The Medical Committee (or "Med Com") of Junior Care Clinic teaches elementary school students, in primarily underserved communities, essential first-aid and health skills through brief, interactive presentations at local schools. We especially tailor our lessons for 3rd–8th graders, who respond well to learning and fun. Our members develop the curriculum, covering topics such as treating scrapes and cuts, taking vitals like blood pressure and pulse, and nutrition. We also go over how to respond to more common illnesses such as stomach aches, vomiting, allergies, and Type 1 diabetes. In addition, we incorporate mini science lessons on how muscles grow, how blood flows through the body, why exercise and sleep are important, and even do jumping jacks with them to get their heart pumping, teaching them to take their own heart rate. Each lesson involves engaging worksheets, activities, and Kahoots to help students practice what they have learned throughout the lesson.

The Medical Committee has graciously been a part of many events, including partnering with different organizations to educate the community. In the past, we have partnered with Roots Clinic at Neighborhood Empowerment Day in Oakland, where the medical committee, alongside others in JCC, have a booth dedicated to providing information about vitals while taking people’s blood pressure. We have also partnered with Lotus Bloom in Oakland, presenting to parents about the importance of their child’s health and addressing any healthcare misconceptions. Many parents ask questions about information they have heard and we always aim to reassure their concerns. Oftentimes, parents, especially, are given false statistics surrounding healthcare and overall have a lack of access to accurate and affordable information. The medical committee works to combat this, striving to educate others on health literacy by sharing our knowledge and resources to free/low-cost clinics. 

All screenings and presentations the medical committee has done has resulted in positive reactions, whether it be curious kids that are eager to learn or adults that find comfort in students understanding their medical concerns. So far, we have yielded excellent results and hope to continue doing so at our upcoming events including more Lotus Bloom family presentations, Neighborhood Empowerment Day, local resource fairs, and vitals/blood pressure presentations at elementary and middle schools. From our in-school presentations, we have impacted approximately 120 students a month, presenting in two shifts totalling about 60 students per visit, over the span of 6-8 events within a semester. As a committee, we have also had more focus on learning Spanish medical terminology and being able to hold basic communication with the public, who often speak only Spanish in the communities we serve. Through our educational presentations and screenings, we have worked to increase accessible healthcare and empower lower-income communities. The presentations and blood pressure screenings have benefited children and parents, leaving a great impact on them, supporting JCC’s mission.