UCSD Launches Mobile Medical Clinics to Expand Student-Run Care

New mobile units bring free health screenings and follow-up services to underserved San Diego neighborhoods.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 1:33am

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The UC San Diego School of Medicine has unveiled two new mobile medical clinics, one for general medicine and another for mammography, that will allow its student-run free clinic to expand services to more neighborhoods across the city. The mobile units, funded by federal community project grants, will provide free health screenings, follow-up care, and other services to underserved populations, with the goal of reducing unnecessary emergency department visits and improving overall community health.

Why it matters

Many low-income San Diego residents face significant barriers to accessing quality healthcare, including lack of transportation, limited clinic hours, and language/cultural differences. By bringing medical services directly to these communities, the mobile clinics aim to improve preventative care, chronic disease management, and post-discharge follow-up - all of which can lead to better health outcomes and lower healthcare costs.

The details

The mobile clinics are outfitted with modern exam rooms, testing equipment, and other amenities to allow medical students to provide a range of free services, including 3D mammograms, blood pressure checks, diabetes and cardiovascular screenings, and basic medical exams. The general medicine clinic is a converted motorhome, while the mammography unit is built on a commercial truck chassis to accommodate the specialized X-ray machine. Services are currently offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with plans to use the mobile model to research ways to better connect patients to follow-up care after emergency department visits.

  • The mobile clinics launched in August 2025.
  • UCSD recently added a 'mobile health' elective course, with 19 students participating since the program began.

The players

UCSD School of Medicine

The medical school that operates the student-run free clinic and has launched the new mobile health program.

Dr. Crystal Cené

The chief administrative officer and associate chief medical officer of health equity at UCSD, who spearheaded the mobile clinics initiative.

Bryan Trieu

A second-year UCSD medical student who has volunteered with the mobile clinics since their launch.

Congressmembers Sara Jacobs and Juan Vargas, and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla

Federal lawmakers who collaborated to provide $1.1 million in community project funding for the mobile units.

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What they’re saying

“These mobile clinics are ushering in a new evolution in that legacy of meeting people where they are, literally and figuratively, by bringing care with dignity to the community.”

— Dr. Crystal Cené, Chief Administrative Officer and Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health Equity, UCSD

“It's encouraging because you see a lot of people who are thankful for any care they get, and just having conversations with them, you realize how much of medicine is outside of just learning about cells and organs.”

— Bryan Trieu, Second-year UCSD Medical Student

“We need to fix our systems in general so that people aren't living on the streets and aren't having such trouble accessing care. But while we're fixing the bigger system, we also need to be investing in things like this, where we're actually getting resources out to the places where they're needed.”

— Congresswoman Sara Jacobs

What’s next

UCSD plans to use the mobile clinics to research ways the model can help reduce unnecessary emergency department visits and improve post-discharge follow-up care for patients in underserved communities.

The takeaway

The mobile clinics represent an innovative approach to expanding access to preventative care and chronic disease management in San Diego's low-income neighborhoods, leveraging medical students to bring high-quality services directly to the communities that need them most.