by Anooshay Naveed.
The ultimate act of resilience, despite dealing with your own hardships, is to turn to another human being when they are in need of assistance.
It is when you part away from your needs and gains and tend to the concern for others. Being a broke college student as many of us are, naturally, I have not been able to financially assist others as I would ideally like to. However, I have been able to donate my time and in return, I have received the priceless gift of gratitude. At times, I have felt bad complaining about my financial needs, especially having met some of the underprivileged individuals I have come across. One example is a 54-year-old unemployed patient coming into the Huda clinic where I volunteer at, for a free psychiatric evaluation because he was depressed about his life situation.
…I want to be able to do all that I can in the future to keep bringing a positive and a healthy change in people’s lives.
As I have continued serving others, another gift that I have gained is confidence in the expression of my views and beliefs. Due to my foreign-sounding accent, I have always been timid about interacting with people; I have doubted myself for not being able to get my point across. However, it was not until I stepped out of my comfort zone to help others, that I realized the importance of my mission in becoming a physician in the future. Seeing smiles on people’s faces and being appreciated for my efforts while I provided them with free clinical checkups, allowed me to overcome my insecurities and made me realize the importance of my existence. Similarly, I want to be able to do all that I can in the future to keep bringing a positive and healthy change in people’s lives.
Finally, one of the most important skills that I have acquired
is self-reflection.
I have learned to acknowledge my strengths and work on my weaknesses, which has helped me serve my community better. Coming across a diverse group of underprivileged patients has taught me to relate to other people by understanding their points of view and acknowledging their difficulties. By seeing people fight for their lives, I have become aware of my shortcomings, and have learned to stay mentally and emotionally strong. Similarly, I am determined to work on my other weaknesses so that I could provide excellent care to my patients in the future.
by Anooshay Naveed.
Why Community Service in Healthcare has Proved Meaningful for Me
Community Service, Student Life
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