As I drove up to Crossroad Health Center in OTR, I had no idea what to expect. Though I worked in clinical settings before, and I have volunteered for the underserved before, this was the first time I was truly exposed to the barriers the lower income communities face to receive proper care. When I called patients to help schedule appointments, a large majority were very thankful due to the fact they had no time to schedule, or even think about their personal health as they were too busy working multiple jobs. Sometimes patients had no way of transporting themselves to their appointments. This is in stark contrast to my own experience with healthcare; it is easy for me to take off work or school to schedule an important doctor’s appointment. Being a part of this team, it motivates me to want to help more and I have the opportunity to create a project next rotation that will help Crossroads reach out to more underserved patients.
During my time at Crossroads I have also had the privilege working with the kindest and dedicated staff. The first time I walked into the clinic, I was welcome with open arms. Most of my fellow VIPs were also fellow classmates and they all took their time to make me feel prepared for my duties. I was impressed with everyone’s professionalism when interacting with patients. Because of this, I am proud and humble to be a part of a team that is dedicated to serving those who are less fortunate.
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