The Health Wagon, in collaboration with East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Health’s James H. Quillen College of Medicine, will hold Free Community Health Fairs aimed at providing essential healthcare services to individuals and families in need.
The events will take place on Thursday, March 13, at the Smiddy Clinic in Wise, Virginia and Friday, March 14, at Sister Bernie Kenny Clinic in Clintwood, Virginia. Times are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Open to the public, the health fair will offer a vast array of free health care services.
David Miller spoke with Dr. John Culp, one of the attending physicians for these events.
More information about the Health Wagon is available at thehealthwagon.org.
Transcript:
David Miller: I'm David Miller with WETS-FM and we are talking with Dr. John Culp with the Quillen College of Medicine on the campus of East Tennessee State University. Students at the College of Medicine, many of them, will be involved with the Health Wagon Services in Southwest Virginia that's on March the 13th and 14th. In Wise, Virginia, and also over in Clintwood, Virginia. Dr. Culp, welcome to the program.
Dr. John Culp: Thank you. Glad to be here.
David Miller: You and I were talking before we went on air that the College of Medicine has been working with the Health Wagon in Southwest Virginia, which I might add is a facility that goes out into different parts of Southwest Virginia to provide free health services. But you and I were talking that the students with Quillen College of Medicine have been going to help with this health wagon since 1988.
Dr. John Culp: That's right, spring of 1988. Tell me about what type of experiences these students will receive by working with this particular project. Well, primarily, what they'll be doing is histories and physicals with patients that come in and checking out with the supervising physician. It's good experience for them clinically, and it's great to be able to get out in a different setting and, you know, meet new people , and help out with folks who may not have access to regular health care. However, a lot of the people who did come to the health fairs do have regular doctors and such, but they come to take advantage of the free health screenings and tests that we offer.
David Miller: Here we are in 2025. These facilities are still providing free health care. How far behind are we?
Dr. John Culp: Well, it's sad that there's a need for services like this, actually. But it certainly helps when people have coverage through Medicaid and that sort of thing. But there's still more need for it than you'd think.
David Miller: Well, so many people keep coming to these events like with the Health Wagon and with RAM and other organizations that provide this type of service. As a physician, what do you see as the most important part of having these students out there? There has to be a passion to do this type of work.
Dr. John Culp: Absolutely. You know, I think I'm like most physicians that the thing that makes me feel best when I go home at the end of the day is knowing that I've really done something to help someone. And they certainly get to experience that. What we're principally focusing on in these health fairs is trying to do screening and pick up on problems that someone may have that they don't know about. You know, we find a lot of people who have high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic lung disease, things like that that haven't been diagnosed. Before you can help them with it, you have to know what they got. A really important thing is to make sure that they do have a primary care provider. If we do find somebody who doesn't have that, we try to get them hooked up to someone who can see them regularly and help take care of them.
David Miller: How many students will be involved in this particular project?
Dr. John Culp: I believe I counted nine on the picture that I have, but we'll also have me and another attending physician or two and we've got several of our residents that are coming along to help. So, we've got a pretty good team.
David Miller: Once again, if people need more information about this event or info about the health wagon there in Southwest Virginia, they indeed have a website. Folks can just see what they have to offer on a regular basis.
Dr. John Culp: That's right. And very often when people live in the area, the health wagon clinics are an excellent resource for them.
David Miller: Dr. Culp, I appreciate your time. I know you're a busy man, but I wish you the best of luck and the students as well as they team up with the Health Wagon March 13th and March 14th. The 13th in Wise, Virginia, and the 14th in Clintwood, Virginia. Sir, have a great day today.
David Miller: Thank you. It's been a pleasure. You, too.
David Miller: Once again, our guest today, Dr. John Culp with the East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine.