#theVIPExperience Post #66: Priyanka Vemuru

Since my first shift working as a VIP, I have been exposed to many patient and provider interactions: everything from shadowing providers during patient visits to helping set up in-person referrals to acting as a Spanish to English translator. My most meaningful interaction with a patient stemmed from a translating experience that occurred during one of my very first shifts working as a VIP intern. I was working with another intern on referrals when a provider came up to the desk and asked if we could help with translations for a Spanish-speaking patient. As somebody who absolutely loves the Spanish culture and language, I was a mixture of excitement and nerves! However, as I began to translate for the provider, the nerves quickly melted away into a feeling of accomplishment. Having the opportunity to translate allowed me to get a level of patient/provider experience that I would not have gotten any other way. I left the room knowing that I had positively affected the health and well-being of that family. They were extremely grateful and curious about where I had learned my Spanish. I even found out that I studied abroad in the same area where the family had lived prior to moving to the United States!