22 shifts, 86 hours

I have been volunteering at Crossroads for 22 shifts, totaling 86 hours.  It went by in the blink of an eye.  Reflecting on my first rotation at Crossroads one question seems to sum up my experience.  Being on the pre-medical track, people always ask me “what kind of a doctor do you want to be.”  A few months ago at one of our intern meetings everyone was asked that same question.  “So what kind of a doctor do you want to be,” but the next question caught all of us off guard, “why do each of you want to become a doctor?” Rarely do people ever ask why we chose to become doctors.  From my experiences of talking to and listening to other undergraduate students on the pre-medical track I have found they dream of summer homes by a lake, medical conferences on cruise ships, and a sporty car but the interns were different.  All of the interns in the room replied with an explanation of how they want to make a positive difference in another’s life.  Some dream of being an OB-GYN helping underprivileged women, while others want to be a family physician in a small town and a leader in the community, and still others explained how they love helping others and are in awe of the human body so they want to use their knowledge and passion to serve others every day in their career.  Not one person in the room said that they wanted to become a doctor for a large salary.

After that we were asked again, “what kind of a doctor do you want to be.”  We had already stated if we wanted to become a pediatrician, a surgeon, a cardiologist, an OB-GYN, and so on, but this time she did not mean what field of medicine we intend to specialize in, but what kind of a doctor we want to be.  There are doctors that live and work for the expensive house in the best part of town with the newest and most luxurious clothes and car, going on trips to tropical islands all of whom do not care about their patients.  And then there are the doctors that are genuinely concerned about their patients; those doctors who spend time listening to them and want to give the best care possible.  They became doctors so that they could make a significant positive impact on others’ lives.

Volunteering and becoming a part of the Crossroads community has helped me to learn a lot more than I expected about being a provider who makes a difference in others’ lives.  I have not only gotten the opportunity to shadow a pediatrician, but also to interact with patients in person and over the phone contacting them about their referrals to other offices and hospitals.  I still do not fully understand all of the work it takes to keep Crossroads open and helping patients, but I understand it a lot better than before I started volunteering at Crossroads.  I have been involved in various office work which helps me to appreciate the time and skills the people behind the scenes put in so that the patients’ visits go smoothly.

I love helping others and when I become a provider I will look back to my time at Crossroads, remembering how they put the patients first.  Each member of the team goes above and beyond to help the patients through the twenty-four hour emergency phone line, education, blood work testing, classes, referral and immunization reminders, and by getting to know each patient.  For now, I will continue helping out in any way I can at Crossroads to put others first and learn as much as possible so that I can be a provider that puts others first.

--Teresa Rust