Day 10

I went in on Day 10 thinking that I still needed more hours to complete the 10 hr requirement. So I met with Samantha and she directed me to Development Department of the Clinic to help out with some things for the Art Auction. She later told me that she knew that I had completed the hours but since I was already there and there were things that needed to get done, she decided she would tell me at the end :) But either way, I did not mind one bit. Actually, I was sad that this would be my last day at the clinic.

To be honest, when I first learned that we would have to volunteer at a clinic for Cell, I dreaded it thinking it would just be a hassle. But ver the last few months, I have definitely changed my opinion. Sure, it was difficult to find time to volunteer in between classes and lab but it was definitely a great experience! It was eye-opening in many ways. Sometimes I find myself get caught up in the chaos of everyday living and forget about the thousands of people who don't have the opportunities that I have. Every time I saw a patient walk into the clinic, I was reminded to be grateful for the simple things in life that I usually take for granted. I do not even think twice before making a doctor's appointment or agreeing to have a procedure done. But a lot of these people are afraid to go to the doctor since they know they can't afford it.

It was also really great to see all the medical professionals donate their time for the sake of helping these people. That was definitely inspiring. In today's world, it is rare to see someone do something for another person without getting something in return. In a few months, I will enroll in a Physician Assistant program and I pray that I do not become just another medical professional who cares only about his/herself. I hope that I have the opportunity to return to San Jose Clinic or a similar clinic as a a professional and donate my time to help those in need.

Thanks Dr. R for giving us this opportunity to volunteer. I really learned a lot and enjoyed myself!

Day 9

On Day 9, I helped around the clinic doing random things but I do not want to dicuss that, rather, I want to dedicate this blog to Samantha Sherman. She is the lady in charge of volunteering at San Jose Clniic. The first time I met Samantha was more than one year ago at the Art Auction hosted by the San Jose Clinic. My first impression was that she was a really nice lady who was on top of her stuff. She directed all the volunteers and told us what to do during the event.

The next time I saw Samantha was my first day at the Clinic. Over the last couple of months, I have only seen Samantha here and there but have kept in touch with her via emails. She is such a sweet person and just so genuine. Over the last 22 years, I have met a lot of people whether I met them through school, church or parties. But I have realized there are only a few genuine people in this world. Many people do things and help others for the sake of gaining appreciation or prestige but Samantha is definitely not one of those of people. She puts everything she has into her job and does a great job. More importantly, she is so approachable and so easy to work with! I know that I am just one of many people that she has touched through her actions. Thanks Samantha!

Day 8

Last year I had the opportunity to attend the Art Auction hosted by the San Jose Clinic. This year I had the opportunity to do a lot of the behind the scenes stuff for the event. I really wish I could attend but I am graduating on the same day!! Anyways, back to the point of this blog. On my 8th day volunteering, I was assigned the task to wrap several of the art pieces that are going to be auctioned off on May 15. In the beginning it was just me wrapping. I simply took my time and the perfectionist in me kicked in. I made sure it was wrapped perfectly, as if I was being judged. Straight edges-check, equal amounts of tape-check, art in bag-check. But I was soon joined by Jenine who was at the clinic for the very first time. She was trying to get in hours for Medical Micro. So Jenine and I are both officers for Tri Beta. But sadly, we did not get an opportunity to get to know each other so it was really good to spend some time with her! We continued to wrap the pieces and before we knew it, there were no more to wrap!
Overall, I really enjoyed my time at the clinic because I knew that my time was important to them. I also felt glad that I could continue to help them out with things needed for the Auction. Now, I just pray that the pieces I wrapped will be sold for extremely large sums of money so that the clinic can continue to help those in need within the Houston area :)

Day 7

For my 7th day at the clinic, I got to play the role of security! I have always wondered what they did besides just standing around/sitting looking super serious. Apparently a few days before I came into the clinic, someone had come into the clinic and passed security without raising any eyebrows. Later, he was found stealing from people's purses and the cops had to be called! The security guard did not hesitate to tell me this story almost immediately after I got to the clinic. So I tried to keep a close eye on everyone coming in the clinic. But I soon found myself day dreaming and finding it more difficult to focus on my designated task. However, I somehow made it through for an hour (It felt like days had gone by).

My experience as a security guard taught me to many things. First, for every good that someone does, there will always be someone scheming an evil plan. It's so sad that someone would walk into a non-profit clinic and steal. Second, despite how awful that situation was, I guess it serves as a reminder for people to be aware of their surroundings and keep an eye out for crazy people. But this applies to every day living. Sometimes people, including myself, get caught up in the consistency and comfort of every day living and forget to take a good look around and make sure that everything is okay. My third and final realization was that security guards have a really hard and boring job. I definitely gained a new appreciation for all the security guards that work all around the world. They stay alert and focused for our protection and safety. I will always be grateful for that.