Reflective Essay: My Clinical Experience

From May 2016 to July 2016, I served as an Undergraduate Medical Assistant at Dr. Jain’s private practice. She is a primary care physician who specializes in nephrology and geriatrics. In regards to my assigned tasks that involved patient contact, I checked patients in which involved noting vitals, medication history, the reason for their visit, and other information that would prepare Dr. Jain to see the patients. Following appointments, Dr. Jain would instruct me to provide any additional information she recommended to patients. This ranged from educating patients about the nature of high cholesterol, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, or the lab tests that need to be completed before the next visit. In between assisting patients, I would

Initially, I shadowed physicians to understand the dynamic of healthcare in Argentina and how the clinic physicians approach patient care. I later was able to provide patient care in the form of administering first aid and had continued patient contact whilst taking vitals and conducting preliminary surveys.

This community service experience is my most satisfying experience due to what it taught me in relation to becoming a physician and the numerous opportunities it offered to influence the lives of others. Given that the medical technology available at these clinics was below the standard set by healthcare facilities in developed countries and the fact that I had to converse with patients in Spanish, I was able to immerse myself in an environment where listening was the primary diagnostic tool. Also, while I knew that compassion was a major aspect of being a physician, I was introduced to the importance of situational sensitivity. Many of the clinics’ patients were not educated about basic hygiene and vaccinations. As a result they succumbed to many preventable illnesses. An understanding of this situation led to an understanding of the need to educate rather than reprimand, as the role of a physician is to be a health promoter with an understanding of how external factors influence