Misfortune Lead to Another Opportunity
This past Friday, when I walked into the Digestive Unit to begin my volunteer shift, I noticed that all the lights in the patients’ rooms were off. I walked to the locker room and a nurse told me that there weren’t any patients, so I can go home or find a different floor to volunteer at. I was upset at first because I thought that the volunteer coordinator would have told me, but then when I did contact the coordinator, she told me to go to the surgery unit.
Fortunately, the surgery unit did need a volunteer. I was happy to know that I was able to help in any way possible. It was almost the same tasks that I performed on the other unit: cleaning and changing the beds. Except I also made, what they called, “hat kits.” Which is a surgical cap with items wrapped in the hat that are need to prepare the patient going into surgery.
I was welcomed just as warmly as the other floor, the nurses and other healthcare staff always voices their gratitude for the volunteers. I like knowing that, no matter how small of a task I am performing, I am making their already tough jobs a little easier. One of the nurses gave me great advice concerning my pathway to becoming a physician. She told me that she would advocate specializing in Emergency Medicine, since I told her I wanted to be a surgeon. She said that with Emergency Medicine, you are not stuck with always doing the same thing. You can be helping with broken bones one minute, then delivering a baby the next. That really did intrigue me, because at one point, I thought of being an obstetrician. I told her that I am definitely not closed off to other specialties.
While talking to this nurse, I told her how I am worried about finances. She told me about a program that her mother was a board member of that supported women pursuing a career in the medical field, and she also told me of another one called Indian Health Services. It will provide you with a loan to help with your student debt in exchange for two-years of service in facilities that serve American Indian and Alaska Native communities. This was very helpful advice, not just because of the loan opportunity, but because of the opportunity to work in rural areas. Since once I become a physician and establish a good foundation, I want to build an organization that will help serve communities all over the world that do not have access to healthcare. Working in a rural community, especially giving back to the US in this way, is something I truly want to do.
So even though I initially thought that my day was going to be a waste, I received more out of that volunteer shift than the other days. I learned more about the application process for Medical School, as well as alternatives. Hopefully I will be able to volunteer at this unit again.