Puget Sound Pre-Med Student on a Mission To Provide Equal Access to Health Care

Community, Students

Capriana Jiang ’23 volunteers for a Tacoma nonprofit that runs a free health clinic

On a typical weeknight, you can find Capriana Jiang ’23 at the Neighborhood Clinic in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood. Each night, the free clinic sees about a dozen patients. Jiang is a clinical support volunteer, helping clients fill out their intake forms, checking their vitals, and keeping exam rooms clean and well stocked. For Jiang, who is a pre-med student at University of Puget Sound, volunteering at the Neighborhood Clinic has offered more than just valuable experience, it’s taught her about the value of affordable health care.

“When I first got into college, I was looking for a volunteer position where I felt like I was making an impact,” Jiang says. “Working at the Neighborhood Clinic has opened my eyes to how so many populations don’t have access to quality health care.”

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Pre-med student Capriana Jiang ’23 volunteers at Tacoma's Neighborhood Clinic, gaining hands-on experience in the health care industry.

Many of the people Jiang assists at the clinic don’t have health insurance and can’t afford to see a doctor. Others face additional obstacles, such as inexperience with the complexities of the health care system or language barriers. In addition to assisting the medical staff, Jiang also serves as an interpreter, employing her knowledge of Mandarin and Spanish.

“One of the few times I was able to use my Mandarin was when an elderly lady came in complaining of really intense stomach pain. My medical Mandarin is not as good as my medical Spanish, but her stepson was with her and together, we were able to help her through her appointments,” Jiang says. “She was finally diagnosed with a bacterial infection and got treatment. I think about her a lot. I’m half Chinese, and my grandparents don’t speak English. It was like caring for my grandma.”

Jiang, already accepted to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, views her time at the Neighborhood Clinic as valuable training that will help shape her as a physician.

Even before volunteering at the Neighborhood Clinic, Jiang was passionate about the human side of medicine. At the start of the pandemic, she started an initiative with her brother to sew and distribute more than 4,800 cloth masks for Valley Medical Center in her hometown of San Jose, Calif. Jiang’s wide-ranging interdisciplinary studies as a biology major with chemistry, bioethics, and Japanese minors at Puget Sound also have contributed to her holistic view of medicine and the importance of treating the whole person, not just their condition. Jiang has already been accepted to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she plans to pursue dermatology. She hopes her time at the clinic will continue to shape her as a physician committed to equal access.

“If it weren't for the clinic, I don't know where these patients would go to get their diabetes prescriptions, or get referrals for ultrasounds, or anything. Volunteering here has sparked my interest in figuring out how we make health care equitable, accessible, and affordable for everyone.”