Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine students will host a Women’s Health Day free clinic from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4 at the TTUHSC Free Clinic at Lubbock Impact, located at 2707 34th St.

The facility is a non-billing clinic where people without medical insurance can be seen for various medical problems. Patients of all ages from mostly lower-income backgrounds are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Women’s health services are not normally offered during these hours.

The Women’s Health Day clinic will provide medical services like well-woman exams and consultations with Texas Tech Physicians, breast exams, pelvic exams, pap smears, mammogram sign ups and referrals, pregnancy tests, prenatal referrals and Gardasil and Tdap vaccinations. Patrick Marquardt, a second-year medical student and free clinic student leader, said the key to keeping women healthy is prevention.

“At the Free Clinic we see a lot of women in need of pap smears and other women’s health exams,” Marquardt said. “Regular health exams and tests can help detect problems before they start and finding conditions earlier increases your chances of successful treatment.”

In 2008, TTUHSC School of Medicine faculty and medical students partnered with Lubbock Impact Inc., to establish a local free non-urgent care clinic. Marquardt said the clinic’s mission is to serve the uninsured and the working poor, educate students through clinical experiences with close mentorship and create a bridge between the Lubbock population and health care service.

“This Women’s Health Day clinic is an opportunity for those who cannot afford services to come see a physician,” Marquardt said. “We want to provide the resources to keep our community as healthy as possible.”

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact freeclinic@ttuhsc.edu