2025 Medical Student Volunteers

The best experience

Good experience with a wide patient base

One patient was enough to teach me three things.
1. Doctors are not perfect and don’t have all the answers.
This was my patient’s second doctor’s visit in a month for the same problem. While the previous doctor treated swelling using steroids, we assumed it was due to an infection and gave her antifungals. We don’t know if it really is an infection: an abnormal presentation to be sure. Based on history and recent changes, infection seemed likely. But we won’t know for sure until she gets better or worse. That not knowing is unpleasant.

2. We can't be sure patients will follow the steps we give them. Our patient came after starting and stopping the steroids the previous doctor gave her. To be fair, her doctor did say to stop them if she started feeling sick from them, and she had a headache. We gave her instructions for some antifungal meds that need to be taken for a long time, even after getting all better. In free clinics with no guarantee of follow up, it is hard to make sure meds are taken responsibly.

3. There are societal pressures at play that requires more than just doctors. She came to use due to a lack of insurance, which is something driven by years of profit-minded legislation and business practices. Maybe the source of the infection was a combination of unhygenic social areas or a lowered immune system due to stress. Payment for prescription meds is also a worry, where we are hoping the pharmacy has vouchers and coupons they can offer to make medications affordable.

I come to this clinic weekly and am always learning from it. I will continue to do so throughout medical school, and find a new place to learn from after that.