The Athena Institute Hospice volunteer program has provided me with an invaluable learning opportunity to expand my knowledge on communicating effectively with patients and those who may be suffering. Throughout the year, we have covered many transformative topics that I am beginning to incorporate into my everyday life. I find myself calling upon these lessons when I can provide care to myself and others, and it is evident that my caregiving skills have drastically improved from my time with the Athena Institute.
One of the personal experiences that I took away this year occurred when I was visiting my grandmother, who is living in an independent senior living facility. She is not considered a hospice patient, however, there is a similar impression that loneliness often is the root of emotional, mental, and even physical suffering. When my family would visit her up in Rochester, which we often do without notifying her in advance, I would see the inundation of emotions wash over her as she became so grateful and appreciative that we made the effort to see her. It was also very heartwarming to see that she was well-liked by the other members of the community, especially considering she is one of the only asian women living there. She often brags about us to her friends, and it is very humbling to see that even in her old age, with so many more lived experiences, she is still the first one to be complimentary to her loved ones.
From our conversations in the Athena program, we speak a lot about the values and experiences that we take for granted as young people and how we can get caught up in the moment, always trying to get to the next place, especially as aspiring medical students. Through communicating with someone that is in the later or even last stage of their life, you gain an appreciation for living in the present and feeling grateful for every single moment no matter how good, bad, or even benign the moment is because you never know what could happen day to day, second to second so it is essential now and then to take a breath and appreciate what you have and how much you have grown.
When talking about this program for medical school applications, I would highlight my various roles as a volunteer, a spiritual companion, assisting with some daily activities. I would then take some time to discuss the growth that I experienced in my empathy and communication skills through providing emotional support when needed, but also sitting quietly with my patient when needed and just being a comforting presence in the room. I would then talk about how it has evolved my perspective on medicine and the importance of putting the patient at the center of healthcare, ensuring that their care programs have their personal and specific needs in mind and not employing cookbook medicine. Everyone willing to allow me to care for them deserves the utmost respect and dignity because that is one of the greatest privileges that a person and especially a physician can be afforded. I would finish by explaining how hospice and the Athena Institute program have solidified my motivation for pursuing medicine and doing whatever it takes to become a compassionate, patient-first physician.