Through my experience as a Hospice volunteer over the past year, I have connected with my patients, grown in my understanding of what patient care truly means, and I recognize myself as a more well-rounded pre-medical student. I have been seeing my current patient since August of last year and have grown quite fond of the time we get to spend together each week. My patient, “SF,” has served in the military, worked as a prison guard, and is surrounded by a loving family. When I began this experience, I had assumed most of the conversations would revolve around death and aiding my patient in understanding what that may look like for them. However, many of our conversations revolved around life itself and recognizing the importance of appreciating each of life’s many influential moments. Despite our deep conversations about death and the unfamiliarity of it for my patient, “SF” never lost touch with his comedic side. He knew how to bring light into any conversation and put breadth into any story he told. My experiences with “SF” will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on how I view patient care, but also how I view my life itself as I progress further into adulthood.
After working closely with my hospice patients, I have a much deeper understanding of what caring for a patient can truly mean. I have learned about the value of life and how critical of a role medicine holds in attaining a more comfortable death for patients. I believe that patient care extends beyond diagnoses and treatments to additionally include healthcare providers’ ability to comfort and validate their patients in a way that respects their wishes while providing care that is uniquely suited to them. While spending time with my patients, I have grasped that much of death also involves life. This was elucidated for me through my patient’s stories. Reflecting upon one’s life allows for comfort in death as the patient can feel a sense of accomplishment in life, or they can work towards processing their life in a way that brings peace and resolution as they prepare for death. Through Hospice, I now feel more strengthened in knowing that being a doctor is what I am meant to do. I find great fulfillment in spending time with my patient each week—knowing that even for just an hour I can provide comfort in a difficult time in their life. My Hospice volunteering has allowed me to see that patient care is an extensive experience where high quality medical treatment can be unfortunately shrouded by impersonal attitudes and a lack of appreciation for patient wishes, but taking the time to make a conscious effort to provide comfort for patients can make a substantial difference in patient care.
Overall, my experience as a Hospice volunteer has allowed me to feel less anxiety about having difficult conversations with patients about death and dying. My understanding of death and dying’s unfixable nature has become more focused on following a patient’s wishes at all times and creating a comfortable death environment instead of prolonging life without necessarily improving the conditions of life. The value of Hospice volunteering’s inclusion in my medical school application stems from a firm confirmation that I am able to have challenging discussions with patients. It also shows that I have a strong foundation of the more personal sides of life and death from which I can further grow and apply my studies of medicine to. Hospice has invaluably validated my desire to become a doctor while encouraging me to always strive for excellence in caring for patients.