Each week, University of Dayton students work with volunteer health care professionals at the Reach Out health clinics, which helps develop their competency, compassion and professionalism; and reinforce a calling to care for their community.
Reach Out serves uninsured patients with an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. The students are part of an alliance of community partners, donors and volunteers who provide an important health care safety net. Through this experience, students learn firsthand about the barriers many people face in accessing care.
UD’s Department of Physician Assistant Education started supporting Reach Out’s weekly adult clinics in 2023, when physician assistant (PA) students began helping with intake and other tasks with UD faculty and volunteer providers. The partnership quickly expanded to PA students in clinical rotations who began providing well-child exams, patient education and information about vaccinations at Reach Out pediatric clinics with St. Vincent de Paul Gateway Shelter for Women and Families.
Emily Daniel ’26, a physician assistant student from Marysville, Ohio, knew she wanted to be able to help people beyond saying, “I’m sorry you’re going through that.” Her experience at Reach Out has confirmed her calling to become a PA.
“I learned I thoroughly enjoy seeing the results of a simple checkup,” Daniel said. “We often gave patients access to medications and imaging they did not have before. Patients would walk away with an improved quality of life, and it was amazing to see the work the program does as a whole. All the volunteers truly loved what they were doing for their patients. We have been provided with a highly effective tool set to make a difference, so I hope to use it to the best of my ability in my future community.”
Understanding and insight are “soft skills” students develop working with underserved populations. Working with patients from different backgrounds and cultures expands their professional competency. The experience is also an opportunity to be part of a holistic care model as they connect patients to community resources.
“Volunteering at Reach Out has reinforced the importance of compassion and service in my future career,” said Erin Graefen ’26, a physician assistant student from Plainfield, Illinois. “It has given me an opportunity to see and understand how social determinants of health can impact a patient's ability to receive health care. I truly believe and appreciate the impact that Reach Out has on the community, and I hope to see it grow.”
Reach Out Executive Director John Campbell said UD physician assistant students “serve in the adult clinic with professionalism beyond their years, and the second-year PA students bring calm confidence to Reach Out’s pediatric clinic.”
Campbell credits the responsive and collaborative nature of the UD faculty guiding the physician assistant students.
“These students turn learning into service and service into leadership,” he said. “Their generosity doesn’t just meet needs; it lifts spirits, strengthens trust and multiplies hope across our community.”
Lindsey Hammett Loonkishu, chair and program director of UD’s Department of Physician Assistant Education, values the intangible gains students make as they grow more comfortable working with vulnerable and pediatric populations and learn the importance of community resources and how to help patients access care.
“Our students have had to navigate some very difficult situations and conversations but were able to do so in a way that helped the patients and their families,” Hammett Loonkishu said.
Campbell’s leadership and the volunteer providers also shape the students. Graefen said their example helped her realize how much she values teamwork and service in health care.
“The clinic is run by dedicated individuals who work endlessly to provide as much care and resources as possible,” she said. “They truly go above and beyond for their patients and it's been inspiring to see and be a part of. It's the type of dedication I hope to carry on into my career.”
In 2025, the UD-Reach Out partnership expanded to include experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate pre-health students through UD’s Pre-Health Resource Center. The pre-health students helped expand care by collecting health assessments and assisting with translation at the adult clinics.
Kathleen Hunter ’26, a health science major with an integrative physiology concentration who was born in nearby Springboro, Ohio, and later moved to Simpsonville, South Carolina, said she was drawn to volunteer at Reach Out because “it aligns with the kind of physician I want to become.”
“The experience has changed how I look at public health and how I think about patient needs,” Hunter said. “Seeing barriers people face, whether it is transportation, language or just feeling overwhelmed, reminded me that getting care is not always simple and that people’s needs are not always obvious right away. It has made me more aware of how important it is to meet people where they are and really listen.”
The partnership exemplifies the way that real-life experiences transform compassion into action — preparing students to collaborate and serve patients and communities long after graduation.
“We see emerging leaders in every cohort of pre-health and PA students,” Campbell said. “From the classrooms to the clinics, University of Dayton students and faculty embody what community looks like — thoughtful, tireless and kind.”