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I spent my second Field Period at The Johns Hopkins Hospital system over the summer of 2019. I shadowed physicians in a variety of specialties at three different locations: The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Whitemarsh Acute Surgery Center, and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. I also volunteered in the Adult Emergency Department (AED) at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. During my shifts in the AED, I transported patients, cleaned wheelchairs, stocked supplies, interviewed patients about the quality of care, and provided them with comfort items.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Whitemarsh Acute Surgery Center
The Whitemarsh Acute Surgery Center
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
This experience was an amazing and enriching opportunity. I had never before lived in a city or volunteered in an urban area. I learned many life skills during this experience, including how to navigate and drive in a large city and how to interact with people of different cultures. When volunteering and shadowing, I developed my abilities to effectively communicate with a diverse population.
I observed surgeries, patient-doctor interactions, and gained insight about the inner workings of a large hospital. When shadowing surgeries, I wore scrubs and observed the entire surgical process from patient preparation through recovery. I observed how physicians interacted with different patients and how they uniquely approached each patient. While volunteering in the AED, I witnessed patients' problems and frustrations. I did my best to listen to their concerns and make them understand they were being heard. Initially, volunteering was a challenge for me because I was required to proactively approach and interact with patients as I attempted to tend to their needs. As a result of this experience, I am more comfortable approaching and interacting with unfamiliar individuals.
Because I had the opportunity to shadow a wide variety of medical professionals, I was able to focus my attention towards what I think I would like to do in the future. I had the privilege of observing Dr. Rachel Thornton at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, and as a result of this experience, I decided I wanted to focus on pediatrics for my next Field Period. Most of Dr. Thornton's patients were Spanish-speaking. This was especially exciting for me because I am a Spanish minor, and I have never observed medicine being practiced in a foreign language.
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