At HOPES, our mission is to provide sustainable healthcare services to underserved Hampton Roads residents while promoting a unique learning experience for members of the community.
In 2011, medical students at EVMS recognized a growing need for healthcare within the uninsured population in Norfolk and responded by establishing a student-run free clinic, HOPES (Health Outreach Partnership of EVMS Students), to improve the quality of life in the community by providing primary and specialty medical care.
As the only free clinic in Norfolk and the first student-run free clinic in Virginia, HOPES has served more than 1,000 uninsured adult residents with its capacity to provide care to 20-25 patients during two evening clinics per week. The clinic is staffed by volunteer student clinicians, residents, and physicians, who work together to provide patient-centered care.
HOPES Hours
- Thursday evenings from 6 to 9:30 PM.
- Specialty care is offered on select Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9:30 PM.
To join the patient waitlist, call 757-446-0366.
Location
Norfolk Department of Public Health Building
830 Southampton Ave.
Norfolk, VA 23510
For additional details on HOPES, please download our HOPES flyer and check out our newsletter.
Join the appointment waitlist
Call 757-446-0366
Para Espanol 757-446-0366
Scheduling is based on availability and is subject to change due to inclement weather and staff availability.
What to bring
Please bring the following to your first appointment:
- Any valid ID (must have your picture on it)
- Proof of residence (a piece of mail with your name on it)
- Paystub
- All current medications
Where to go
Norfolk Department of Public Health Building
830 Southampton Ave.
Norfolk, VA 23510
Am I eligible?
HOPES patients:
- Must be a resident of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, or Newport News
- Must be over 18 and under 65
- Must make less than twice the federal poverty level, according to
- Cannot be pregnant (would be insured through )
- Must be uninsured or underinsured, which means:
- Limited ability to afford copays and deductibles incurred from physician visits
- Medical conditions that accumulate cost from multiple physician visits, pharmacies and medications
- Limited or delayed access to services due to insurance provider
I have limited English proficiency
HOPES provides care in English and Spanish through the use of in-person and over-the-phone interpreters.
What to expect during your visit
You will be greeted by a front desk volunteer who will check you in for your appointment. A student clinician, or team of two student clinicians, will speak with you about your medical history and perform an initial physical exam. The student clinician will then present your information to the overseeing provider. The student clinician team and the overseeing provider will return to you with a treatment plan. Lastly, you will check out with a continuity coordinator who will schedule any follow-up appointments needed and answer any remaining questions you may have about your visit.
What we offer:
- Primary care
- Spanish-speaking healthcare providers for primary care and pediatric appointments
- Specialty services, to include:
- Dermatology
- Ear, Nose & Throat
- Gynecology
- Mental Health
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedics
- Sports Medicine
New patients are accepted in both primary and specialty clinics. Wait times can vary depending on the clinic and the availability of the providers.
Services Provided:
- Blood Pressure (B/P)
- Height
- Weight
- Heart Rate (HR)
- Temperature
- Pulse Oximetry (SpO2)
Services Provided:
- Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)
- Lipoprotein (LP)
- Urine Analysis (UA)
- Hemoglobin
- HbA1c
- Blood glucose
- Pregnancy test (hCG)
- TSH
- Strep A
- Pylori
Services Provided:
- Physicals
- Management of common chronic conditions:
- Hypertension (HTN)
- Diabetes
- Hyperlipidemia
- Depression
- Arthritis
- Counseling on preventive care & health maintenance
Services Provided:
- We have a clinic every Friday morning at Freemason Baptist church that is free and does not require appointments. However, Freemason has much more limited resources than HOPES.
- Primary care follow-ups for Freemason and Street Rounds patients
- This often includes care for illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.
