masks and social distancing, in place.
In total, about 190 volunteers – largely medical, nursing, dental, pharmacy, physician assistant and optometry students and staff from OHSU and Oregon State University – made this year’s event possible.
“We love Portland and were thrilled to have so many people show up for our community and promote health equity in this very tangible way. Hearing from community members about how much they needed the services at the fair made us proud to be part of such an important OHSU tradition,” said student organizers Sean Bowden, Debbie Kim, Hannah Moon and Madison Wahl, all of whom are second-year medical students in the OHSU School of Medicine.