Eye exams, blood pressure checks, and diabetes testing. These medical visits may cost a couple hundred dollars, but at Pierce, students receive these services for free.
The Health Center hosted its annual Health Fair in the Great Hall for students who may have health-related concerns or just need a quick health exam, free of charge.
Director of the Student Health Center Beth Benne said the Health Fair is important for students to learn about the health resources available to them on campus.
“It is our third annual Student Health and Wellness Fair, and it is our way of advertising to our student community here at Pierce to let them know we are here and all the different things we can help them with,” Benne said.
Benne said that each table at the Health Fair has everything students need.
“We do everything from medical care, mental health care, health education and Cover California for students who don’t have insurance,” Benne said.
Mitchell Nishimoto, the district physician, is here once a week, and there are mental health providers and health educators available every day.
Health Center Medical Director Dr. Mitchell Nishimoto talks about his duties as a physician and what the health fair has to offer for students.
“This Health Fair event is one of our outreach programs where we can actually get out into the college community to let them know the kind of services that are available for them and the things we have to offer,” Nishimoto said. “Our staff gives them health tips in things that they can compete in their general health and hopefully provide them access to other health programs.”
Jennifer Chao, a nursing student, is finishing her bachelor’s degree and said that she enjoys working at the Health Fair.
“I love working at the vision table. We are helping people determine if the prescription of the glasses are OK or if they need their vision checked, and we also check for color blindness,” Chao said. “We help them get resources if they need ideas for alternatives to get their eyesight checked.”
Denis Grigorov, a first-year nursing student, helps at the Health Fair.
“The purpose of the fair is to help out students who are interested in going to nursing school and to answer questions concerning their health,” Grigorov said. “There is a lot of exposure for students to ask questions for us as health care students and professionals who are in the nursing field.”
