School: Ursinus

Diving Deeper into Medicine “Sarah Scott” I can confidently say that my hospice experience this year has been everything that I had envisioned and more. Last year, COVID made it difficult for me to have a traditional hospice experience. This year, I have been able to meet with a patient in person, “Deborah”, and my … Continue reading “Diving Deeper Into Medicine”

Through the 2021-2022 school year, I have been able to volunteer with two different patients. In the fall I briefly (only one visit in person) volunteered with “Patient 1”. This was my first in person experience with Heartland Hospice and came after about a year of remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was … Continue reading “The Care You Provide and the Care Provided to You”

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”

I began looking into volunteering for hospice back at the end of my freshman year of college (almost two years ago which is crazy to think about). I decided I would wait to apply after doing some research on the emotional and mental maturity required to adequately care for those who would be ill and … Continue reading “The Journey and the Destination”

When I first met Toby, he was quietly seated alone in his room, barely watching the overly loud television playing in the background. The moment the volunteer coordinator and I walked in, his face lit up and maintained a smile for the entirety of our hour long visit. Even as we left, this man who … Continue reading “How “Toby’s” Lessons of Patience and Kindness Will Shape the Doctor I Hope to Become”

Being a hospice volunteer has been a special experience. I’ve learned about a different aspect of healthcare and myself and gained new tools that I can use in my future career through this experience. I’ve also learned the value of conversation and how truly listening can give you insight into a person’s life. I’ve become … Continue reading “The Meaning of Being a Hospice Volunteer”

When I first decided to join the volunteer program with Seasons Hospice Care, I had a very different idea of hospice than I do now. Through working with multiple patients, I have seen real life examples of how hospice is not accepting defeat; it is celebrating life and making the end of life as comfortable … Continue reading “A New Outlook”

Volunteering in hospice has given me a perspective on the relationship between death and life’s value that I didn’t think existed previously. I once heard a story about a tulip and an old rose: The tulip sees the rose wilting and the sight of that makes the feeling of the sunlight on the tulip’s petals … Continue reading “The Implications of Death on Living a Fulfilling life”

A very meaningful relationship I had with a hospice patient was with Mary. I began to see this patient about two months ago. From the start, she was welcoming and willing to converse with me. She loved to tell me about her family, especially her mother, who she took care of until the end of … Continue reading “Hospice Reflection”

In our current society, it is evident that most people are uncomfortable with the topic of death. For a family, it can feel unbearable to let go of a loved one because the terror of the unknown causes them to hold on tighter. For doctors, death means that they did not do their job correctly … Continue reading “Thursday Afternoons”