History

In 1999, a handful of students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine who were concerned about the health care crisis of uninsured Americans launched a free clinic to provide care to uninsured residents of the Bronx. The Institute for Family Health, which operates a network of federally-qualified community health centers throughout New York State, collaborated with these students to launch the Einstein Community Health Outreach (ECHO) Free Clinic. It was the first clinic of its kind in New York City. Staffed by clinician and medical student volunteers, the ECHO Free Clinic currently provides high-quality primary health services to uninsured adults. Each year, more than 300 Einstein students volunteer alongside licensed clinicians to receive more than 800 medical care, health education, and social service visits from uninsured New Yorkers. Based on its success, ECHO has  helped students at other medical schools launch their own free clinics.