Tuesday, June 19, 2018

#theVIPExperience Post #55: Grace Kelly

From the first semester of my freshman year I was interested in applying to be a Crossroad Volunteer Intern. A lot of my friends at Xavier were VIP’s and really enjoyed their experience, so I was excited when I applied and was accepted to be a VIP. I did not really know what to expect out of the position, but I was eager to gain experience volunteering in a health care setting. I was also so happy to be accepted as a part of the Crossroad team because of the Christian grounds that Crossroad is founded upon. I am from the Greater Cincinnati area so Crossroad is close to home which is another reason why I wanted to be a part of this program. The Cincinnati community has provided so many opportunities for me growing up and I feel grateful to have the chance to give back to the Cincinnati community through the VIP program.

One of my favorite aspects of the VIP program is the interaction we have with patients over the phone or in person. In-person referrals are not as common as contacting patients over the phone, but when I do have the chance to help a patient schedule an appointment in person I really value the interaction. Seeing the patients in person that we are to assist in scheduling appointments makes the position we have and duties we fulfill as VIP’s even more meaningful. The patients we contact over the phone or meet with in person are always so grateful for the work we do in helping to schedule their appointments and it brings me joy to be an integral part in making sure our patients receive all of the care that they need.

As a volunteer at Crossroad, I have learned that access to quality health care is never something to take for granted because it is not as easily accessible to even some in our own Cincinnati community as it is to most of us. Scheduling appointments for patients at facilities outside of Crossroad may sound like a trivial job, but it has really deepened my desire to work in the health care field after graduation because I want to continue to be an advocate for patients’ health and to have a positive impact in another’s life. I am extremely proud to be a member of the Crossroad community and would encourage anyone interested in any form of healthcare to participate in this program.


                                                                                   -- Grace Kelly

1 comment: