PAST: Jenifer Montoya
Jenifer started at AMM when she was a graduate student at North Carolina State University studying Physiology. After a quick Google search for “medical volunteer clinics”, AMM was the first result, and the rest is history. Jenifer reached out to our Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator to schedule a volunteer shift to be involved with our on-site mammograms through the UNC Health Mobile Mammography Bus. Once a position became available to be a Medical Assistant, Jenifer was ready to see a different aspect of the clinic.
Jenifer volunteered in our clinic every Wednesday for about a year and a half during grad school. Then when a full-time position opened and Jenifer finished her Master’s degree, it was perfect timing as she still wanted to be involved with AMM while she was studying the MCAT to be later considered for medical school.
Jenifer is now a full-time medical Assistant and is studying to take the MCAT in about a year to purse family or internal medicine and possibly work as a provider for AMM.
“Every single time I came here on Wednesdays, I was so stoked,” said Jenifer. “I knew that the patients would put a smile on my face. They are so loving and so grateful for what we do for them, and honestly, it just reminds me as to why I want to pursue medicine.”
Jenifer’s advice to other AMM volunteers:
“AMM has shown me perseverance. Continue to work hard, stay determined because in the long run, it will pay off. I love the way providers take care of patients. They go above and beyond. They motivate me and make me feel like I’m supposed to be here.”
CURRENT: Eden Kline
Eden came to volunteer at AMM in July 2022 as a Medical Assistant because she wanted to connect with the people of her community while strengthening her healthcare skills. “AMM provided a great opportunity for service and growth and presented a positive learning environment with admirable leaders to learn from,” said Eden.
After nearly two years of volunteering with AMM, she will begin school at East Carolina University in August to become a Physician’s Assistant. “Volunteering at AMM has certainly helped shape my future in healthcare. I have been exposed to innumerous insightful hands-on patient care experiences which have each played a role in broadening my perspectives and knowledge while supporting my decision to pursue a career in patient care.”
Eden’s advice for the many volunteers to come:
“Embrace the experience, you will learn so much from both the patient community and staff at AMM.”
PAST: Ryan Jones
Ryan is currently a full-time referral coordinator at AMM, ensuring our patients receive access to services we do not offer in-house through enrolling patients in safety-networks like UNC Health Financial Assistance and Project Access.
Ryan volunteered at AMM for three years while studying Biology at North Carolina State University. He did everything from translating for Spanish-speaking patients to scheduling appointments to screening patients for COVID-19 and taking vitals. While thinking of what to do after he finished his undergraduate degree, Ryan spoke with a few staff members, including our Director of Nursing and Director of Operations, and decided to pursue a Master's in Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill.
“They {AMM} were letting me do some population health stuff too,” said Ryan. “And then they {AMM staff members} helped me apply and while I was in school, they let me come back to help after getting it. Pete is still helping me find something.”
Even as a full-time employee, Ryan continues to volunteer with our Public Health Consultant and Board Chair, Dr. Jeffrey Engel once per week. Together they analyze our patient data to answer questions about our overall patient populations. Currently, they are working to answer questions around cancer for our patients.
As someone who has seen AMM from many different angles, here is Ryan’s advice to current and future volunteers:
“I think this is a good entry into the field of whatever you're doing. If it's healthcare or patient services. A lot of its relevant. Because when I did the MPH, looking back on it, I realized that so much of what I did here was very relevant, but I didn't realize it at the time. I think that's encouraging. Say yes to opportunities that are given to you.”
CURRENT: Ashna Patel
After searching for a volunteer position, Ashna discovered “the perfect opportunity to serve and help our community,” at AMM. Two years later, Ashna is graduating from undergrad and continuing to a master's program in the fall to pursue family medicine.
“Volunteering at AMM has solidified my passion to pursue medicine, specifically family medicine,” said Ashna.
Ashna is currently a volunteer medical assistant in the AMM clinic, working to provide support with triage, chart reviews, and take vital signs. Here is a piece of advice from Ashna:
“One piece of advice I would give to students looking to volunteer at AMM is don’t be afraid to ask questions,” said Ashna. “I learned so much from the healthcare professionals around me on how to be a better spokesperson for our patients, understanding more about healthcare, and learning more about what it truly means to serve our community.”
PAST: Cynthia Correa
All the way back in 2020, Cynthia was in a post-baccalaureate program at Meredith College looking to commit to some volunteer time when she heard about AMM. After volunteering at Cape Fear Clinic, another free and charitable clinic in Wilmington, NC, during her undergraduate education, Cynthia was excited to join AMM’s band of volunteers.
Cynthia flexed between volunteer and contracted employee doing everything from scheduling patient appointments, working to integrate a new patient management, and ensuring our patients were able to get referrals to volunteer providers. After the post-baccalaureate program finished, Cynthia moved to a full-time referral coordinator position with AMM working to connect our patients with safety-networks like UNC Health Financial Assistance and Project Access.
AMM staff members are thrilled to work with volunteers who are considering career paths in medicine. Cynthia’s case was no different.
“Having an admin perspective on Healthcare is very different than having a provider perspective, because the providers, a lot of the time, - they all knew I wanted to go into medicine - so they kind of took their time and explained to me certain little details of ‘this is why I want them to get in with this specialty’ and ‘this is why I wanted them to do this imaging’ and stuff like that. So, they took their time a little bit extra, and which helped me to understand kind of the push and the need for getting the person like enrolled in the program”
Currently enrolled at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), Cynthia has stayed active in her volunteerism. She is active in the Hispanic Community Medical Outreach Organization, the VCOM Student Chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, and she is a VCOM Student Ambassador and will be participating in a medical outreach trip to Honduras this summer.
“I realized how much AMM has done for the community, and that is something I'm very passionate about continuing into my career,” said Cynthia. “Having access to healthcare is really important and people need that. That's something that has continued into what I'm doing. That's what has guided me in looking at the different clinic opportunities that I'm able to get be a part of in medical school.”
Cynthia’s advice to current volunteers interested in going to medical school or continuing their healthcare career:
“You know, no job and volunteering is too small. I know that sometimes, especially when wanting to go into a patient centered field, you do want to get your hands on experience, and you do want to be in the room shadowing the doctors, things like that. But a lot of my roles in volunteering, especially with AMM, didn't start that way. It was a lot of behind the scenes, and it's a really crucial part in the healthcare field. You gain a lot of respect and insight into how that inner system works. The opportunities end up arising when you least expect them and your perspective might shift, it might change, and you might end up wanting to go to a different part of the field than you originally imagined. So, you got to stick with and just kind of keep yourself open to all aspects of things and to volunteering.”
CURRENT: Chuck Neild
Chuck has been a volunteer in the AMM clinic since September 2022, while he was working on some post-baccalaureate classes and transitioning out of the Army.
“As I was transitioning out of the Army in 2022, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine,” said Chuck. “I chose to volunteer at AMM because it allowed me to gain experience as a member of the healthcare team. In addition to providing my introduction to working in healthcare, AMM also allowed me the opportunity to join a team that does such important work for the Wake County community. Access to affordable primary care is essential to maintaining one’s overall health and AMM helps provide that to several critically underserved communities.”
During his almost two-year volunteer position, Chuck has seen his decision in pursuing healthcare solidified.
“I knew volunteering with AMM would expose me to some basic clinical skills and experiences, but the perspective and experience I’ve gained through my time here is invaluable to me moving forward,” said Chuck. “There’s a lot of things “wrong” with healthcare in the US today, but AMM is an excellent example of an organization doing its best to fill in those cracks.”
Chuck’s advice:
“If you are even considering a career in medicine, nursing, or other healthcare fields, don’t miss out. It’s not often you find experiences that provide such great benefit to both your own journey and your community. Be humble, join a team of awesome people, and Join AMM!”
PAST: Fabricio Gama
Fabricio began volunteering in our on-site medication dispensary and patient assistance program in February 2022. After a year of volunteering, Fabricio then transitioned to an internship working with patients to enroll them into a safety network called Project Access and later in 2023 came on full-time and is currently a Patient Services and NCMA Coordinator.
“I chose to volunteer at Alliance because of my genuine desire to help people and Alliance's commitment to assisting every single patient,” said Fabricio.
While he was volunteering at AMM, he was working towards a bachelor’s in science at Shaw University and was hired full-time just 10 days after completing that degree. He plans to continue to become a Sports Orthopedic doctor.
“My dream of becoming a Sports Orthopedic doctor was greatly influenced by my experiences at Alliance,” said Fabricio. “The opportunity to interact directly with patients, work closely with doctors and nurses, and immerse myself in the medical field has only strengthened my passion for healthcare and my desire to make a positive impact in people's lives.”
Fabricio’s Advice:
“If you have the chance to volunteer at AMM, my advice is simple: go for it! You won't regret it. The clinic staff are incredible people, all eager to assist you. So, don't hesitate to ask questions and absorb everything they share. It's a priceless opportunity to learn, grow and most important, help!”