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Martin Methodist College has opened its first-ever on-campus health clinic to provide basic health needs for students, faculty and staff and their families.

The Martin Methodist Clinic is located beside the student apartments at 625 West Madison Street, in the building that previously housed the college’s Upward Bound program. Candace Johnson, assistant professor of nursing, is serving as director of the clinic, while Kim Goldinger, instructor of nursing, is the resident nurse practitioner. Another instructor in the nursing program, Louise Hawkins, will soon be serving as a resident nurse practitioner as well.

The facility will also give student nurses at Martin Methodist College an environment in which to practice their skills under faculty supervision.

The clinic is open on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plan is to expand to full-time status by July 1. An official grand opening of the clinic is set for the afternoon of Tuesday, April 2.

“We’re ready to take care of all your health care needs, from helping you to manage your high blood pressure to giving you your allergy shots,” Johnson said, “from treating your colds and flu to steri-stripping a cut. First and foremost, our focus is on working with you to keep you well. Regular check-ups will help you identify any risks for developing health problems. We are also ready to treat your acute illnesses, those colds and viruses.”

Among the services offered are: high blood pressure and diabetes prevention and treatment; physical exams; general illness diagnosis and treatment; sore throats and strep infections; sinus infections and allergies; urinary tract infections; minor injuries; and birth control and pregnancy tests.

The vision for the campus clinic came from Dr. Joyce Anderson, who joined the Martin Methodist faculty as chair of the nursing division at the start of the academic year.

“Dr. Anderson is very visionary,” Johnson said. “She’s already had some student nurses visiting local churches to do health promotion and wellness, and it’s been really well received.”

The sophomore nursing students work with the children in each church, teaching them health-related songs and basic information on topics ranging from healthy snacks to basic hygiene, while the junior nursing students serve the adults in the congregation, providing blood pressure checks and answering questions about healthy lifestyle choices. Johnson points out that the communities between Nashville, Tenn., and Huntsville, Ala., have been designated as an underserved health care area, and Anderson – in talking last fall about the Martin 2020 long-range plan that targets 13 south central Tennessee counties for the college’s future involvement – said she could envision a “parish nursing” program that could reach out to those 13 counties.

The new Martin Methodist Clinic is the first step in that type of “compassionate care” initiative.

“Right now,” Johnson said, “the fun part is that we’re positioned to do a full-blown campus health program, tailoring what we do to the needs of the faculty, staff and students here on campus.”

The cost for an office visit is $40, with additional charges for any tests that are conducted. The clinic accepts cash, credit or debit cards; it is already been approved by some insurance programs, and others, such as the college’s health insurance, is still in the approval process.

“We hope to soon provide you the capability of scheduling your own appointments online as well as allowing you to view your own medical records online,” Johnson said.

To contact the Martin Methodist Clinic, call 931-424-7338.