Essay On Patient Shadowing

Outside of shadowing, my most meaningful experience working in the health professional field occurred not long after I immigrated to the US. I was in the process of completing EMT training and I was able to witness the dire health outcomes that patients encounter when they lack access to health care. One particular experience stays with me 6 years later. The call was for a diabetic patient with an altered level of consciousness in a semi-rural area outside of Charleston, SC. This was the call in which I realized that the care a physician provides to their patients need to extend beyond the physician’s office. This particular patient had been using the emergency room and emergency services to manage their diabetes because they lacked transport to purchase medication. From this interaction, I learned that little things—things that do not require a medical degree—can sometimes have a larger impact on a patient’s health than anything a physician does in their office. In this case, a simple follow up call could have avoided a potentially deadly situation where a patient did not fill a prescription due to a lack of transport. Since then, shadowing has taught me that patients are not always going to volunteer personal difficulties like this, and it

As an undergraduate student, I have demonstrated a commitment to lifelong learning through research both inside and outside my major. I have shadowed in urban clinics and rural community health centers that serve a diverse patient population that deserve better health outcomes. I grew up in a very different national health system, and this has influenced my desire to advocate for affordable access to primary and preventative care. My ties to Arizona may be weak at this stage, but as an immigrant, I am looking for a state to call home, and would be delighted to serve the community that supports and encourages my desire to become a