My patient, “Ms. Katherin” was a 90-year-old woman with heart disease. She was a kind-hearted soul, she was very social person and enjoyed socializing with others despite her illness. Our relationship as a Hospice volunteer and patient was built upon trust, empathy, and companionship. I visited her weekly in the residential house to provide emotional support and companionship.
The most impactful aspect of my training was learning effective communication. Hospice patients often reflect on their lives, hence being a good listener and being able to validate their thinking process to assure them is a very important skill to have in a hospice volunteer. Training in active listening and empathetic communication particularly helped me create a supporting space for Ms. Katherin to express her emotions. One prompt that was particularly helpful was focusing on understanding the patient’s unique preferences, values, and spiritual beliefs. This helped guide our interactions and ensure that our care was personalized and aligned with my patient’s needs and wishes.
Something very positive that I learned from my patient is to be hopeful and dream no matter the stage of life that you’re positioned into, and also to always cherish the good memories that you had with your friends and family. Ms. Katherin would always share pictures and memories with her family, and she would always express how she would like to meet and spend time with her friends and family when she gets well and able to walk again. From the interaction with her, I realized how important it is to think positively for you to get through life peacefully, no matter where you are in life.
Although I started as a Hospice volunteer with the intention of medical pursuits, my experience as a hospice volunteer deepened my desire to pursue medicine even more. It provided firsthand experience in patient care, empathy, and holistic treatment approaches while also strengthening my communication skills and empathy. Reflecting on my journey, hospice volunteering has been transformational. It instilled a deeper appreciation for compassionate care and the human experience of end-of-life journey. On my medical school application, I would like to talk about how it equipped me with essential skills in patient care, communication, and empathy, and how it will shape my approach to medicine as a future physician.