Pershing Park Clinic

The First Clinic In The Park…

Pershing Park was the first clinic started by Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara Street Medicine.  It was created in 2005 and consisted of only 3 doctors.  Since then this clinic has greatly expanded and now is the largest of the three park clinics, consisting of roughly 20 volunteers. Doctors Without Walls chose this park due of the large group of homeless that come to Pershing for the free meal provided by the Uffizi Mission Project.

Team sets out for street rounds along the beach

Street Rounds….

In addition to the clinic in the park, Pershing park also consists of two teams that are deployed to do street rounds.  These smaller teams consist of a doctor, a nurse or EMT, a scribe, and an outreach volunteer.  One team walks down state street while the other walks down the beach.  Both teams are dedicated to providing health care  to patients they encounter directly where it is needed, whether that is a bench, a park, or along the beach.

Healing and Teaching..

In addition to providing much needed health care to the most vulnerable populations in Santa Barbara, Pershing Park also serves as a great teaching experience to pre-med and medical student.  These student are able to scribe for doctors, take patient vitals, and help dispense medications from our “pack pharmacy”. There are also many students who are drawn to this clinic to learn about public health and mental health, as well as general care for the undeserved.

Collaborative Partnerships: Direct Relief International, Uffizi Mission Project.