In the past, I have spent countless hours volunteering in the hospital and working as a medical scribe. I would constantly be surrounded by patients, but have never been able to truly connect with any of these individuals; I would only see them once or twice before they would be discharged. Therefore, when I saw … Continue reading “The Importance of Hospice Care Experience for Pre-Meds”
Author: A Student
Learning How to Talk About Grief
When I first met “Janice” and her mother, I instantly connected in a meaningful and emotional way. I was not able to speak with the mother, who was ill, but I did talk to “Janice” quite a lot. She had a lot of things to take care of around the house and was getting stressed … Continue reading “Learning How to Talk About Grief”
To Listen and Not to Hear
The relationships that I have built with my two hospice caretakers, “Fred” and “Susie”, are unique connections that I cannot compare to anything I have experienced before, especially due to the strictly remote element of our interactions. Though our phone calls are devoid of any face-to-face contact, I feel that my conversations with Fred and … Continue reading “To Listen and Not to Hear”
Why We Do This
Though I was unable to visit hospice patients this year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, I feel that I have grown exponentially as a person and a future health care professional. I thought that I understood death when I applied to the Athena Institute Pre-Med Hospice Volunteer Program, but suddenly the world is … Continue reading “Why We Do This”
Death is a Family Matter
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been talking with patient’s family members and caregivers rather than directly to the patient themselves. Through the Athena program, I have learned much about the role of hospice, the process of death and have been able to reflect on how I personally view death. Before entering this program, … Continue reading “Death is a Family Matter”
Impact of compassion in treating the patient over the disease
Before becoming a Hospice volunteer, I had just recently begun thinking more critically about my ingrained assumptions surrounding end of life care and death. An anthropology course I took in the spring of 2020, titled “Culture, Health and Illness”, made my beliefs more visible as it discussed many of the ways that biomedicine focuses on … Continue reading “Impact of compassion in treating the patient over the disease”
Acceptance of impermanence
Unfortunately, because of Corona I was unable to form a relationship with a patient, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t greatly impacted by this program. Throughout the course of this past year, and the reflection prompts that we have completed, I have greatly increased my knowledge about the dying process and have definitely become more … Continue reading “Acceptance of impermanence”
Personal Enrichment of the Hospice Program
My experience with the hospice program was a fantastic experience and incredibly beneficial in developing my interpersonal skills specific to a medical-type environment. Interacting with patients and family members who are part of this program has given me the opportunity to rethink my outlook on what is the goal of medicine. For many patients who … Continue reading “Personal Enrichment of the Hospice Program”
To New Experiences
Over the past 7 months, I have experienced an entirely new side of medicine and healthcare. Through the connections I formed with my hospice patient, as well as group discussions and reflections throughout this period, I have gained invaluable experience and insight that has allowed me to develop my professional and personal skills. Moreover, my … Continue reading “To New Experiences”
Finding Meaning in Medicine
Although I didn’t have the traditional pre-med hospice experience, I still believe that I have learned so much over the past year. I have gained a deeper understanding of myself, of the dying process, and of what it means to work in the medical field. I did not have the chance to work with a … Continue reading “Finding Meaning in Medicine”