UK medical students make a difference at COVID vaccination clinic

LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ) – The University of Kentucky Covid Vaccination Clinic at Kroger Field will be staying open a few extra hours on Saturdays.

According to the clinic, staying open until 6 pm instead of 1 pm will increase its capacity to vaccinate an additionally 1,000 people a week with the help of medical students from the University of Kentucky.

“This is an experience that they will carry with them the remainder of their career without a doubt,” says Doctor Robert Dipaula, the dean of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

Doctor Dipaola tells ABC 36 that the clinic had asked for some volunteers to help out during the newly added hours. The schools, they were met with an overwhelming positive response from students.

“When we made a call to the college of medicine for some volunteers and within 30 minutes we had it filled,” says Dipaula.

Students like Elizabeth Hanson says this chance to volunteer was a calling lots of medical students had been waiting for since the start of the pandemic.

“Most people wanted to help I think most people wanted to find something they could do that would be helpful to their families to their communities,” says Hanson.

Hanson tells ABC 36 that some of her passion comes from seeing her father, a high risk patient receive the vaccine after months of uncertainty.

“When he got to go through UK system to get the vaccine…It was just a huge weight off of my shoulders,” says Hanson.

She says she and her classmates are determined to help provide that sense of relief for other families in the state.

“I can’t think of a more amazing time to be in medical school, it’s an amazing lens to see how Covid really impacts my community in Lexington,” says Hanson.

Thanks to the work of these volunteers, the medical school says this will speed up the rate in terms of vaccinating the community.

“I appreciate all of them for being here to do this for us and for putting their lives in harms way to protect us..All of us really,” says Debbie Parker, a recipient of the vaccine

“My first day here at vaccine roll-out feels like hope…I’ll remember it for the rest of my life,” says Hanson.

In addition to Saturday operations from 9 am to 6 pm, the UK vaccination clinic will also be operating from 9 am to 7 pm Tuesday to Friday.