- Walk-in wound care
- Walk-in care for any patients struggling with homelessness
Services Not Provided:
- Referrals determined on an individual basis, as our patients present with a wide variety of illnesses and injuries
- Patients better served by other specialty clinics such as gynecology or dermatology
Services Provided:
- Pap smears
- STI testing (other than syphilis)
- Menstrual irregularities or related concerns
- Contraception management (excluding IUD and Nexplanon insertion)
- IUD removal
- Nexplanon removal
Services Not Provided:
- Nexplanon/IUD insertion
- Mammography
- Pregnancy/prenatal care
- Syphilis testing
Services Provided:
- Assessment for ENT problems
- Chief complaints may include but are not limited to: ear pain, ear pressure, ear discharge, dizziness/vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, facial pain/pressure, chronic rhinorrhea, chronic nasal congestion, postnasal drainage, chronic hoarseness, chronic throat irritation/throat clearing, globus sensation, dry mouth
- Treatment vs. referral determined by the physician on an individual basis
- Medication/treatment for certain ENT conditions
- Dizziness/vertigo assessment and treatment
Services Not Provided:
- Treatment for sleep Apnea
Services Provided:
- Adult ophthalmology and optometry visits
- Glasses
- Glaucoma screenings
- Vision checks (can dilate eyes in clinic)
- Retina check
- General eye health
Services Not Provided:
- Any surgical procedures or more severe eye conditions will be referred to the Lions Club at Sentara
Services Provided:
- Steroid injections
- Physical therapy and home exercise programs
- Tens unit
- Osteopathic Manual Manipulation (if DO is volunteering)
- Ultrasound guided injections/diagnostic
- Braces (wrist, boots, knee, etc.)
- Soft tissue and joint injuries, musculoskeletal complaints, nerve issues (carpal tunnel, nerve entrapment, etc.)
Services Not Provided:
- Imaging (MRI/Xray)
- Serious injuries requiring immediate care/surgery
Services Provided:
- Foot, ankle, and arm braces for relevant injuries, steroid injections, muscle cream, targeted musculoskeletal therapy
Services Not Provided:
- Fitting for Prosthetics
- Anything that will require surgery
Services Provided:
- Medication management (not long-term)
- Initial consult and recommendations for psychiatric services and counseling outside of HOPES
Services Not Provided:
- ADHD testing
- Counseling
Please note: We do not see complicated cases with multiple psychiatric comorbidities. In those instances we ill refer the patient to an outside professional.
Services Provided:
- General dermatology (ex. rashes, acne, lesions of concern, full skin check, follow up of chronic conditions such as psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa)
- Biopsy of a neoplasm of uncertain behavior
Services Not Provided:
- Close follow-ups (ex: Accutane monthly appointments)
- Need to see dermatologist sooner (as HOPES dermatology clinic occurs monthly)
- Lesions that require excisions
- Laser treatments
Why HOPES?
Getting Started at HOPES
Students can register for Front Desk, IT, and Vitals Assistant roles without any prior training. Junior Clinician/Scribe positions are open to all Medical and Physician Assistant Students in the preclinical phase. Senior Clinician positions are open to all Medical and Physician Assistant Students who have started rotations or received a passing score on Step 1.
All students can participate in HOPES events, teams, and leadership roles whether they are assigned to HOPES or not.
Logging Your Hours
Students can register for shifts at HOPES and log their hours on the .
Note About Language Services
We are excited by the breadth of languages that our students and community volunteers either speak or have interest in. However, students and volunteers may not act as ad hoc interpreters while participating in CEL activities, as there are certain qualifications required to be an interpreter in a healthcare setting. Students who have a Community Interpreter Certificate or are Nationally Certified Interpreters should always discuss with CEL whether they may act as an interpreter at a site BEFORE participating in a pre-approved CEL activity. Students who wish to offer their services as interpreters in the community do so at their own risk and may not hold themselves out as doing so on behalf of our medical school.
Whether or not a bilingual student may be a 'Spanish Medical Interpreter' at an Community-Engaged Learning site is based on a multitude of factors including the activity and the student's level of Spanish medical interpretation experience. Currently, Spanish language services are only available as part of the initiatives outlined below and in accordance with the guidance provided:
- HOPES/ Clinica Esperanza
- Medical Spanish
Finally, be aware that while individuals use the words 'interpreter' and 'translator' interchangeably, they are very different activities. Interpreters speak orally while translators work with written materials.
If you have additional questions, please contact Community-Engaged Learning.
"Working with the HOPES student-run free clinic restores the joy in medicine. The students do all the documentation; I just get the fun of treating patients and watching students pick up on clinic findings and develop diagnoses. It's just a lot of fun!"
- Dr. Bruce Britton, Family Medicine
How do I become a HOPES Volunteer Provider
Attending and resident physicians mentor and assist Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at 91制片厂 students in providing healthcare at HOPES during evening clinic shifts from 6-9:30 p.m.
Providers across numerous specialties currently volunteer at HOPES and have the flexibility to choose a schedule that suits their availability.
To become a HOPES provider, please fill out the .
If you have additional questions, please contact Community-Engaged Learning at VHScommunityengagedlearning@odu.edu.