For first-year Montana WWAMI students Joe Wadhams and Tatjana Groenewald, leading the Neighborhood Health Initiative (NHI) medical clinics at the Bozeman Homeward Point Shelter is more than a leadership role. It is a meaningful way to care for neighbors experiencing homelessness while growing into the physicians they hope to become.
The Montana WWAMI Neighborhood Health Initiative hosts student-run clinics that provide foot care, A1C checks, over-the-counter medications, dental care supplies, vaccines, health care referrals and more for unhoused community members. An A1C check is a simple blood test that measures a person’s average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. It is commonly used to screen for and monitor diabetes, helping identify individuals at risk for complications before symptoms become severe.
For Wadhams, the work is personal. He volunteered at the Bozeman shelter before beginning medical school and was eager to continue serving community members he already knew, as well as those newly in need.
His favorite part of NHI is “seeing the same guests week after week and the excitement they have for participating in our clinic.”
Groenewald was drawn to the role through her deep commitment to service.
“I believe leadership in medicine begins with serving our most vulnerable neighbors,” she said. “It’s a privilege to help foster a team culture grounded in humility, collaboration, and compassionate care.”
Through their leadership, Wadhams and Groenewald are helping ensure that compassionate, practical care reaches those who need it most while building the foundation for their future roles as physicians.
