Week 8

Although we did not have clinic the day after Thanksgiving (the doctors didn't want to wake up early!), there was clinic the week before. 


It was a pretty relaxed week. We had three doctors show up, so luckily everyone was taken care of! I did have an experience which I found moving and really showed me a lot about the people who I am helping with my volunteering. I was running a couple minutes late, so I hurried out of my car when I arrived at the clinic. I guess my wallet was at the top of my bag, because apparently it fell out of my bag and onto the street. About 20 minutes after I arrived, one of the volunteers handed me my wallet (which I hadn't even noticed had fallen out of my bag), and said that one of the patients had found it on the street. I was so grateful, and really touched by the fact that someone so poor would still be a good enough person to return a wallet that they found on the street, without taking anything out of it. 


Sometimes it is so easy to judge people because of their appearances or the conditions in which they live. Honestly, I would have thought that some of the people who come to the clinic would have found the wallet and kept it for themselves. However, this week's incident really showed me that you can't judge a book by it's cover, and that these truly are good people who just live in unfortunate conditions. In a city with such a large Hispanic population, it is important not to judge people by their financial or economic situations, and to remember that they are people who deserve dignity (and access to healthcare), just the same as anyone else. 

Reflections

Clinic was cancelled this Friday. Although I have already about 15 hours at the clinic, I am going to continue volunteering there most Fridays. The experience is very rewarding, and I have gained and continue to gain much insight about how much of a privilege healthcare is...a privilege that not everyone has. 


When I become a doctor, I do not think that I will ever be fluent enough in Spanish to volunteer at Casa Juan Diego, but I think that it will be important for me to give back to those in the community who do not have access to healthcare. This summer at my internship at BCM, one of the doctors was saying that he is tired of seeing all these pre med students going on medical mission trips to other countries when there is so much poverty and lack of access to healthcare here in America. It really stood out to me when he said this. I think that it is very important for people in the medical field to recognize that although the United States is not a developing country, healthcare access is still a huge problem which is the responsibility of all healthcare professionals.


Volunteering at Casa Juan Diego not only exposes me to the poverty which is so abundant in Houston, but also makes me aware of what I may be able to do to help people now and as I continue my career in the medical field. 

Week Seven

I hadn't been to Casa Juan Diego in two weeks after being at the Phoenix conference and then one week where clinic was cancelled. It was definitely good to be back (although it was difficult to wake up early after apoptosis lab on Thursday!). This week wasn't too busy, and we were remarkably organized.


The most rewarding thing I learned this week was actually about one of the doctors who volunteers at the clinic about half of the time. He was a very esteemed neurosurgeon here in Houston when a couple of years ago he decided to shut down his practice and open a free clinic in Mexico. His wife and child continue to live in Houston, and he comes home on the weekends and some weeks, but the rest of the time he goes to mexico to provide medical care for those who cannot afford it there. As if that wasn't enough charity, he continues to volunteer free medical care for immigrants at Casa Juan Diego whenever he is in Houston. Hearing how much this doctor gives back to the community was really inspiring, and something that I think will stay with me when I become a doctor.