NOVEMBER 2020

November has been a personally challenging month for me, but it has also reminded me how blessed I am to be a part of a program where I feel so supported by not only the faculty but also my fellow students. This month, we had exams for the renal pulmonary and  GI/neoplasia modules. I found the renal pulmonary module every interesting and loved learning about the physiology. The GI/neoplasia module was a little more difficult for me as I was overwhelmed by the number of different drugs we had to learn for cancer, but I learned that flashcards were the most efficient method for me to master them.

 

On the list of service opportunities provided by our program, Second Harvest Food Bank was at the top and stood out to me. Back home, I had done volunteering at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, and the opportunity to be involved at another food bank seemed familiar and welcoming to me. When I saw that the Second Harvest Food Bank was less than a mile away from where I currently live in New Orleans, it seemed like a sign that it was meant to be. I can honestly say that my time there has changed my experience in New Orleans so far. My first time volunteering there, I assisted with the community kitchen which consisted of helping to assemble hundreds of home cooked meals that would be distributed throughout New Orleans and Lafayette. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and loved getting to know the people volunteering there with me who all came from different walks of life. It really warmed my heart to be a part of something that would have such a profound and great immediate impact on numerous communities within our state. I was not only impressed with the sheer amount of meals that were produced but also with the genuine kindness and friendliness of everyone I met while there. This is the main reason why community kitchen has been my favorite and I find myself continuing to come back there. 

 

I also did some administrative volunteer work with Second Harvest Food Bank. I was able to call applicants and request information that was missing from their application. There was one particular interaction that stood out to me where I spoke with a man who did not speak English. Upon seeing his surname and recognizing it was Vietnamese, I was able to communicate with the man in Vietnamese and get the information needed from him which was a previous hurdle that Second Harvest had been facing. This interaction stood out to me as I am well aware of how crippling the language barrier can be for minorities in America. In my previous experience working as an EKG technician in the ER, I had oftentimes helped translate for patients and seen firsthand the immense amount of relief and immediate trust that came with being able to communicate with someone in their native tongue. This is something that I grew up not realizing the value of until I began to work at the hospital. Although it is a mark of pride for my heritage and culture, it is also a skill that I can use to help people to a greater capacity and can help me in the future to be a culturally competent physician.

 

Overall, I am grateful that I found Second Harvest Food Bank. I really feel at ease and at home there. The community of people I have met there have been so welcoming and profoundly kindhearted, and my connection with them has made New Orleans feel more like a home to me. I can honestly say that I am looking forward to continuing to volunteer there as often as I can over the next month off, and I am blessed to have been guided there. 

Service Hours: 13.5