Personal Narrative: A Career In Healthcare

Through my experience with the healthcare field, I have seen that low socioeconomic status, culture, and access are the major contributors to the health disparities today. Whether it is not being able to afford health insurance/medical costs, a culture that’s attitude and beliefs does not put much value on preventative care, or simply not having appropriate transportation to the doctor, all these factors work together against the patient. Medical professions can best tackle these issues by first knowing and understanding the needs of the population in which they practice. Theoretically, if one is aware of specific needs then those needs can be better addressed, whether they are financial or cultural needs. Also, medical professionals can work

I was never a kid that knew who I would become when I grow up. My interests ranged from wanting to become an interior designer to having a strong desire of becoming a pilot. I was often surrounded by healthcare professionals but I never imagined myself striving to become one. Little did I know that I would end up at a stage in my life where I would be sure about pursuing a career in healthcare. Although I have decided on my career path, I have yet to discover a particular field within healthcare that grabs my interest. The RA Internship will help me learn more about medicine and help me find a right field of study through clinical research experience and monthly lectures offered to me as an intern. Though this opportunity I will be able to

The process of receiving and affording healthcare was, at the time, out of reach. Once my family was able to attain healthcare insurance, doctor visits were unpleasant. The physicians struggled to comprehend my parents’ needs, while my parents simultaneously struggled to understand the diagnoses provided by the physicians. These instances led to the frustrations of the physicians because of the communication barrier, which led to their inability to do their job at their full potential. Due to this dilemma, our visits to the doctor were few and far between.

Patient interaction, the art of diagnosis, and being able to witness improvement in patients’ conditions helped me to gain hands on experience. I have enjoyed learning from great teachers who taught me to think and who made the process of learning challenging. I particularly remember a 40year old male diabetic patient who suddenly became unconscious in the ward. My initial diagnosis of hypoglycemia was correct and the I.V dextrose given helped the patient recover immediately. The satisfaction one experiences when a patient recovers from a near death to normal state is truly

On Tuesday, September 29th my partner and I had the opportunity to interview a 55-year-old patient named Tom at LA County Hospital, admitted nine days prior for injuries he sustained after being struck by a city vehicle. His injuries were quite apparent the moment we sat down with him: his right foot bandaged up, having been crushed by the vehicle’s tires, abrasions and bruising all over his lower limbs and worst of all, a broken pelvis. Yet despite the bad shape he was in, Tom was kind enough share his life story with us and provide the limited knowledge he had about his insurance history.

The career I became interested in is a Physician’s Assistant, or a few people call them PAs. I became interested in this job in my sophomore year of high school. It all started when I attended the STEM fair after school one day. STEM fair is only offered to students who are in either the biomedical Stem academy or the engineer academy. At this fair, students tour around to different classrooms to acquire information on different careers. I attended the Physician’s Assistant one, where there was an actual PA to give information on what PAs achieve. For example, PAs examine patients for diseases, injuries and illnesses.

When the Red Wing C.A.R.E Clinic was opened in 2010 by concerned medical professionals willing to provide free medical care for the hundreds of working uninsured Goodhue County residents, I immediately began volunteering. My duties included greeting volunteers and patients as well as making charts. However, at age 15, I was too immature to understand the ramifications of being an uninsured resident. The following summer while lifeguarding, I began to understand the gravity of this situation. A swimmer attempting to jump off the diving board, jumped, then fell back onto the diving

During the course of my college years, I have considered alternate career options. I have contemplated becoming a physician’s assistant, a dentist, or a podiatrist. Physician’s assistants and doctors play similar roles in clinics; I would still be able to see patients and enjoy the interpersonal aspect of delivering healthcare. Additionally, I would still be able to play an important role in primary care and do my utmost for the sake of my patients, which is hugely appealing.

Prior to my brother's accident, my knowledge about the health care system was limited. But as I joined him on multiple weekly physicals and dental check ups, I was so overwhelmed by the effects the power of medicine has on

Growing up in a small rural community in Jamaica I had a real life view of an area on the forefront of poverty with limited access to proper and affordable healthcare. Twelve years ago I can recall watching my cousin slowly declined from being a joyous mother and friend to a torpid corpse that deteriorated from breast cancer. Despite all the help and effort to sustain her life with the little resources available, she died nine months later even after having a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. The cancer had metastasize long before she was diagnosed. Losing her was devastating, especially on her husband and two children. Her death and as well as other experiences contributed to my appreciation physicians and other health care workers.

In addition to practicing medicine, I aspire to dedicate myself to improving access to healthcare. Acquiring the skills to practice clinical medicine is fruitful when patients are able to receive the needed care, as demonstrated by JD’s case. I gained a deeper understanding of the challenges in accessing healthcare internationally through the research I conducted in

Though I have another year and a half before I complete my schooling, it is always important to find out as much information about my future field of work. Knowing what is to be expected when going in for a job interview will not only be a bonus for myself, but allow me to feel confident when giving answers.

The second case against this intrinsically flawed and morally corrupt method of delivering medical service lies in its inadvertent, yet alarmingly prevalent, fostering of suspicion, mistrust, and latency: the high prices of healthcare induced by privately-paid healthcare systems (a trip to a US emergency room costs an individual an average of $1233 USD!) encourage those without monetary stability to put off visits to the doctor or the hospital until absolutely necessary. This greatly increases the fatality of diseases whose positive prognosis relies on early identification, such as cancer or meningitis, especially if initial symptoms of this disease are mild – “It’s just a headache”, Bethany Barclay figured when her daughter fell ill one afternoon, “so why would I waste money otherwise spent on food or essentials on a visit to the doctor that is likely to amount to nothing?” Bethany’s daughter passed away the next day, in the back of an ambulance that only arrived after the girl began to suffer from violent seizures. Bethany, like Tim Wilkins and countless others, wasn’t the only one forced to bear the brunt of the United States’ cruel private payer healthcare system.

The health care system in America is unlike any other. Many Americans go into debt every day because of medical bills and costs. America is the one of the only countries in the world that has its citizens falling into bankruptcy due to healthcare costs. Not only is the healthcare expensive and doesn’t extend care to everyone, the system treats those of different races differently. Health disparities has been a big issue in America’s history since slavery and continues to resonate here to this day. In the film, John Q, it is evident how income and race affect a young child’s ranking in the medical field. Young Mikey needs a new heart but due to racial health disparity and his father’s insurance plan, the hospital board will not put his name on the donor list. In films such as, Sick Around the World and Sick Around America, the health care system in America is shown to be one of the most expensive but least effective. This healthcare system leaves thousands in debt and without medical care. In the book, An American Heath Dilemma, it states, “wherein nearly 50 percent of the population reported it was having difficulty paying for health care.” (569, Byrd) The book talks about Americans constant struggle of needing health care but not being able to afford it, just like John Archibald in John Q. The American healthcare system needs some major changes and policies for equality before it can be as productive as those in other countries.

However, as time went on, several problems arose which had to do with the principle of justice in healthcare. In America, it is the accepted norm that it is unjust to treat one person better or worse than another person, in similar circumstances (Tong, 2007, p.29). In an attempt