2016-17 Community Outreach Projects for CEEIf you are interested in learning more about any of these projects, please contact Elissa.goldberg@drexelmed.edu.

Please do not contact these sites directly.

Table of Contents:

Children and YouthAdults and Mixed-Age GroupsStudent Testimonials

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles from

QL

Modes of

TranspBoys and Girls Club

Student Testimonial

The Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia coordinates an after-school program at Philadelphia Housing Authority sites located near to Queen Lane. Med students will work with 1st – 5th graders, helping with homework, and leading nutrition education, fitness, and/or science activities.

Johnson Homes2500 W. Norris St.Phila, PA 19121

5 C, CP, PT

Year-long

Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CCYSHCN)

New Project

Med students, in pairs, will be connected with a child with special needs and his/her family. Students will be expected to meet with the patient/family regularly throughout the year, develop trust, and gain a greater understanding of the family’s needs and strengths. (Ability to speak Spanish not necessary but very useful).

St. Christopher’s Hospital for ChildrenFront St. and Erie Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19134

3.7 C, CP, PT

Monthly, plus

journals

Center for The Center for Grieving Children allows medical Office: 3300 Henry ½ C, CP Year-long

Key: Suggested Modes of Transportation:

C = It’s useful to have a car CP = Carpool highly advisedPT = Public TransportationS = ShuttleW = Walk

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles from

QL

Modes of

TranspGrieving Children

Student Testimonial

students to witness the resilience, grief, and growth of children or their guardians who have lost someone close to them. Medical students meet with children or adults in groups that are held on weekday evenings. Please let Elissa know soon that you are interested in this site. There will be a mandatory orientation for DUCoM student volunteers from 5:30 - 9 pm on August 30 and 31.

Ave.,Suite 110Philadelphia, PA 19129

mile

CPR Anytime

Student Testimonial

Using the American Heart Association’s CPR Anytime kits, medical students will work with either students at a public high school, or with 7th and 8th graders at a nearby elementary school. The students will visit the Queen Lane campus for a tour and to see actual hearts. Interested medical students do not need CPR certification to participate in this project.

Mastbaum Area Vocational and Technical High School (MVTS)3116 Frankford AvePhila, PA 19134

Mifflin Elementary3624 Conrad StreetPhila, PA 19129

MVTS = 5

Miff = .8 mi

CP

W, CP, PT

6 sessions

Drexel Mentoring and Pipeline Program (DMAPP)

Student Testimonial

DMAPP is a mentoring and tutoring program designed to foster development of future leaders in health and medicine through academic excellence, professionalism, and integrity. It is implemented in a predominantly African-American, inner city Philadelphia, public high school. The ultimate goal is to expose the minority youth to careers in health and medicine with the hopes of increasing diversity in those fields.

George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Science1600 W. Norris St.Phila, PA 19121

4 C, CP, PT

Year-long

Franklin Learning Center

Student Testimonial

Franklin Learning Center is a Philadelphia public magnet high school. Medical students will work with 10th – 12th graders on preparing presentations for the area-wide Science Symposium coordinated by Lankenau Hospital.

Franklin Learning Center 616 N. 15th

Phila, PA 19130

FLC = 1/2 m fr

Hahn

C, CP, S

Year-long

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles from

QL

Modes of

TranspGarden at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children

New to CEE

St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children is located in one of the poorest congressional districts in the country, with a significant number of families living in poverty and high food insecurity. Medical students will work with key stakeholders in the hospital and community to plan for a community garden on the St. Chris campus, and will work with many of those stakeholders to start the garden in the spring, as long as there is support from hospital administration.

St. Christopher’s Hospital for ChildrenFront St. and Erie Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19134

3.7 C, CP, PT

Possiblyyear-long

Health Career Academy (HCA)

Student Testimonial

The HCA is part of a city-wide program, based out of the Main Line Health System, designed to nurture interest in medical careers among high school students. Drexel is one of four academic health centers paired with a public school. The focus for 10th graders is on researching a health issue as depicted in the pilot episode of “ER,” and then developing a skit to be presented in a final session at Lankenau Hospital. 11th graders learn about various health problems. 12th graders are responsible for designing and directing a health fair at their school. Interested medical students will participate in a city-wide planning committee (meetings held Saturday mornings at Lankenau), and will focus on working with 10th, 11th, or 12th graders.

MLK Jr. High School6100 Stenton Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19138

Lankenau Hospital100 Lancaster Ave.Wynnewood, PA 19096

3.4

5.7

C, CP, PT (1 bus)

C, CP, PT (2 buses)

Year-long

Health Start

Student Testimonial

Medical students will take turns presenting on various aspects of the physiological system, as well as meeting with the high school students in small groups. Sessions will rotate between the high-school and medical school campuses.

Mercy Vocational High Sch2900 Hunting Park Ave.Phila, PA 19129

MVHS = 1

CP, shuttle, PT

7 sessions

Hope Garden at the Stenton

The Hope Garden is located in the backyard of the Stenton Family Manor, the largest public homeless

Stenton Family Manor

3.5 CP Year-long

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles from

QL

Modes of

TranspFamily Manor

Student Testimonial

shelter in Philadelphia. The garden is tended by shelter residents and volunteers under the supervision of the Weavers Way Co-op farmer. Produce from the garden provides food for people in the shelter (any extra is sold at a farmer’s market). Medical students will work with children in the garden during warm weather, and will provide tutoring for the after-school program during colder months.

