The University of Scranton hosts free health clinic

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY — A free clinic for uninsured people is now open in Lackawanna County.

In 2020, the Leahy Medical Clinic closed its doors because of the pandemic in September of 2023, the University of Scranton and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine agreed to reopen the medical clinic for the community.

“It was extremely important to open; to reopen the clinic, since we are the sole free clinic in Lackawanna county, we still have a lot of residents without health insurance,” said Dr. Maria Vital, ph.D., Administrative Director, Leahy Clinic

The Leahy Clinic provides essential free, non-emergency adult healthcare services to uninsured Lackawanna County residents. Everything from routine physical exams to treatment of common medical conditions, to immunizations. Ensuring that those in need can readily access the care they need.

“We provide the best quality care that we can, we really care about the patient, it’s not about a number, we see each patient as an individual, we care, we know patients’ names, we know their family,” Dr. Vital added.

As a joint facility between the University of Scranton and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, it offers students firsthand experience in the medical field.

“Leahy Clinic provides a lot of opportunities for medical students, in real-life learning, which is valuable because theoretical knowledge is theoretical knowledge but hands-on experience, nothing is like that,” explained Yevgeniy Busarov, 4th-year student, at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

“It helps us become more creative doctors in terms of how are we going to treat patients, how are we going to overcome these obstacles to provide the best care possible,” said Annie Shields, 1st-year student at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

The students working in the clinic passionately advocate for accessible healthcare, showing their commitment to making a difference in the lives of those in need.

“So, I myself come from an immigrant family so I definitely understand first-hand what it feels like to not have the resources or be able to attain quality healthcare so being able to provide that for other people is just a very great and heart-warming feeling,” stated Kevin Gallego-Pena, physical therapy student, at the University of Scranton.

The Leahy Clinic is the only free clinic in Lackawanna County. It’s open for services on Tuesdays and Thursdays and appointments are required.

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