This summer, I am volunteering in the OR twice a week.
How did I get into this program?
At the hospital I’m volunteering at, there’s a program for junior volunteers. Any high school student interested in healthcare can apply, and after an informal interview, each is assigned to a different part of the hospital. Assignments range from being in the adult ICU or the newborn nursery (being in the nursery sounds like the cutest thing ever…). Last year, I was in the Post-Anesthesia Recovery Unit, which I actually have written about in a previous post. Since I had been part of the program for one summer and was a graduating senior, I had the special opportunity to be in the OR! That seemed like the coolest thing ever, so I immediately applied and now halfway through the program with 3 other volunteers.
So, what do I do?
All surgeries start at 7 am, so I arrive at the hospital at around 6:30 am. In those 30 minutes, I first change into scrubs, which are always way too big even when I pick an extra small. The pants literally reach my chest…(short people problems). Anyway, afterwards, I meet with our supervisor to choose what surgery I want to start with that morning. I am personally interested in pediatric, general, and ENT surgery, so I mostly pick those ORs. Once in the operating room, I stand on the side and watch the surgery. I was so surprised that I didn’t react more when I saw my first incision; I was pretty unfazed and I can’t explain it. There’s always a fear that I’m disturbing the nurses or surgeons, but everyone is super friendly and tries to keep me as involved as possible. I will not disclose what type of surgeries I saw specifically, just to be on the safe side of maintaining confidentiality. However, I have seen the coolest procedures. Witnessing how knowledgeable everyone in the room is has been amazing as well!
It’s also really cold in the OR…like 66 degrees Fahrenheit in most rooms.
In all…
So far, this has been one of the craziest opportunities I’ve ever been a part of. This has also motivated me to continue pursuing this path of medicine to be like those extremely knowledgeable but also caring surgeons and nurses. Technical knowledge can only get you so far in medicine; effective communication and compassion are just as important, and these are the parts I struggle with because of my shyness and quiet nature. However, this opportunity has helped me tackle this weakness directly since I’m constantly engaging with doctors, nurses, patients, and my peers with me. Also, these medical professionals change patients’ lives everyday, which is an aspect of medicine that eclipses any of the other seemingly negative aspects, like the problems in our healthcare system or the difficult journey to add MD to the end of your name. I’m excited to join these people in making a difference.
If anyone is interested in participating in this program, please reach out to me and I can tell you all the details!
This must be so exciting for you. Congrats!
Good job, keep it up and keep learning.