July 8, 2025
Ferris State partnership with Remote Area Medical provided $250,000 worth of healthcare services to people in need
Nearly $250,000 worth of healthcare services was provided free to area residents through the Remote Area Medical clinic at Ferris State University last month.
Organizers are planning on hosting the event at Ferris State again, with plans for a clinic on May 30 and 31, 2026.
Final tabulations from the Tennessee-based non-profit show that 265 patients received dental, vision, and other medical care at no cost at the two-day event in 2025, which was organized by Ferris State Nursing faculty members Stephanie Gustman and Becky Johnson-Himes.
The clinic included 438 volunteers assisting 265 patients coming from across the region.
“The numbers are revealing, but more impactful to me was seeing the people bringing their families and children to receive care they would not have been able to afford,” Johnson said. “You can really help change someone’s life by taking care of a painful dental problem, helping them see clearly, or assisting with another medical challenge.”
Gustman said equally impressive was the support that came to provide the care or help the process from registration to parking. Volunteers at the Big Rapids event came from 21 states and Canada.
Faculty and students from Ferris State’s School of Nursing, College of Health Professions, Michigan College of Optometry, College of Pharmacy, and several from other fields worked alongside professionals and volunteers at the event, which ran from May 31 to June 1 in Ferris State’s Ewigleben Sports Complex.
“It was touching to see people, students and professionals, who I know are very busy share their time and expertise to help others,” Gustman said. “It was a reminder of the number of people who need help, but also that we have a very caring community that is willing to assist people in need.”
Gustman and Johnson-Himes are among the Ferris State faculty and students who volunteered at RAM clinics in other states. The Ferris State team worked for nearly two years to bring the project to Big Rapids.
Remote Area Medical bridges the gap in the American health system by providing free healthcare services to those in need.
Care was available to any adult or child in need without insurance or identification, regardless of residency. Social service resources and even free haircuts were provided.
Using large-scale mobile clinics around the country, RAM partners with organizations like Ferris State to deliver quality healthcare to underserved and uninsured people who don’t have access to care or cannot afford it.
Mecosta County and neighboring Clare, Isabella, Lake, Montcalm, Newaygo and Osceola counties, are designated as areas with limited access to professional medical and dental healthcare.
Morley, Evart, Stanwood, Merritt, and Rodney were among the communities with the largest numbers of people seeking care.