1300 E. Tulpehocken St.Philadelphia, PA 19138

Legacy Youth Tennis and Education (LYTE)

Student Testimonial

The mission of Legacy Youth Tennis and Education (formerly called Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education) is to create opportunities for a diverse cross-section of young people, especially those from low-income families and communities, to make positive choices in their lives, remain in and succeed in school, reject violence and other risky behaviors, and grow into active, responsible and productive citizens. Medical students will choose from “a variety of hands-on activities including: tennis, leadership exercises and workshops, and meaningful service-learning projects.”

Main office:4842 Ridge AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19129

But some work may take place at city rec ctrs

1.8 C, CP, PT

Year-long commitment

Medical Interpretation

Student Testimonial

For fluent Spanish speakers: At St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, a large majority of patients are Puerto Rican or Latin American and primarily Spanish speakers. Bi-lingual medical students are encouraged to use their skills for translating brochures and informational documents, as well as interpreting for patients and their families in the Ambulatory Care Clinic, the E.D., and other clinics in the hospital.

Spanish:St. Christopher’s Hospital for ChildrenFront St. and Erie Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19134

3.7 C, CP, PT

St. Chris:Four 4-hr sessions + journals

Move it with Mommy and Me

Move It With Mommy and Me is an hour-long nutrition and fitness program for mothers and

Eliza Shirley House Shelter

7.3 C, CP, S

2 sessions per month,

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles from

QL

Modes of

Transp

Student Testimonial

children at the Eliza Shirley House, an emergency homeless shelter, held two evenings per month. Interested students will help lead the sessions along with a medical resident and a second-year student, and will help with distributing fresh fruit afterwards as part of the Nutritious Nibbles program.

1320 Arch StreetPhila, PA 19107

Oct - April

Music to My Ears

Student Testimonial

Music to My Ears provides art enrichment through music education to students that would not otherwise have access to such programs. Instruction is given to middle-school students in individual and/or group lessons to accomplish the following objectives: Learn how to read music written in treble clef; Become proficient playing simple melodies on the recorder; Gain a basic background in music history and theory; and Build collaboration and team-working skills by participating in a music ensemble.

Amy NW Middle School6000 Ridge AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19128

2.5 C, CP, PT = 1 bus

Year-long

Northern Children’s Services

New to CEE

Medical students will lead health education sessions for teenage moms living on the Northern Children’s Services campus, only two miles from Queen Lane. The sessions will take place over dinner approximately two times per month.

5301 Ridge AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19128

2.1 C, CP, PT

Year-long

Pediatric Play Program

Student Testimonial

The Pediatric Play Program takes place in the Emergency Department of St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. Medical students work in pairs under the supervision of Child Life Specialists, playing and talking with children who are patients in the ED. Students must complete five sessions of 2.5-hours at the hospital, and complete a journal for each session.

St. Christopher’s Hosp for ChildrenFront St. and Erie Ave.Philadelphia, PA

3.7 C, CP, PT

5 sessions between

October and April, plus journals

Philadelphia The mission of Philadelphia City Rowing is “to Sessions will be held 4.2 C, CP 15 sessions

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles from

QL

Modes of

TranspCity Rowing (PCR)

Student Testimonial

empower local public school students through the sport of rowing.” Medical students can choose from working with middle or high-school students, assisting with homework help, team mentoring, and/or nutrition education and study-skills sessions. Sessions are after-school and on Saturdays. No background in rowing or nutrition necessary, although familiarity with either and/or both is welcome!

either at PCR:2700 W. Girard

Or at Lloyd Hall on Boathouse Row

5

between October and

April

Philadelphia Futures

Student Testimonial

Philadelphia Futures’ centerpiece program, Sponsor-A-Scholar, helps students from public high schools, who will be the first in their family to go to college, to succeed in high school, and to pursue and complete higher education. Medical students will help with tutoring in subjects they are comfortable with.

Philadelphia Futures230 S. Broad, 7th Fl.Philadelphia, PA 19102

7.2 C, CP, S, PT

Year-long

Philly Girls in Motion

Student Testimonial

Philly Girls in Motion is a volunteer driven organization that engages girls and their families in activities that encourage fitness and good nutrition. In turn, the organization supports healthy body image, confidence and good decision making processes. Medical students will lead a group in fitness and health education. Please note: this program starts early in the school year!

Fall session: South Philly location

Spring session: Simons Recreation Center7200 Woolston Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19138

3.8 CP, PT = 1 bus

8 sessions, with potential

for more

Reach Out, Educate, and Connect (REC)

Student Testimonial

The REC Project aims to build relationships between nearby third-graders and medical students and to teach preventive healthcare through interactive, discussion-filled sessions. Topics include the musculoskeletal system, smoking, the human organ system, and medical careers. The 3rd-graders will have scheduled field trips to Qn. Lane.

Wissahickon Charter School4700 Wissahickon Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19129

.8 mile

W, CP

6 sessions

Science Explorers

Medical students will work with 7th and 8th graders in hands-on, interactive science activities in order

Amy NW Middle School6000 Ridge AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19128

2.5 C, CP,

7 sessions

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles from

QL

Modes of

Transp

Student Testimonial

to engage young people in asking “why questions” and to help them ignite a passion for the world around them.

PT = 1 bus

Sharing Music Notes

New to CEE

Music is an avenue through which we can experience the art of wellness. Med students will serve as mentors for high-school students who are involved in the Settlement Music School after-school program, “Sounds of Young Philadelphia.” Over the course of eight two-hour sessions, med students will help the high school students view their musical talents from a perspective of wellness. Additionally, time will be set aside to aid students in their homework. There will be a Spring Recital at the end of the year.

6128 Germantown Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19144

2 C, CP, PT

8 sessions

SquashSmarts

Student Testimonial

SquashSmarts is dedicated to improving the lives of underserved youth from Philadelphia public schools by providing intensive, long-term academic tutoring and squash instruction, while imparting high standards of personal integrity, health and fitness, and service to the community. Med students will help middle or high school students with homework.

