The clinic is primarily staffed with volunteers for both medical and non-medical positions. You can be a part of our volunteer staff. See the volunteer sections of the web site. A small full time staff coordinates the efforts of our volunteer staff. Currently they include:
 

Medical Director (Volunteer Part Time): Dr. Robert E. Bowers, MD FACS, who has a long history of service to the community, is serving as our Medical Director. Dr. Bowers is a past president of the Hamilton County Medical Society and the Tennessee Medical Society. He is highly respected by his peers. Dr. Bowers was named Tennessee Medical Association’s "Physician of the Year" in April, 2005 and he received Memorial Hospital’s Humanitarian Award in November of that same year. On February 8, 2011, Dr. Bowers received the 2011 Jack B. McConnell, MD award for Excellence in Volunteerism from the American Medical Association.

Clinic Administrator: Patricia Dennison, MM, BS began with VIM on opening day in May 2005 serving as a volunteer until she assumed this role in May 2006. She has extensive experience in the healthcare arena, starting in immunology research, then transitioning to supervising hospital laboratories, and, most recently, serving as director of a claims and call center in the health insurance industry.

Medical Personnel Trainer (Part Time): Laura S. Grody. Laura has been a volunteer nurse with VIM-Chattanooga since 2010. She has a BSN from Louisiana State University in New Orleans, LA. In addition to her nursing volunteer work, she has also been very active serving The Bethlehem Center and McCallie School parent’s organization. VIM is pleased to add this role to its staff to expedite the training of medical volunteers. Laura is married and a mother of three sons.

Volunteer Coordinator (Part Time): Elizabeth F. Raiford. Elizabeth has served VIM-Chattanooga in various roles since opening day in 2005. She graduated from Louisiana State University in New Orleans, LA and has a tremendous amount of experience in Sales and Marketing as well as Volunteer management. Her interest and commitment to VIM as a volunteer has been exemplary. Elizabeth is married and has two children and 4 grandchildren

Office Assistant: Kathy Bolinger. She comes to VIM with expertise in the hotel hospitality industry, as well as having worked for the Heil Co. in their corporate sales office. She has an AS degree in information systems from Chattanooga State. Kathy has a wonderful, bubbly personality and is happy to serve VIM’s patients.

Nurse Practitioner: The role of nurse practitioner is being supplied by SON Superior Staffing. Four Nurse practitioners are job sharing this role. Their combined years of experience and their educational strength in this field have benefitted VIM tremendously. Their commitment and organization have provided stability to this role.

Nurse (Part Time): Denise Smith, RN, began at VIM as a volunteer in June 2006. She was hired as a part time staff member in September 2006. Her duties are to oversee the dispensing of medications from VIM’s dispensary. She also assists VIM’s nurse practitioner in calling patient lab results and scheduling with specialists as needed, as well as, assisting in the exam rooms as needed. Her nursing background includes cardiac specialty and working in Community health as a school nurse.

Dispensary Technician: Kristen Curtis, VIM’s first fulltime dispensary tech, joined the staff in January, 2008. She has worked in the Chattanooga area after receiving her Pharmacy Tech training from Chattanooga State and obtaining her national certification in 2007. Previously, Kristen had worked in a variety of customer contact positions prior to her graduation. She is a tremendous asset and complements the VIM staff and their duties very well.