Trailer for the documentary Remote Area Medical.
During the U.S. debate about healthcare reform, the media—reporters and news crews and filmmakers—failed to put a human face on what it means to not have access to healthcare. Remote Area Medical fills that gap. Remote Area Medical (RAM) is a program that started out giving medical attention to people in rural areas of poorer countries, but they have found it necessary to shift resources from countries like Guatemala to help people in the U.S. The film covers the span of a long weekend in which RAM sets up a clinic on a NASCAR speedway and helps almost two thousand people receive medical, dental, and vision care. While we watch with amazement at what these volunteers accomplish in three short days, and how truly grateful people are for their assistance, we know in the back of our minds that RAM shouldn’t have to exist. While every tooth pulled feels like a kick to the stomach, Remote Area Medical vividly reveals how crucial these services are, and how they lead to a chance at better lives for the patients in need.