May 27, 2025
Michigan College of Optometry dean says free clinic at Ferris State is a chance to help those who have ‘fallen through the healthcare gap’
Volunteering at this weekend’s free healthcare clinic isn’t just another day’s work for Dr. Daniel Taylor, dean of Ferris State University’s Michigan College of Optometry. It’s a moral imperative.
“Helping those who have fallen through the healthcare gap is a mission,” Taylor said. “And if you’re able to address that gap to some small extent by being useful to people in whatever walks of life come through the door? Well, that’s a life well lived.”
Daniel Taylor
Taylor and dozens of other healthcare providers will join forces with Remote Area Medical Saturday and Sunday for its first-ever healthcare clinic in Michigan. The free clinic at R.L. Ewigleben Sports Complex, 210 Sports Drive in Big Rapids, is in collaboration with Ferris State.
RAM is a Tennessee-based nonprofit that bridges the gap in the American health system by providing free healthcare services to those in need. Using large-scale mobile clinics around the country, RAM partners with local organizations like Ferris State to deliver quality healthcare to underserved and uninsured individuals who don’t have access to or cannot afford it.
This weekend, dental, vision and medical care will be available to any adult or child in need without insurance or identification, regardless of residency. Doors open at 6 a.m. and people are encouraged to arrive early as care will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
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 will work alongside professionals and volunteers from across the region to provide care.
With a career rooted in both academic leadership and community outreach, Taylor views this event as an extension of Ferris State’s mission: to provide exceptional education while serving vulnerable populations.
Taylor’s experience with RAM clinics runs deep having volunteered at five events in his home state of Tennessee over the course of a decade. He describes RAM’s grassroots efficiency as “shoestring in the best way,” praising its no-frills, high-impact approach.
“Even RAM founder Stan Brock would go to these clinics and pitch a tent someplace because he didn’t want to stay in a hotel and use up any financial resources that could go to patients,” he said.
Taylor recalls patients camping in cars for days and returning each day to receive separate services like dental and vision.
“There’s a whole other population invisible to practitioners,” he said, underscoring RAM’s role in illuminating unseen need.
Ferris State and the Michigan College of Optometry are no strangers to helping those in need.
The Michigan College of Optometry, celebrating its 50th anniversary in the 2025–2026 academic year, is a nationally top-ranked, small-scale program focused on personalized, hands-on education. It was the first college of optometry in Michigan.
It operates the University Eye Center, providing care to university employees, students, the Big Rapids community, and West and Northern Michigan. The center gives students robust clinical training and serves Medicare and Medicaid patients who often struggle to find affordable care elsewhere.
The need for medical care in Michigan is real.
Mecosta County, where the clinic will be held, and neighboring Clare, Isabella, Lake, Montcalm, Newaygo and Osceola counties, are designated as areas with limited access to professional medical and dental healthcare.
Optometry student volunteers at RAM will encounter a higher volume of patients and conditions more advanced than they typically see, often from people who’ve gone years without care.
It's real-world, service-centered learning that reshapes what it means to be a healthcare provider, Taylor said.
Beyond logistics, Taylor speaks passionately about the moral responsibility professionals carry.
“Our profession has been good to us, allowing us to live lives of privilege, wealth and comfort,” he said. “RAM is a perfect opportunity to show that we are worthy of that.”
Once the clinic is over, University Eye Center will assist in providing continued care whenever possible. In the meantime, he looks forward to helping wherever he can this weekend.
“You're doing honest work for a good purpose and that’s very, very fulfilling,” he said.