Founded in 2019 by Emory Radiology residents, the nonprofit Clarkston Imaging Clinic (CIC) engages Emory radiology faculty, residents, medical students, and sonographers in providing ultrasound imaging studies to uninsured patients, most of whom are refugees legally resettled in metro Atlanta.
The Clarkston Imaging Leadership Team organizes volunteers for the clinic and determines how best to make medical imaging and other care accessible to patients without insurance. The leadership team comprises diagnostic radiology residents Dr. Joshua Jones, Dr. Patrick Arraj, and Dr. Josh Volin; medical student Wilson Battle; and Emory Healthcare Radiology sonographer Annie Goodwin.
The team's work is so impressive, they received Emory's 2026 Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award. "This Emory University award is a recognition of the hard work that our volunteering medical students, radiology residents, and sonographers put into running the Clarkston Imaging Clinic. Receiving the award from Emory School of Medicine Dean Wong was especially meaningful as she is in a position to appreciate how hard our residents work, and the dedication that it takes to serve the community in this way outside of their regular work hours." says Hernan Bello, assistant professor and co-director of the Global Health Track.
Annie recruits and schedules Emory Healthcare sonographers to volunteer at the clinic, where they image patients for a range of medical conditions.
Josh, Patrick and Josh engage their fellow residents in reading and interpreting the studies and together work on improving the clinic’s workflows.
Wilson coordinates the clinic’s schedule and oversees Emory medical student volunteers who take patient histories and work with the residents to ensure findings get to referring physicians at nearby nonprofit clinics like Mosaic Health Center.
To date, the team has provided free and low-cost ultrasound services for over 200 patients in Clarkston.
The team does far more than staff the imaging clinic. This fall, the team helped organize and volunteered at a health fair at Mosaic Health Clinic. They educated more than 400 attendees, most of whom have very limited incomes and live without health insurance, on the importance of breast and cervical cancer screenings and how to obtain such screenings.
During the fair, Mosaic gave out 2,500 pounds of food, administered over 200 vaccines, and provided a range of other services and health education to attendees. At the end of the day, Mosaic's executive director Jeremy Cole said, "Great success! Your Emory colleagues were, of course, amazing."
Josh Jones is negotiating with a local hospital for improved access to breast screening services including a mobile mammography unit to periodically provide free mammograms at Mosaic.
Last year, the team organized a volunteer service project at Mosaic connected with Emory Cares International Day of Service. Volunteers helped clean up the grounds around Mosaic and plant trees and perennials around the building to make it more welcoming.
Volunteers for the cleanup day included Emory Radiology Department Chair Dr. Amit Saindane, residents, faculty, and staff plus volunteers from Mosaic Health Clinic.