Outreach Van Project (OVP) Seeks Physician Volunteers
The Outreach Van Project (OVP) is in search of physicians to supervise medical efforts on Thursday evenings. OVP does not require any specific physician specialty, skills, or language fluency. The care OVP provides is very basic and anything physicians are not comfortable treating is referred to Boston Medical Center (BMC). The van serves patients in East Boston on Thursday nights from approximately 7:30 PM until 9:30 PM. In the past physicians have met the OVP volunteer team at BMC and ridden in or followed the van to Central Square in East Boston.
This student-run, volunteer organization involves a multi-disciplinary team of students from the Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC), including dental, public health, medical, and graduate students. The mission is to fulfill the unmet needs of the medically underserved populations in the Greater Boston area, particularly with regard to health care and access to services, while providing an opportunity for students to learn skills in community outreach. More than 1400 people are served annually in the East Boston community.
The OVP primarily serves homeless, indigent, or underinsured men, although women and children are also served. Approximately 65 percent are immigrants or speak English as a second language (primarily Spanish speaking from El Salvador). The program provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn both medical and outreach skills.
Please email Matthew Gonzalez, project coordinator at mhgonzo@bu.edu with questions or to indicate your willingness to volunteer. A monthly email will be sent to interested physicians to schedule availability. For more information please see the OVP website at: http://people.bu.edu/outreach.