Throughout my college career I mainly volunteered through the UCF and the Orlando area. With volunteering I did a variety of experiences from clinical to non-clinical.

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​I primarily did my non-clinical hours through UCF. Through John T. Washington Honor Society I have volunteered at Sunday Knight Food Share, Second Harvest Food Bank, and Union Park Middle School. For clinical hours, I have volunteered with Orlando Regional Medical Center and Shepherd’s Hope.

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At Union Park we worked with kids in the after school program, in partnership with the YMCA. There we would play games, dance, sing, play sports, and help them with their homework. One of my most memorable moments there was when we helped them prepare for their talent show. I remember practicing with the girls as they learned the dance to "Watch Me Whip/Nae Nae". I felt really old because I couldn't keep up, but they helped me along the way and I eventually got it. The process was super funny and I got to know their personalities a little better. When the day finally came for their talent show they were nervous. However, we all gave them a pep talk and some of us went on the stage with them to help encourage them. At Second Harvest Food Bank I was mainly on sorting duty. This means I was sorting whether or not the food was good enough for consumption, and then I would put it in the right section. Most of the food was actually expired, but was still deemed edible. This opened my eyes to actually how much food I throw away and how many families I could have actually fed. At Sunday Knight Food Share we would pass out food to the homeless. It was a truly humbling experience because they were just so elated to get a plate a food and have a conversation. Even though we all have struggles, just thinking about me or my family not knowing where our next meal is coming from is truly saddening.

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For my clinical hours, the experiences I have had has given me a lot of opportunities to see how the medical field works from the front line and behind the scenes. Just being a part of the work that they do at Shepherd's Hope has been a wonderful opportunity. At Shepherd's Hope they give medical care to people who cannot afford insurance. There I have been the discharge coordinator and in charge of the front desk and medical records. Now I mainly work as a scribe. When I scribe I go in the room with the doctor write down what he says, order labs, and put in prescriptions. I remember recently a lupus patient came in who was having a clear flare up. The patient stated she had been off her medications for a while and as a result she lost her job. She did not have health insurance so she could not go to her regular doctor. The doctor was able to prescribe her medicine. Her face showed satisfaction and relief. She was just so grateful that she would hopefully be able control her lupus again. Seeing the doctors and nurses volunteer their time is truly inspiring, and has inspired me to do the same when I have the opportunity to. At ORMC I get to be behind the scenes and see what the nurses and the administration do, while getting patient experience. In the hospital I have volunteered within the breast cancer and the general surgery unit. One thing I noticed in the hospital was how nurses and medical staff interacted with the patients. Even if they had a difficult patient they were extremely patient with them and never had an attitude about it. This trait I really hope to take with me because it takes an extreme amount of patience, which I know I will need if I become a doctor.

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These experiences have taught me to reflect on own my life and experiences. To actually be present and kind when interacting with others, to be grateful, and appreciate the small things.