Asian Pacific Health Corps Reflective Essay

I began volunteering at a non-profit organization in Burbank, Burbank Temporary Aid Center (BTAC). This organization focuses on assisting homeless and low-income individuals and families. They provide various services:

I first realized my passion for health promotion and disease prevention the summer following my first year of college. I had the privilege of attending the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP), which introduced me to numerous healthcare professionals. During the program, many of the professionals shared their stories about why they choose the profession, and with each story, I began to reflect deeply on my own background and what drew me to medicine. It was not until an emergency medicine physician spoke about his experiences, that allowed me to fully understand connecting my background to my future. The physician mentioned growing up in D.C., which brought to mind my family in D.C. It had been almost a year since my grandmother

Following college, I moved to Portland, Oregon and looked for ways to continue developing my skills and fostering my passion for social responsibility. I started at Impact NW as an AmeriCorps member, where I served two terms helping run the AKA Science program. In my role, I managed hundreds of volunteers, wrote curriculum, and trained instructors; but above all, I learned how to work with corporate partners. Aided by corporate volunteers, our program served thousands of students each year. I quickly realized the importance of establishing meaningful, long-term relationships. Companies gave back to our community and in return we provided them a chance to hold an engaging experience for their employees. Every committed corporate team we cultivated helped us build capacity and redirect vital resources back into our program. We also encouraged volunteers to share their skills and as a result they would provide us with amazing insights. For example, one group of volunteers from Nike world headquarters helped streamline our processes by sharing ideas from their work in lean manufacturing. These experiences sparked something for me and I realized that my strengths as a creative thinker and a leader and my passion for giving back unite.

As a teen, I had the opportunity to volunteer on a summer mission trip that focused on serving the homeless population in San Francisco. Stricken by poverty and drug addictions the Tenderloin District was unlike anything I had ever seen. Instead of passing judgment or feeling intimidated, I chose to serve these people with compassion and respect. What I experienced during this time was transformational and helped to direct me on a pathway towards service.

Through the many trips that my family has taken to the hospital due to various reasons, I have become fond of the hospital and its many wonders. After all the things that the medical field has done for me and my family, I decided to contribute to my local hospital to volunteer and help out those who pay visits to the hospital. Through my exposure to various clinical populations, I want to improve my ability to serve others in this capacity that can guide me towards the medical profession in the future.

In the course of my time at Union County College, I was able to participate in measures that aided my community and those in need. I took part in the donation and creation of care bags which were donated to the Salvation Army. This initiative was made by AESNJ as part of their statewide drive to help those who lack the resources needed to obtain day to day necessities such as hygienic supplies, socks, tissues and other essentials. Additionally, I made a financial contribution which went towards aiding Syrian children. Helping individuals in need encouraged me to participate in Strides against Breast Cancer a walkathon which generated money for women whose lives were impacted by cancer. The financial donations assisted women who were unable

Additionally, I volunteered with community programs focused on alleviating health care issues. For example, I worked with an organization that promotes community discourse on the unique, hidden health challenges of homeless and low-income women and girls. Not long after that, I volunteered at two events,

Give a brief background to the case or piece of work including biographical details of the service user or carer (and were relevant any other parties).

Hello my dear friend! I hope you are doing well. I am just writing to let you know that I finally started my semester at STCC. As you know, I missed the last two semesters due to situations that got out of my hands. I have a new job, but I also switched to Liberal Arts. At the moment, I am enrolled as a full-time student. My husband says I might regret it, because it can get overwhelming for me due to the language barrier, and having too much in my plate. Although, he might be right about having too much; I will do my best to finish this semester with good grades. One of the classes I signed up to is History-110, section E80. My professor’s name is John Diffley. I do not know him yet since it is my first week in school, but he seems to love

LD is a thirteen year-old Haitian -American seventh grader who is enrolled in the 7th grade General Education program at Middle School 500. She lives in a large household that is comprised of her paternal grandmother, her father, younger brother, aunt, the aunt’s boyfriend, along with her aunt’s two children ages 2 and 4. LD was referred for counseling by her Guidance Counselor due to conflicts in the home with her grandmother and aunt. The source of LD’s problem stems from her grandmother’s strong ties to Haitian culture and traditions. Although LD was initially referred for family problems, the dynamics of LD’s situation changed when her grandmother died suddenly before the holidays. As a result, the focus of LD’s sessions was changed

The overview of the typical activities I participated in at the Bakersfield Homeless Center consisted of providing 3 nutritional meals a day for the individuals and families at the center. We also created a variety of lunches for those who were contracted to work outside the center. In addition, I help process the fresh food donations that are collected each day, plan and prepare meals, wash dishes and sanitize the kitchen. Furthermore, I participated in activities that were beneficial to my education and career goals behavior that involved interacting with the community. For example, creating a bond with the individuals provided a greater feeling of satisfaction by making a difference in that person’s life. Moreover, the families and

I am energized by lively discussion, value diversity of opinion, and am one who will always work hard to ensure we accomplish our goal. I have had the opportunity to serve as a board member for several organizations at Georgetown, have led fundraising efforts that have totaled more than $150,000, have planned large-scale events and conferences for Oxfam America and Georgetown Residential Life, and have overseen budgetary appropriations for several clubs as President of the Georgetown University InterHall Council. During my two years as a Resident Assistant, I prided myself on planning activities that appealed to residents from a variety of backgrounds, and I worked tirelessly to build communities where everyone felt included and supported. More recently, I became one of 40 SERVE Leaders at Fannie Mae working together to plan and organize company-wide volunteer opportunities, brainstorm and direct fundraising for the “Help the Homeless” campaign, and partner with local non-profit organizations to create strong relations in and with the communities we serve. I thrive in dynamic, consensus-driven environments that leverage my desire to solve problems and reshape perspectives, and my passion is epitomized in empowering and working closely with others. I hope to have the opportunity to bring this same dedication

Monitors the prevalence of chronic diseases and health risk behaviors throughout the state of Hawai’i through the development of surveys and other data collection instruments. Assists with the planning and implementation of evaluation and programmatic initiatives related to team-based healthcare practices that prevent heart disease and diabetes.

After much thought about what I would want to for my volunteer project, I finally settled on the “Feed the Homeless” campaign organized by the Southwest Rotary Club of Las Vegas. This experience allowed me to work with the fantastic organization, Rotary International, and has given me the opportunity to better myself, both personally and professionally, through working with great people and overcoming the challenges presented to me.

A significant volunteer experience that augmented my leadership skills and expanded my understanding of medicine was at the Honolulu Harbor Medical Clinic sponsored by the Seafarer’s Ministry. The Seafarer’s Ministry provides spiritual, emotional, and social support for the undocumented foreign fishermen docked at Honolulu Harbor. The clinic began with few volunteers and two doctors who provided medical care to undocumented foreign fishermen from a box of supplies out of a truck. This expanded my capacity to understanding, to humbly accept circumstances and encouraged me to practice medicine with culturally sensitivity.