Kobi Griffith’s lifelong love of science has transformed into a love for service. A graduate of Oberlin College with a degree in Biology, Kobi is currently attending the University of Pittsburgh, School of Pharmacy. She will be working with the Birmingham Free Clinic to help underserved, low-income populations navigate the complexities of health insurance and government-subsidized healthcare programs. “These programs often require a high level of medical literacy to navigate,” she stated. “I am hoping that my training will allow me to advocate for those who need healthcare access.”
Her project will also focus on serving individuals who lack the necessary documentation to receive government healthcare, whether it is due to their legal status or other life circumstances. “The circumstances of a person’s life should not determine whether they deserve to be healthy,” she said. Recognizing the correlation between low income and lack of documentation, Kobi hopes to support an overlooked demographic by connecting them to the resources they need, stating, “Service work exists to mitigate the disparities that exist in society. It should help people access what they need to have a successful, healthy, and happy life.”
Kobi’s path in service work has been propelled by colleagues and communities she has met along the way. Her project was inspired by a patient she met while working at the Birmingham Free Clinic. “She was a refugee who was struggling to get care because of her ‘in-between’ status because she didn’t have asylum yet. We were trying to figure out how to get her access to a procedure she needed without risking deportation,” Kobi recounted. “Although people without legal access can get emergency medical treatment, it has to be life or death, so we saw a niche that needed to be attended to.”
During her Fellowship project, she hopes to support patients from their initial intake to receiving treatment, recounting an inspirational experience she had while shadowing at the clinic. “A lot of people fall through the cracks. A patient had a serious condition that needed an operation, and she was on disability, which made her eligible for Medicare, but you have to be on disability for at least two years to access medical care.” Kobi was grateful for the opportunity to help the patient access affordable care and was happy to hear that the patient was recovering well after the procedure. Kobi continues to be inspired by Dr. Steve Lasky, a gastroenterologist who came out of retirement to volunteer at the Birmingham Free Clinic. “He works insane hours,” Kobi said. “Just seeing how much he wants to help inspires me every day.”
Although she anticipates some challenges with in-person consultations due to COVID-19, Kobi remains hopeful about lifting up her community. She is currently beginning her first week of in-person clinics and remote appointments. “I’ve always loved science,” she states, “Healthcare is the perfect mix of helping people and learning all kinds of different things.”
