Remote Area Medical: Lindsay Elkins, OD, FAAO, on care for underserved communities

Remote Area Medical (RAM) has provided free vision, dental, and medical care through volunteer-powered pop-up clinics since 1985, when founder Stan Brock launched the organization after witnessing treatable conditions go unaddressed in remote areas with no access to care.¹ The organization has since grown into one of the largest volunteer medical relief efforts in the country, serving its millionth patient in 2025 while operating in more than 40 US states and more than 30 countries.² Eye care is one of RAM's core services: patients receive complete dilated eye exams, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy testing, and glasses made on-site at RAM's mobile vision lab.³

For optometrists considering volunteering, Lindsay Elkins, OD, FAAO, chair of optometric education and associate professor at Southern College of Optometry, offers a firsthand account of what a RAM clinic day looks like, from patients lining up before dawn to the coordination between optometry, dentistry, and other specialties working side by side. Elkins, a longtime RAM volunteer who has attended clinics in Memphis and Knoxville, Tennessee, describes the scale of these events, memorable patient encounters, and what RAM reveals about eye care access gaps that many providers underestimate, particularly in rural communities where an optometrist may be hours away.

Elkins also covers the practical side of getting involved: registering through RAM's website, how state volunteer licensing often accommodates this work, and how equipment, lodging, and meals are typically provided at clinics far from home.

For optometrists who have never volunteered with RAM but are curious about what it takes, or who want a clearer picture of the need RAM clinics serve, this conversation with Elkins offers a candid, practical starting point for getting involved.

References

1. Remote Area Medical. Wikipedia. Accessed July 31, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_Area_Medical

2. Looking back at 2025, our 40th year and millionth patient. Remote Area Medical. December 29, 2025. Accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.ramusa.org/12/looking-back-at-2025-our-40th-year-and-millionth-patient/

3. About RAM. Remote Area Medical. Accessed July 31, 2026. https://www.ramusa.org/about-ram/