Lenfest Center, 2nd Floor3890 N. 10th StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19140

4.5 C, CP, PT

15 sessions

St. Gabriel’s Hall

New to CEE

Saint Gabriel’s Hall is a residential program located in Audubon, PA for delinquent male youth 10 – 18 years old that uses a trauma-informed approach to helping the youth become responsible, competent, productive members of the community. Medical students will lead a recurring 4 – 6 session health education/physical activity group with the boys. St. Gabriel’s is located 20 miles from the Queen Lane campus. OCE will help pay for gas.

1350 Pawlings RoadNorristown, PA 19401

20.2 C, CP Year-long

Starfinder Starfinder's soccer, educational, and personal development programs inspire young people from

Starfinder Foundation4015 Main St.

2.6 C, CP,

Year-long

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles from

QL

Modes of

TranspStudent Testimonial

underserved communities to achieve success both on and off the field. Medical students will serve as tutors for high-schoolers who participate in Starfinder’s after-school program. They will also be responsible for teaching a weekly health tip, and for highlighting a weekly SAT word. Those interested should feel comfortable taking initiative with teens.

Philadelphia, PA 19127 PT

Strawberry Mansion High SchoolStudent Testimonial

Med students will work with high school students in a nearby, public high school, tutoring and mentoring, specifically helping with college applications and prep: talking about college, exploring interests, steps to take, etc.

Strawberry Mansion High School3133 Ridge Ave.Phila, PA 19121

2.6 C, CP, PT

Year-long

Teach to Learn

Student Testimonial

Students will be matched in pairs with elementary school classrooms at the Wissahickon Charter School. Medical students will assist the elementary students in their lesson that afternoon. With a year-long commitment, medical students will be able to get to know the children well.

Wissahickon Charter Sch4700 Wissahickon Ave.Phila, PA 19129OR815 E. Washington Ln.Phila, PA 19138

½ mi

3.5

W, CP

Year-long

Urban Blazers

Student Testimonial

Urban Blazers uses outdoor activities to engage inner-city youth. Medical students will work with Urban Blazers staff to lead groups of under-resourced youth in team-building activities, hiking, and other outdoor activities to build leadership and team skills.

Urban Blazers3217 W. Clearfield St.Philadelphia, PA 19132 Some sessions at rec ctrs & schools

Office: 1.8

C, CP, PT

Year-long

Weekday afternoon sessions.

Some weekend

sessions are available.

The Village

New to CEE

The Village provides child welfare, residential programs, mental health, and prevention services to children and families in Philadelphia and neighboring counties. Medical students will lead 8-session health education classes for four cohorts of

452 S. Roberts RoadBryn Mawr, PA 19010

12 mi.

C, CP Year-long

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles from

QL

Modes of

Transpteenage girls over the course of the year (two groups will run concurrently, with two leaders each). The Village is located in Rosemont, a suburb of Philadelphia, 12 miles from QL. The OCE will help pay for gas.

Women Against Abuse Emerg Shelter - TutoringStudent Testimonial

Women and their children who have experienced violence in their home situations are allowed to stay at the WAA emergency shelter for up to 120 days. The after-school program usually serves 5 – 10 children, ages 5 – 11. As part of this program, medical students will participate in a training session on domestic violence.

The shelter’s location is confidential. It is located in the Northwest section of Philadelphia.

15 min fr QL

C, CP

Year-long

Women In Medicine (WIM)

Student Testimonial

WIM is an organization that is focused on mentoring young teenage girls who express interest in medicine, to help them stay on track and follow their dreams. North Light Community Center in Manayunk provides an afterschool program for students who would most likely be the first in their family to attend college. Through fun activities, field trips, and interesting workshops we hope to support young women in pursuing their education and entering health careers.

North Light Community Center175 Green LanePhiladelphia, PA 19127

3.3 C, CP, PT

Monthly sessions

Adults and Mixed-Age Groups

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles

from QLModes

of Trans

pThe Arc of Philadelphia

Student Testimonial

The Arc of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. Med students will be responsible for following up with Arc participants and caregivers about previous health assessments. They will also develop and lead a series of health education sessions for Arc participants and/or caregivers. Some topics to include:Informed consent, Medication management, Self-advocacy, Nutrition, Sleep.

The Arc of Philadelphia2350 W. WestmorelandPhiladelphia, PA 19140

1.5 C, CP

Year-long

Back On My Feet

Student Testimonial

Back on My Feet is a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of homeless populations by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem. Interested medical students must commit to running with an early morning group of people living in a homeless shelter for a minimum of two times per month (from October through April), and writing a journal entry one time per month.

Locations vary. Varies

C, CP, PT

Year-long

Two times per month

5:30 am

C a Difference

New to CEE

C a Difference attempts to address the unmet need for HCV (Hep C Virus) and HIV testing and care services within Philadelphia. Med students will be trained as testers and counselors, and will provide services at Prevention Point Philadelphia, a multi-service public health organization serving the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations in Philadelphia.

2913 Kensington Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19134

5 C, CP, PT

Year-long

Depaul House – Health

Depaul House provides transitional housing for formerly homeless men. It recently opened a medical respite center with 8 beds, for homeless

5725 Sprague StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19138

2.6 C, CP, PT

6 sessions

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles

from QLModes

of Trans

pEducation

Student Testimonial

men who need a place to recuperate following discharge from an acute care medical facility. Medical students will lead health education sessions open to all residents. For those interested, students are also needed to spend time with the residents in the respite program, engaging in discussions and games.

Depaul House Partners

New to CEE

Med students, in pairs, will be connected with a resident living in Depaul House or St. Raymond’s for emotional support, health and life-skill education. Students will be expected to meet with their community partner regularly throughout the year to develop trust and gain a greater understanding of that person’s life, needs and strengths.

