"When applying to be a Crossroad volunteer, I was not entirely sure what my role would be or what I would take away from the experience. I have always been passionate about service, but when I learned my role as a volunteer would be to make phone calls to patients and schedule appointments and transportation, I was unsure if this volunteering position would be up my wheelhouse. However, as I have been volunteering for over a semester, I have realized that my experience at Crossroad has been among my most rewarding healthcare experiences. Crossroad has been unlike any other medical experience I have had because it has focused on aspects of healthcare that I have previously ignored/ turned a blind eye to. Unlike other hospitals and health facilities I have been to, Crossroad focuses on the healthcare disparities the local population faces. Some patients face barriers to healthcare due to financial limitations, lack of transportation, and language. And while there are plenty of healthcare facilities in Cincinnati, there are few that work to eliminate these barriers.
Volunteering at Crossroad has made me want to work with an underserved population in my future career. These patients rely on help from volunteers and knowing that we are making a difference in their lives is incredibly rewarding. Some patients are unable to schedule appointments and transportation on their own due to busy work schedules, limited access to technology, and other factors, and these patients are so grateful for volunteers who help in such a simple way as making a phone call. The joy I have gotten from being able to make the lives of patients just a little bit easier has reminded me of why I wanted to pursue the medical field in the first place. In the future, I hope to bring what I have learned here at Crossroad to work to further eliminate these healthcare barriers."
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