VCU news

By Amelia Heymann

Noor Chouman has long had a passion for helping underserved communities, so the opportunity to work with Health Brigade in Richmond “fits perfectly with my values.”

Chouman, a Virginia Commonwealth University senior who is majoring in health, physical education and exercise science in the College of Humanities and Sciences, recently completed her second internship with the clinic, which provides judgment-free care for patients who are covered by Medicaid or are uninsured. The summer stint was her second internship there – she also completed one in the spring – and the experiences built on what started as volunteer work at the organization once known as the Fan Free Clinic. Chouman received support from VCU’s Internship Funding Program, which offers awards that help students defray the expenses associated with summer internships.

“Being at Health Brigade, it’s really exposed me to skills that I’m going to need to learn not just in health care,” such as advocacy, leadership and teamwork, said Chouman, who wants to work in the field. “I’ve just learned how much of a positive impact I can make.”

She said the highlight of her work was seeing patients smile and walk away in a better position to advocate for themselves. For more than a half-century, Health Brigade – it is Virginia’s oldest free and charitable clinic – has served low-income and uninsured individuals, often from marginalized, stigmatized and oppressed populations.

Chouman is a first-generation American citizen and knows how language barriers can lead to health care disparities. Health Brigade serves many patients with limited or no English skills, and while she could help those who speak Arabic, she worked on improving her Spanish to help larger numbers. Communicating with patients in their native tongue makes them more comfortable and allows providers to form stronger relationships.

“If I’m taking their vitals and I feel like [a patient] is not the most comfortable, I can be like, ‘How are you feeling?’” Chouman said. For patients, “it’s harder when you don’t have access [to health care], but it’s even harder when you don’t have access and you can’t speak the language.”

In addition to taking vitals, Chouman’s internship responsibilities included patient intake, health screenings and reviewing medical histories.

Rachel Waller, M.D., medical director of Health Brigade, praised Chouman’s work ethic, including her commitment to training new volunteers. Waller cited her “willingness to be helpful wherever she can and look for opportunities to pitch in, and her dedication to always being present..”

“She’s just been a wonderful asset in the clinic,” Waller said. “We’ve been really grateful to have her. It’s nice to have someone for such a long period of time, because the longer you’re here, the more you build on your skills and the more help that you’re able to provide.”