Depaul: 5725 Sprague StreetPhila, PA 19138Or St. Raymond’s:7919 Forrest Ave.Phila, PA 19150

2.6

St. R:4.5

C, CP, PT

Year-long

District 1199C

Student Testimonial

Lead groups of young adults who are high school graduates, training to become nurse’s aides, to explore health professions. One session for each group held at Queen Lane.

100 S. Broad St.Phila, PA 19110

7 C, CP, PT

3 three-session groups

Elders Project

Student Testimonial

This project combines the CEE and Geriatrics Experience course-work, and allows students to get to know an older adult living in the community. You will be paired with another student and assigned together to meet with an older adult living in a nearby neighborhood. CEE requires 4 Journals, along with the GE course writing requirements.

NW Philadelphia, visits in mentor’s home and gatherings at UUHouse office in Germantown

Within 5 mi.

C, CP, PT

6 sessions

Gearing Up

Student Testimonial

Gearing Up provides women in transition from abuse, addiction, and/or incarceration with the skills, equipment, and guidance to safely ride a bicycle for exercise, transportation, and personal growth. A primary goal of Gearing Up is to provide women with regular coaching,

Locations throughout Philadelphia

6 months

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles

from QLModes

of Trans

p

mentoring, and support to make healthy lifestyle changes, promote personal growth, and use biking for transportation. Women who have excelled in the program are eligible to apply for the Shifting Gears Program, which allows them to be paired with a Volunteer Ambassador for one-on-one rides. Male med students can serve as Gearing Up team leaders. Female med students can apply to be team leaders or Shifting Gears ambassadors.

Main Line Hospice

New to CEE

Medical students will work as Hospice Volunteers, and will be assigned in pairs for a long-term relationship with a hospice patient and family. Students will be expected to make regular home visits.

Locations will vary. Vary C, CP

Year long

Mothers and Baby Dragons

Student Testimonial

The Mothers and Baby Dragons program pairs underserved pregnant women with Drexel medical students throughout their pregnancy. You will act as a health navigator for a woman by attending prenatal visits, providing needed information and resources, being present for labor and delivery, and continued support postpartum. You should stay in touch with these patients beyond their appointments to help them. The program includes monthly seminars to better equip students to help these mothers. The time commitment is variable: Prenatal appointments are monthly until 28 weeks, then every 2-3 weeks until week 35, and then weekly at 36 weeks. Certain circumstances will require more frequent visits during pregnancy. There is also a 6-week postpartum appointment. Expect to be at the office for about 3 hours for the appointments.

Hahnemann Women’s Care Center1427 Vine StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19102

7 mi. C, PT, S

Year long

Smoking Cessation

Interested students will be trained to be smoking cessation counselors for groups of smokers who

4555 Pechin StreetPhiladelphia, PA

3.3 C, CP

Evening sessions

Project Project Description Location Time Commitmen

tMiles

from QLModes

of Trans

p

Student Testimonial

want to quit. You will be assigned to one of the groups, held at the Salvation Army inpatient rehabilitation center, Sisters Returning Home, or Eliza Shirley homeless shelter. The curriculum is divided into four sessions which will be repeated. Each session will be led by a medical resident, a second-year student, and a first-year students. CEE students will work at one of these sites, and will be expected to lead the program after this year. This program begins earlier than other CEE options, so you must notify Elissa of your interest early!

19128

Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission

Student Testimonial

The Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission provides many services that meet the basic needs of the Philadelphia area’s homeless population, including 3 meals a day, shelter for up to 30 days for 175 men, clothing, and the “Overcomers” program, a year-long recovery program for up to 30 men. Med students will lead health education sessions for the Overcomers.

302 N. 13th St.Philadelphia, PA 19107

6.8 C, CP, PT, shuttle

6 sessions

YouthBuild

New to CEE

YouthBuild is a charter school for 18-21 year-olds who dropped out of school. Students attend YouthBuild for one year, during which they receive their high school diploma as well as vocational training in either construction, technology, or health care. Medical students will work with students in the healthcare track, leading sexual health education and career exploration sessions.

1231 N. Broad StreetPhila, PA 19122

4.6 C, CP, PT

8 sessions

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Student Testimonials (from Class of 2019)Back On My Feet

Once a week, I wake up at 5am, drive into Center City and run in the dark with the guys of St. John’s Hospice, a homeless shelter for men. I am a part of Back On My Feet, a program that grants homeless people extra benefits for waking up early and running at 5:30am. The program is based on the idea is that if somebody can wake up early and run three times per week with a group of peers, they can regain the confidence and self-esteem needed to find a job and get their life back on track. I was so excited to be a part of a program that uses fitness to better people’s lives but when the first day came I panicked and thought, what am I going to talk to them about? What if I can’t relate and have nothing to say? I was scared of having nothing to connect with them on and having a bad experience.

The first week, I was lucky to walk with one of the older residents, and possibly the most outgoing person I’ve ever met. We walked for an hour and he pointed out old recording studios and music venues all over the city that he went to when he was in the music industry. He worked with many famous jazz bands and showed me all that the city had to offer along our two mile walk. That walk made every other run easier because I knew I could have a conversation no different than with somebody who is not homeless. The next week I ran with a different resident and learned that he was a researcher at Columbia University in New York. The week after that I ran with a resident in his late twenties who was in graduate school before coming to the shelter.

