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Biddeford, Maine
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Deirdre Fleming Stires

Free blood pressure screenings at UNE on Saturday, Nov. 7

The Commons building at U N E's Biddeford Campus, reflected in the water at golden hour on a summer evening.
The next free clinic hosted by the College of Osteopathic Medicine student club will be on the Martin Luther King Day of Service.

Know your numbers! University of New England medical students are hosting a community blood screening clinic where members of the public can get their blood pressure checked for free from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 7, on UNE’s Biddeford Campus. Walk-ins are welcome. 

The UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine Family Medicine Interest Group student club is hosting the free community screening clinic in the Cloud Lounge at the UNE Campus Center at 11 Hills Beach Road. The screenings let students practice their clinical skills while helping neighbors learn about making health-conscious decisions.

“Blood pressure is a metric of health that represents overall cardiovascular well-being, and many people don’t know they have high blood pressure until it becomes a problem,” said Libby Shea, a second-year medical student and president of the student club. 

“As future family physicians, we strive to bring free screenings directly to our community neighbors because we aim for preventative intervention rather than reactive treatment,” Shea added.

Student clubs in Maine’s medical school are run independent of the University, and many conduct community service work with the goal of amassing the volunteer service hours suggested by the American Association of College of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). AACOM encourages medical students to engage in community service to help educate the public about the osteopathic ideals and the professional values inherent in osteopathic medicine. 

The blood pressure screening is just one example of this service, and the student group hosting the event strives to offer the free clinics each semester. 

The student club has hosted community blood pressure clinics for several years at various locations, most notably on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. The club’s next clinic is slated for the MLK Day of Service on Jan. 18, 2027.

Media Contact

Deirdre Fleming Stires
Office of Communications
dstires@une.edu

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible online offerings. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. We are the state’s top provider of health professionals and home to Maine’s only medical and dental colleges, physician assistant program, and pharmacy school, in addition to a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care programs and nationally recognized programs in the marine sciences, the natural and social sciences, business, the humanities, and the arts.