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.
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.