It was foolish of me to worry so much about not having anything to connect with them on because the first thing I realized was how similar I am to each one of them. From hearing their stories and getting to know each resident, I realized that they are good, regular people who were living their lives when issues came up that they couldn’t overcome. It didn't take long for me to feel more like I was running with a group of friends than volunteering. Each resident I met for the first few weeks had gone to college and had a steady job before they were homeless. This was incredibly striking for me because it made me realize that it could easily be me in their position. If somebody had their life in order enough to finish college and start a job, it showed me that they had stability and probably never envisioned themselves as being homeless in the future.

It wasn’t hard to put myself in their shoes and see how you can go from living a regular life, to things not going your way, and finally to homelessness. Running with Back on My Feet completely changed my perspective of homelessness because it is not something that would define any of the men I met, it’s an unfortunate and transient experience that deserves compassion and help from the community in order for them to get their lives back in order.

Each run starts and ends with the serenity prayer, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” Although I am not a religious person, I think that this prayer is incredibly useful for somebody going through a hard time. It’s easy to think of all the things that have gone wrong and be angry or blame others, but the ability to accept how things are and try to move forward is something I truly admire about the men running Back on My Feet. I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to run with this program because the residents were able to teach me so much from their courage and perseverance to get back on their feet. - Jennifer Williams, Class of 2019

Boys and Girls ClubI was working with a first grade student named Michael*. We had just finished our homework and were moving on to the

game station. We started out with connect four but I couldn’t help but notice that Michael was eyeing the blocks the whole time. I said, “Michael, why don’t we go try and build something.” He responded back by saying, “Mr. Chris, I want to, but I’m not good enough.” This turned into a long talk about how he is self-conscious about his block-building-skills and didn’t want the other students to judge him. I brought over the blocks, built a horrible looking tower, which inevitably fell over and made a scene in front of the other students about how my tower didn’t come out too well but in the end I tried my best and that is what matters. Michael had a big smile on his face and started building as well. We started to talk about our day and Michael really felt comfortable with me. He said, “It was a good day, except I ran away for 2 hours.” We started to talk about that and he opened up about how he feels the teacher judges him and the student’s in class don’t like him. We continued to talk while building everything from space ships to race tracks. At the end of the day he hugged me goodbye and told me I gave him the best day ever.

Michael felt truly comfortable around me and it is truly amazing what blocks can do. Yes, they are therapeutic and soothing. However, there was something more going on. It came down to Michael and I spending quality time together. I wasn’t judging anything he said and was simply there to listen. I was vulnerable with myself in the beginning by messing up my block tower and that made him feel comfortable around me.

That’s what I realized these kids need most in their life. Not someone to constantly tell them what to do, but more just someone to be there for them. When you are there for them is when they truly feel comfortable around you which inevitably leads to when they truly trust you and that is where the true mentoring happens. Michael always told me he would go home and watch t.v. till his mom got home. She worked two jobs and simply (not to her fault) did not have the time to give Michael that he needed. She is a single mother and she has to do what she has to do to put dinner on the table. I am extremely grateful for my time in CEE at the Boys and Girls club. I have made many deep connections with many students and there is nothing I have looked forward to more than seeing them once a week. Anya and I are continuing to go and are hoping to go next year as well. It is amazing at how much you teach students, but what is even more unbelievable is how much the students will teach you. I have grown so much throughout this experience and received such a greater insight into other parts of the world (not just the wealthy suburbs that I grew up in.) I believe this is critical for being a good doctor as well. One has to be able to relate to all of his/her patients and this is the kind of experience that will help me do so. - Chris Azzolino, Class of 2019

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Center for Grieving Children:At the Center for Grieving Children, we provide support to a very varied population of kids who only have in common that

they have all experienced a major loss in their life. There is a full spectrum of races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and experiences. There is one child in particular that has impacted me. She grew up in Virginia until her mother was diagnosed with aggressive cancer and died just months later. Her father then moved her to the Philadelphia area in order to be closer to extended family that had promised to help them pick up the pieces. Unfortunately, this support never materialized and her father and she were left without a home. Since there are no homeless shelter programs available for a father and daughter pair, this child is now living with some of those extended family members after bouncing through a few foster homes. I’ve been very

impressed by how intelligent and well-spoken this girl is. One day we were discussing coping mechanisms and asked the group if they knew what coping mechanisms are. This child answered that coping mechanisms were something you used “when you were upset in order to return to your baseline.” I was surprised by this textbook perfect answer coming from a twelve year old. Moments like this and others have shown me how intelligent this child is, yet, she is struggling both academically and socially in school. This child entirely lacks a support system and while her father is as involved and interested as he can be, he lacks a home and therefore can’t be very consistent. While her current living situation isn’t bad, she doesn’t receive a lot of attention and is clearly lonely and struggling. What has struck me about this child is that her struggles in school and in making friends really highlights the importance of a support system. I was blessed with a life that I didn’t ever really have to consider this. I grew up in a small reasonably affluent community and attended a private school followed by a small liberal arts college. I think it’s easy to forget that our communities kind of act as an echo chamber allowing us to be ignorant of how different some people’s life experiences are compared to ours. Obviously, this can be damaging. Our life experiences color everything we do and perceive and it’s difficult to ‘put yourself in someone else’s shoes’ when you can’t even wrap your mind around how extensive our differences are.

Another thing this experience has really served to remind me of is how much can be going on in a child’s life that could cause academic or interpersonal struggles. When I originally heard of this girl’s academic issues, I made a lot of assumptions that did not prove to be true. She has the tools to do well but lacks the support necessary to use them. I think it’s easy to think of children as having happy simple lives, particularly because that is what we would want to be the case. However, you have to remember that this isn’t necessarily true, just because someone hasn’t lived very long yet doesn’t mean they haven’t experienced difficult situations, however heartbreaking that might be. – Brooke Willis, Class of 2019

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CPR Anytime:Of all the experiences we have had in medical school in the last nine months, I found my CEE to be one of the most rewarding parts of the

journey thus far. As cliché as it sounds, I chose to be a doctor and come to medical school in order to be able to help the people and community around me. I want to make a difference in people’s lives in one way or another. I felt that, in my first semester of medical school, my CEE let me do just that, and more: It taught me a valuable lesson about passion.

