Emptying your bank account for a trip to the eye doctor is not a top priority on anyone’s list. And if you don’t have health insurance, you’ll do just that.
Fortunately, the Spring Health Fair will help Ferris students keep their money in the bank while making sure every aspect of their health is up to par.
The fair, taking place Wednesday, April 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the IRC, is designed to provide a learning opportunity for students and the campus community by offering a number of health-related services.
“Students [in the College of Health Professions, Optometry and Pharmacy] will share health information related to their programs and areas of practice,” Health Care Systems Administration Faculty Therese Harper said. “[They will] demonstrate knowledge and skills through health screening and exams and practice professional interpersonal skills.”
In addition to the students who will provide services including screenings for diabetes, oral cancer, blood pressure and vision as well as many others, the university nutritionist will be present to provide counseling and free samples.
Jordan Horan, Ferris junior in psychology, will be attending the Spring Health Fair to get his vision checked. He thinks the fair is something all students should consider attending.
“I absolutely think this is something students should take advantage of because it’s free. Why wouldn’t you?” Horan said. “With this being a free screening for oral cancer, diabetes and vision, it’s a good idea. People like free and people have health concerns, so it’s a win-win.”
Horan, although excited to attend the event, is cautious about circumstances concerning professional experience.
While students will be performing the screenings and tests, faculty will be present at the event for supervision purposes.
“I am not sure how I feel about the students doing the testing and screening,” Horan said. “I think it’s a plus for them because they get to gain hands-on experience. I would hope they are the students who have demonstrated that they know what they are doing.”
The fair is directed mainly toward the campus community; however, anyone is welcome to attend. Because this fair consists of services performed by students in each of the health professions, health insurance is not a concern.
“I believe this fair will be a good idea for students without health insurance,” Horan said. “The only drawback is that it is just a screening, so if the screening reveals that something is wrong, the students will need to get it fixed. That obviously costs money and without health insurance, getting the problem fixed is a little harder.”