To the Penn State community,
Thanks to a submission from a staff member through one of my previous newsletters, I discovered an inspiring example of a group of Penn Staters making a real impact through the LION Mobile Clinic — a student-run no-cost medical clinic serving local community members inside a traveling camper. Together, these Penn State physicians, staff and students are using “tailgate medicine” to bring our land-grant impact to life and health care to the doorsteps of our neighbors in rural communities across central Pennsylvania.
When we think about modern health care and its infrastructure, including medical offices, hospitals, clinics, and personnel such as primary care physicians, nurses, specialists and staff — it’s truly immense. The unfortunate reality is this level of health care is not available in every community, and this accessibility gap can have serious consequences.
In alignment with our goal to transform health, and as the only land-grant university in Pennsylvania with its footprint firmly within a rural region, Penn State has a unique opportunity to partner with communities for positive change.
As you’ll see in the video above, through the LION Mobile Clinic, determined Penn Staters are helping address this need by increasing health care access and food security for individuals in rural communities and training the next generation of health providers, scholars and educators to care for them. This project is an innovative model for teaching and research that empowers our students — future healthcare providers — to build connections and gain real experience within Pennsylvania communities.
The idea for the clinic's creation was first sparked by a community in our backyard. Snow Shoe, the home of 1,700 residents about 30 minutes away from State College, faced a series of setbacks beginning a few years ago. The quick loss of essential services — including a medical center and pharmacy — created a challenge for accessing preventative health care.
Penn State College of Medicine faculty, staff and students, led by physician Dr. Michael McShane, rallied to respond. Together, they launched the mobile clinic in 2022 — utilizing a nimble model of health care that can adapt to fit the needs of the community it serves.
The team’s camper vans are outfitted with everything you’d expect in a medical clinic, enabling students to bring their care and expertise wherever they are needed — whether that’s bustling community events or personalized home visits in Snow Shoe and other communities in Centre County.
In the last two years, the clinic treated over 3,300 community members and administered over 800 vaccinations.
Their events are open to the public, no appointments are necessary and no health insurance is required. Their no-cost services typically include vaccinations, blood pressure screenings and medication counseling.
But their services don’t stop there. In my conversation with Hannah Wilding, a medical student completing her degree at University Park, she told me about how the clinic strives to not just treat symptoms or diseases, but to care for the whole person and their community.
In fact, during a community event in Snow Shoe, Hannah noticed something concerning during a wellness check with resident Betty Walker. Betty's blood pressure was high, and when Hannah followed up, she discovered the reason: Betty had just spread 40 bags of mulch in her yard and, worse yet, had another 50 to go.
Recognizing the potential health risk, Hannah didn't hesitate. Together with her fellow medical students, they spent their weekend finishing the yardwork, earning themselves the heartwarming nickname “Betty's Angels.”
This commitment to community is apparent within all those who contribute their time to the LION Mobile Clinic, which currently engages 80 students from six Penn State colleges: the College of Agricultural Sciences, the Nese College of Nursing, College of Health and Human Development, College of the Liberal Arts, College of Arts and Architecture, and, of course, the College of Medicine.
Looking to the future, the LION Mobile Clinic team hopes to continue to expand across Penn State’s Commonwealth Campus communities and extend its services and reach to even more counties in Pennsylvania. I eagerly anticipate seeing this initiative, and other mobile health clinics at the University, continue to grow.
Encouraged by their example, Dr. Karen Kim, the dean of the College of Medicine, and I are united in our vision to enhance health care and increase access within Pennsylvania’s rural communities.
That’s why the story of the LION Mobile Clinic is not just an incredible example of where our commitment to public impact and student success meet. It’s a call to action for our entire University to serve our communities and neighbors as the foundation of our mission.
Neeli