I took part in a program called CPR Anytime at Mastbaum Vocational Technical High School in North Philadelphia. The program was designed to help teach 10th and 11th grade students interested in the healthcare field about the importance of cardiovascular health as well as introduce them to the live saving technique of CPR. The students were part of a curriculum that they chose to be in that allowed them to explore the various healthcare fields available to them. Because of this, every student that attended our bi-weekly sessions had a genuine interest in what we were teach and actually cared about what we had to say. However, how I discovered this was the case was quite interesting.

I think one of the most eye-opening experiences I had was during our second class when we had just taught the group how to preform CPR on a dummy. We started off the class with a video guide provided to us by the American Heart Association, in which they explained what CPR was and how to do it. We proceeded to demonstrate the process on the dummy in front of the class so they could see it live. Afterwards, we asked for a student volunteer to demonstrate to the class what they learned. The room was silent for roughly 15 seconds as no one volunteered and my colleagues and I looked at each other to see what to do next. Finally one of the students, Javier, in the back of the room raised his hand came up to demonstrate.

Quickly I saw how passionate he got regarding the CPR and how he invoked energy in the students around him. One of the steps in the process of CPR was to never stop compressions, and to enlist the help of others when fatigued. Javier knew he wasn’t supposed to stop until some either relieved him, or proper medical help arrived on scene. Even though it was only supposed to be a demonstration, he quickly was able enlist his peers and help them overcome their shyness. One by one, I saw students relieving each other of the compression on the dummy. As soon as a student got tired, another student got up from their chair and took over compressions. This went on for roughly 5-7 minutes as we encouraged each volunteer to master their technique. Eventually, we told the class that they did a great job and that they could stop; however, Javier quickly snapped back saying, “Hey Neil, are the paramedics here yet? We can’t stop till they come!” The whole class laughed and continued the exercise until my colleagues and pretended to burst on scene as EMTs relieving them of the CPR.

At that exact moment, I saw how deeply passionate the students were about what we were teaching them. This program took place was after school was over, when no student was truly obligated to be there. Yet, these students took it very seriously and actually wanted to be there. Students like Javier showed great initiative and passion for something they weren’t required to do. This was a true learning experience for me because going into this CEE program; I was never expecting the response that I got. I was expecting that because this was an inner city school, in a very impoverished area, that I would be dealing with students who were not disciplined and would show zero interest in the subject matter at hand. I was expecting students to be talking to their friends, on their phones, or staring at the clock. The experience showed me that I was absolutely wrong: Regardless of their backgrounds, these students were eager to learn and make something of themselves, something I was never expecting to see at an inner city Philadelphia high school. This experience has made me value passion more than ever before. I think back to all the opportunities that my parents gave me as a child, and how I took them for granted and never showed a true passion or interest in them till later. These students, who have very limited opportunities as a result of their surroundings, were still able to show passion towards an interest, in hopes of having a better future. Seeing this over the course 5 sessions truly humbled me. I always stereotyped inner city high school students as those who didn’t care about education, but instead focused on drugs and fights as a product of their environment; boy, was I wrong. – Neil Patel, Class of 2019Back to List

Depaul House:My CEE experience was at Depaul House, a transitional housing program for homeless men in Philadelphia where they can find shelter and

various services to help them get back on their feet. I had various meaningful experiences there, ranging from teaching the residents about methadone treatment to teaching a man how to tie a necktie for a job interview. Perhaps most importantly, my experience at Depaul taught me first-hand about the social determinants of health, a topic covered in the traditional medical school curriculum less prominently than say, medical biochemistry.

Prior to my time spent at Depaul, I had not volunteered at a homeless shelter. I was somewhat surprised to learn that in order to be a resident, one actually has to pay a small sum for rent. Of course, the inability to afford rent or a mortgage usually is what precludes having a home, but one of the services offered by Depaul is case management by a social worker who helps the men find jobs (at the same time, one can imagine how difficult it must be to hold a job while homeless). Another requirement for the residents is that they save 20% of their income, which they may access once they secure their own home. With donations received by the shelter, it is able to provide clothing to the men for job interviews. One winter evening I helped receive donations from a van outside, in which there were two boys, no older than 14, who were organizing the clothes they had collected for the donation. I found it very touching to see such young people doing that kind of service.

When I was new at Depaul, I felt awkward because I imagined the men would feel a sense of shame for their current situation, so I made an effort to build rapport and get to know them. I was impressed with some of the things I learned. One man for example, was trying to figure out where

to take evening classes on computer programming and entrepreneurship. Another man worked an overnight shift (11pm-7am) doing manual labor. My heart ached for another man who was going through cancer treatments and having a terribly difficult time obtaining disability payments.

The concept of the social determinants of health was evident during my time at Depaul. When planning a group discussion on health care topics, one man asked about the impact of the cold weather. While the day-to-day vagaries of the winter weather can be a hassle to the average person, they can present serious danger to the homeless. This may be an obvious fact, but it was highlighted for me being at the shelter.

Another problem often faced by the homeless is substance abuse. The other medical students and I led a discussion on methadone treatment for opiate/opioid addiction. Prior to this discussion, the men were often rather reserved but this topic clearly struck a chord and we had a lively conversation. It seemed everyone there had some knowledge about street drugs and it was clear how constant proximity and exposure can hamper one’s ability to break free of homelessness. Evidently, drug dealers loiter around nearby methadone clinics, preying on those who are trying to treat their addiction.

