History of our Clinics
Clinic operations are overseen by student and faculty advisory committees and providers.
Our Beginnings
The SHARING Clinic was opened on September 9, 1997, in order to provide primary health care to underprivileged populations in South Omaha. It began as a medical student's vision of the need for quality care among Omaha's underserved. With the help of a small group of medical and nursing students under the guidance of Jim Medler, a family physician, and Kathryn Fiandt, a nurse practitioner, the clinic was born.
Where We Are Today
The SHARING Clinics now are made up of four entirely student-run clinics in the Omaha area. We also partner with a dental clinic in Lincoln (currently closed). The clinics are staffed by student providers from each of the academic disciplines at UNMC. This truly multidisciplinary approach provides comprehensive care for patients and a wonderful learning environment for student providers. Faculty providers are present at all clinics to ensure that each patient is properly cared for.
Our first and longest-running clinic is the SHARING (Student Health Alliance Reaching Indigent Needy Groups) clinic.
The RESPECT (Responsible Early STI Prevention Education and Community Testing) clinic has been operational since 2001 and is designed to provide free and confidential testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.
The VISION clinic was founded in March 2011 and provides ophthalmology services to patients who require specialty eye care. Key to making the SHARING ophthalmology services possible was Dr. Michael Griess, formerly of UNMC Physician's Eye Specialists. This clinic went on a two-year hiatus before re-opening, which was made possible by the leadership of Desinee Drakulich, OD.
The GOODLIFE (Greater Omaha Outreach for Diabetes Lifestyles Impacting Fitness and Education) clinic was founded in 2014 and was restarted in 2024 after a four-year hiatus. This clinic is designed to provide all-encompassing care to those with diabetes.
Clinic operations are overseen by a Student Advisory Committee, which is composed of students from all of UNMC's academic programs. A Faculty Advisory Committee works to support the Student Advisory Committee. Students and faculty also serve on several sub-committees: Quality/Clinic Operations, Education, Fundraising, Research, and Youth Outreach.
Our Mission
The UNMC SHARING clinics strive to enhance the well-being of the greater Omaha community by providing high-quality, low-cost health care and human services to those in need. In a multidisciplinary educational setting, the SHARING clinics empower patients and instill the values of service and compassion in UNMC students.
Reach Out
The UNMC SHARING clinics have a Facebook page which can be found here. Further, we can be reached over email at sharingclinics@nebraskamed.com.