School: Villanova

My experiences as a hospice volunteer have helped me understand the vocation of a doctor. The Athena training impacted how I think about medicine and a doctor’s role, especially for patients nearing death. In particular, I appreciated the lessons in listening well, paying attention to patients’ behavior, and practicing self-care as a medical professional. Through … Continue reading “Honoring Every Patient”

During my time volunteering at my hospice care site, specifically in the memory care unit, one of my most meaningful patient relationships was with a woman I will call “Eleanor” (this is a pseudonym). “Eleanor” lived in the memory care unit and had significant difficulty communicating verbally, she could only ever get a few words … Continue reading “Eleanor’s Melody”

As I reflect on my patient relationships, I can distinctly recall the first memory care patient I had the pleasure of meeting. This is a patient I still visit—for privacy reasons, I will refer to her as “Jane Doe.” Upon visiting the memory care unit for the first time, I was unsure what to expect … Continue reading “The Importance of Being Present”

During my hospice volunteering experience, the patient relationship that stood out to me the most was with a man I will call “John,” who I visited in Haverford. “John” was originally from Baltimore, which is also where I am from, so from our very first conversation we were able to make meaningful connections through shared … Continue reading “The Power of Simple Moments”

During my time volunteering with hospice, I formed a particularly meaningful relationship with one of the patients that I got the pleasure of spending time with, an older man with progressive Parkinson’s disease. One of the most profound moments I shared with this patient was when he finally opened up to me after not seeming … Continue reading “Finding Meaning in the Final Moments: Lessons from Hospice Care”

I believe this program has allowed me to grow in my understanding of palliative care. I am extremely grateful to have been able to participate in the Athena Hospice Volunteer program. Before entering the program, I had no exposure to nursing homes or the world of palliative care. I have not had any family members … Continue reading “Reflection on Hospice Care”

Concluding my volunteer experience is a reflective moment for me. When I began this journey, I was anxious, even with my past experiences working at senior homes throughout high school. I had never worked in hospice care, and this experience required higher levels of compassion, understanding, and patience. Throughout my time here, I have encountered … Continue reading “Reflection on Hospice Volunteer Experience”

Even though I am no longer planning on working in direct patient care, I find great value in my experiences this year in hospice care. Many of the skills I have learned from this experience have accumulated with each visit I made. Whatever path I choose, these values and skills will be at the forefront … Continue reading “My Growth in Healthcare”

I first met Peter who was a patient suffering from Parkinson’s Disease back in September. The first time I met Peter, I had extreme difficulty speaking to him and understanding the words he spoke. I remember, right after that visit, I had utterly convinced myself that Peter would be a difficult patient to visit and … Continue reading “Time Is A Gift”

Before I had even returned to school, I had instilled the idea of the “two unfixables” – these being, according to Atul Gawande, aging and dying – into my mind. I knew that signing up to be a hospice volunteer would place onto me heavy responsibilities, one of them being to accept the prevalence of … Continue reading “Looking the Inevitable in the Eyes”