While sobering at times, my experience at Depaul was enriching in that I was able to meet some great people and learn more about the social determinants of health. I was impressed by the services it provides, the kindness of the staff, and the resilience of the residents. I hope one day that I can provide some kind of service to such a place as a physician in order to at least make a small impact in ameliorating social injustice. – Matthew Heard, Class of 2019Back to List

District 1199CI think the most significant thing I got out of my CEE experience this year was the reaffirmation of my personal view of

medicine (and one of the reasons I was drawn to the field in the first place); namely, that all healthcare professionals work as a team, and each and every 'team member' is vital to the care of the patient.

There were three of us in the group, and we volunteered at a non-profit organization called District 1199C. It is a federally funded program that trains high school graduates from relatively disadvantaged backgrounds to work as nurse's aides. Many of the students use this program as a sort of stepping stone, then, to different careers in the health care field. We had everything from aspiring RN's to phlebotomists. Our job was mainly to help the students explore the many, many different career paths that exist in healthcare and to reinforce the idea that healthcare professionals work as a team to take care of patients, and that the stereotype of the doctor being the most important is not true. We also spoke to them about our own experiences in school and otherwise, and how the three of us ended up in medicine.

As we were speaking to the students about this "healthcare team" idea, I realized that I truly did believe strongly in everything we were telling them. We would talk about all of the different health care professionals necessary to accomplishing a certain goal in patient care - for example, if someone is having surgery, there needed to be an anesthesiology team, maybe a patient care tech to prep the patient for surgery, maybe pharmacists to make sure the patient gets needed meds after the surgery, an ultrasound tech if needed (we watched a video of a heart valve repair that required an ultrasound during the surgery) and so on. In addition, every patient needs medical records, and there needs to be people trained to handle that. There are numerous examples of this, and each and every one is vital. The patient would suffer if any one of these people didn't exist. And the most important thing is that each of these healthcare team members is passionate about what they're doing, which all of our students were and which was so inspiring to see. These kids came from backgrounds that not many of us could probably identify with, and have had to deal with hardships that we couldn't even imagine having to go through, despite only being in

their late teens. But that didn't matter. Because each and every one of them was committed to making people's lives better through medicine.

I think going forward, this experience will help me value each and every person I end up working with, and help me learn how to best work alongside others to accomplish a common goal. Again, I think this is one of the guiding principles with which I approach my role in the medical field, and so I am so grateful to have had this opportunity. I will forever remember our students in 1199C and what they taught me, and use it to be the best doctor I can be. – Jennifer Boyd, Class of 2019Back to List

Drexel Mentoring and Pipeline Program (DMAPP): My CEE, Drexel Mentoring and Pipeline Program (DMAPP), consisted of volunteering at a local high school and serving

as mentors for those students. We host sessions that span from simple tutoring to teaching the students beneficial skills such as how to take vital signs and perform CPR. The one experience that really stuck with me was when we volunteered at a senior home hosting a Blood Pressure Clinic, watching the students utilize their new knowledge of taking blood pressures and pulses. Just a week prior to this event we were at DUCOM teaching these motivated individuals how to read/record vital signs, an important skill regardless of career goals.

At the time, I didn’t think much more than the fact that this is a great session where we were giving back to the community. It was not until sometime after the event where I truly reflected on the program as a whole. Medicine is a service profession, however I feel at times our vision is limited to just our patients. Teaching is an important aspect of the profession as well, with a lot of learning happening amongst our peers/colleagues. In this scenario, the students from Carver High School are our peers and in essence we are serving others, through others. We can be teachers as much as we are students and the more we learn, the more well equipped we are to make a difference in others’ lives. This is achieved either through treatment as physicians or through teaching others as physicians (or even in this case as medical students).

Being in a position such as this is very humbling. All of us entered a path to become a part of something bigger than ourselves, Medicine. Being a part of a Rotary International program for the past 4 years really opened my eyes to the importance of service and paying it forward. My involvement with this CEE allowed me to continue serving and teaching others. On top of that, this experience taught me more about myself with regards to how much I value the importance of mentorship and teaching. I was able to put my passions into fruition, and for that I am very thankful. – Andrew Chalhoub, Class of 2019Back to List

Elders Project: Being a part of the Elder’s Project CEE provided me with an opportunity to interview and converse with an older adult patient/mentor – Mr. B – over the school year. Each of our visits started with a list of suggested questions that pertained to a different theme, such as our older adult mentor’s view of his community, education and work experience, social support system, and unmet needs. Although we were presented with a list of questions to ask Mr. Bell during our interviews with him, our conversations often effortlessly transitioned to tangential topics that Mr. Bell found was important to discuss with us.

For example, while interviewing him about his education and work experience, we somehow ended up watching a slide-show of his old photos. Through this slideshow, we were able to see photos of Mr. B with his family and friends during some of the happiest times of his life – weddings, family reunions, and church gatherings. Although this meeting with Mr. B was intended to be an exercise in obtaining a personal and social history from an older adult patient, Mr. Bell showed us that

patients are more than a set of data to be analyzed. Whether it was intentional or not, Mr. B reminded us through this slideshow that the patients we will be treating in the future have family, friends, and community members that often depend on them. Therefore, when we treat patients in our future practices, we are not only treating the patients themselves, but we are also preserving the well-being and integrity of the communities to which they belong.

