As someone interested in pursuing a medical profession in the future, I knew it was important for me to understand the problems in our current healthcare system so that I can help eliminate those disparities. As an out-of-state student, I was eager to immerse myself into the Cincinnati community, learn about its different characteristics, and give back to the city that is going to be home for at least the next four years. And volunteering at Crossroad Health Center has provided me with just that.
From the start of my first shift at the Crossroad OTR location, I experienced a different side of healthcare that I never witnessed before. In shadowing physicians and nurses for my first few shifts to helping with referrals and scheduling, I learned about the various obstacles that many patients have to overcome to receive proper healthcare. I saw occasions where patients would have to plan their appointments according to their job schedules, instead of the other way around, and even some instances where patients would have to postpone their appointments indefinitely since they could not afford to take time off work. And to think that this is just one example in the broader scope of inaccessible healthcare is alarming! When comparing these instances to my personal experiences, I became appreciative of the resources that I have and saddened that these resources were not universal, especially with essential elements such as healthcare.
Even if the patient on the other side of that phone call may never know who I am, the fact that I am making their lives easier by taking that burden of scheduling referrals off of their shoulders has made me even more excited to work my shift every week. I am grateful for the opportunity to minimize those challenges associated with healthcare, and I hope that I can continue this impact during my time at Crossroad Health Center.
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