The time I’ve spent at
Crossroad has been nothing short of emotionally and mentally rewarding. The Crossroad Volunteer
Internship Program is designed for students to make a positive impact on the
lives of patients within their medical community. When I first applied for the
program, I was eager to show support for underserved populations, but didn’t
realize how much it would also teach me about healthcare processes. I’ve
learned the true importance of follow-up healthcare and investment in a patient’s
well-being.
At the beginning of the program, I shadowed Dr. Wilson at Crossroad Health Center Harrison. She was soft-spoken and kind with every patient she met. Her interactions with the children and their parents was very humanizing. Many times I think that people feel a disconnect with physicians due to differences in areas such as socioeconomic status or education levels. However, Dr. Wilson provides comfort and understanding to all patients, treating them exactly how they deserve to be treated- as an equal. The providers at Crossroad are all incredibly special in this way; they not only cater to physical health, but also to the health of interpersonal relationships.
Once I was finished with shadowing, I began to learn the process of working through the referrals. This is the main responsibility of VIPs throughout the one-year program. Although this process can be repetitive and sometimes lead to dead ends, such as when patients move practices or change phone numbers without notifying the office, when they actually are contacted and helped the reward makes all the work worthwhile. Scheduling appointments or providing reminders is something that may seem so minor in most people’s lives. However, unfortunately for some it isn’t so feasible. In fact, it could even be seen as a luxury in some cases. The role of the CVIPs in scheduling and reminding people of their healthcare appointments makes the process so much less stressful for most patients and improves the accessibility of healthcare for all.
This experience has made such an impact on my life. I have been able to give and receive support that has helped shape me as I am becoming my own person. I hope that the program is able to continue to provide these opportunities for both students and patients within the community.
-- Regan Bales
No comments:
Post a Comment