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”
Category: Athena Hospice Program
this is for posts in the category of Athena Hospice
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”
A Breakdown of the Benefits of Volunteering for Hospice Care
A Breakdown of the Benefits of Volunteering for Hospice Care With regard to the hospice program by the Athena Institute and volunteering for Anova hospice, I have learned a lot as well as expanded upon my abilities as a potential future physician. I have worked with three individuals who were on hospice care or caring … Continue reading “A Breakdown of the Benefits of Volunteering for Hospice Care”
Connection in Loneliness
Working as a hospice volunteer this year was an unconventional experience. As I struggled to recalibrate to online classes, and to a summer and many semesters alone at home, I spent a period of time leaving this line of work to the wayside. During this past summer, I decided to reach out to a program … Continue reading “Connection in Loneliness”
Life Learning through Letters
My most meaningful hospice patient relationship was with an elderly lady named “Joanne”. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, I never had the chance to meet her, but I wrote weekly letters to her from the beginning of October to the end of March. At first, I was skeptical about sending cards to Joanne. I realized … Continue reading “Life Learning through Letters”
The Beauty in Hospice Care
It is hard to summarize what I have learned through this incredible program in a few words because the knowledge I have gained is vast and vital to my future as a physician. Most notably, I feel one of the most valuable lessons I learned was the reality of hospice. Society carries the false narrative … Continue reading “The Beauty in Hospice Care”
Crafting Meaningful Relationships in a Medical Career
When I began my time in the pre-med hospice program, I was coming off of three months of working as a nursing assistant in a woefully understaffed nursing home, made worse by the constant rate of employee turnover due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While I found this job satisfying because it gave me the chance … Continue reading “Crafting Meaningful Relationships in a Medical Career”
Listen First
When I joined the Athena Institute Hospice Volunteer Program, I will admit I was nervous. I had no experience with hospice, no idea how to talk to someone on hospice, and no real understanding of what hospice actually is. I soon came to recognize that the program itself is not really about hospice, but about … Continue reading “Listen First”
The Pathway to Death is Not Road To Failure
My first encounter with the Hospice Volunteer Program started with a topic relating to the first fear and anxiety that all doctors have: unable to fix a medical problem. As an individual who is interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, I have the same stereotypical thought that doctors are supposed to “fix problems” and … Continue reading “The Pathway to Death is Not Road To Failure”
Hospice Volunteering: A Year of Growth and Development
I am incredibly grateful to have participated in this program. My experiences with the patients that I visited have fostered my development of two crucial traits: empathy and compassion. I quickly learned that as a volunteer, my job was to assess what the patient needs at that moment of that particular day. Empathy was essential … Continue reading “Hospice Volunteering: A Year of Growth and Development”