This experience was very important to me in that it reminded me of why I entered medical school in the first place. Although we all know and want to treat our patients as people instead of sets of data, it is very easy to unintentionally forget to do so when we are bombarded with medical facts and terminology for the majority of our day, almost every day of the week. Having volunteered in some HOP clinics throughout the school year, I’ve often found myself being so preoccupied with covering everything on BIC and relating these findings to what I learned in class that I often forget to humanize the patient who is sitting right in front of me. This specific experience with Mr. B was thus instrumental in helping to redirect my way of thinking back to one which is more patient-centric.

More important than any single event that occurred during my visits with Mr. B was the overall lesson that I learned from the Elder’s Project. Over the course of the school year, the Elder’s Project CEE provided me with an opportunity to form a meaningful relationship with Mr. B, someone who was a complete stranger to me only six months ago. This opportunity provided me with a preview of the potential relationships that doctors and their patients form over time. As we met with Mr. B more and more, we noticed that he was more willing to share personal matters with us compared to our first few visits. For example, we were able to learn about everything from his deepest fears to his biggest regrets to his greatest accomplishments. This ultimately highlights the importance of the personal relationships between physicians and their patients. Just as Mr. B needed to feel a sense of connection to us before he began opening up about issues which he felt to be more personal, our future patients will undoubtedly require this same “feeling-out” process with us when they come in for treatment.

To be honest, I went into this CEE unenthusiastically, thinking that it would only take time away from my studies – what I felt to be the important stuff. However, what I got out of this experience was more than anything that textbooks or even P&P had to offer (sorry Dr. Novak), and I am very grateful to have had such an amazing opportunity to be a part of the Elder’s Project. – Frank Liou, Class of 2019Back to List

Franklin Learning Center:I think that one experience that I had during my community service experience that was significant happened during the

first session at Franklin Learning Center, where we helped students work on their own public health-related projects and research. We had just walked into the room as class ended, and our facilitator Miss Honey introduced us as Drexel Medical students to a group of sophomores and juniors that seemed to quiet down like an audience in awe. As we stood there introducing ourselves to the students, they sat down looking at us like polite strangers while we talked about our paths to medical school. We started giving them details about how medical school was – difficult, tiring, but we were appreciative of the opportunity that was in front of us, and their interests were more peaked than I’ve ever seen when talking to younger kids.

When we walked in the first day to the new faces and surroundings, I didn’t really know what to expect in terms of our responsibilities, our demeanor, and our impact on the students themselves. The cloud of uncertainty that I had left when we first began the session. I was feeling a little nervous as we walked around the school initially with my classmates back into an energetic high school – it’s been some time since all of us had stepped back into one. I remember seeing the banner for the “Blue Ribbon School” and thinking that these kids were going to be bright and intuitive, which I was gladly right about. They all

had their own hopes and dreams in the medical field; some wanted to be OB/GYN’s, some wanted to plastic surgeons, others wanted to be nurses. You could see in their faces how impactful our presence was for them even if we just met them a few moments ago. We as medical students had the ability to teach students in a realistic way how to get to where they wanted to go, and it was easy to see that they were very insightful and appreciative of the advice, even if it made them realize that the road was sometimes much harder than it appears – as it could mean taking some years off to work or working exceptionally hard instead of relying on intelligence alone.

This was the first time where I’ve really felt appreciative of the fact that I was in medical school and on my way to being a physician. I was in a dual-degree program and did not really need to go through the stressed-out application and interview process like most of my peers, so I guess I may have taken it for granted at times. It made me reflect on my own road to medical school for one, as my road wasn’t particularly difficult compared to others in my group, and that made me realize how hard everyone must work to be in this position. For the students at FLC, it will probably be more difficult for some of them to achieve their goals, but they seemed to appreciate the challenge. They didn’t seem flinched by some of our strenuous paths or our sometimes-deflated demeanors, which I found the most impressive over the course of the year. That’s something valuable I took away from them: to appreciate the position I’m in to be able to help people like them in the future, even if the path to it may be difficult. For them to be in a difficult city school system, work hard, and still aspire to be something in the medical field gave me true inspiration to look forward.

Coming in to this year straight from college, I seemed a bit too naïve and overwhelmed by medical school: what it meant both academically, professionally, and mentally. This experience and many others over the course of the year have resonated with me, and I feel like I’ve grown positively into a more appreciate and hard-working person by seeing students at FLC and my own peers work hard towards their goals. Looking back on the experience now, I’m happy to say that I’ve adopted a much more realistic and insightful attitude towards my goals: I know it can be hard at times, but with an end in mind, it all becomes much easier. - Darshan Parikh, Class of 2019Back to List

Gearing Up: For my CEE requirement, I volunteered with Gearing Up, an organization that works with women recently released from prison, recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, and recovering from abuse. Through this organization, we taught women the skills required to safely ride a bicycle and helped foster the values of persistence, self-sustainability, and healthy-living. By visiting a site once or twice a week, volunteers can help the women maintain a fairly active lifestyle; by encouraging a commitment to cycling throughout a predetermined ride, Gearing Up encourages perseverance; and by showing the women their own physical strength, the volunteers attempt to foster self-confidence and personal fortitude. Though it was a slow start with Gearing Up, I have really enjoyed by time volunteering with this organization. One experience I had with Gearing Up this past winter was especially inspiring. During the winter months, instead of biking, we would hold indoor health/active-living discussions. Usually, we would discuss certain health conditions that specifically pertained to the women, like diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis, or we would discuss the physical and emotional health benefits of exercise. Throughout these sessions in the winter and the bike rides in the spring and fall, one woman, “Carla”, was consistently present and eager to begin our session or bike ride; as many times as I volunteered, she was there. One day in the winter, Carla was the only person to come to our discussion. Eager as always, she practically begged our Gearing Up coordinator to let us bike, instead of holding our health discussion. It was a very windy winter day, probably 30°,

but the three of us, without gloves or the warmest clothes, biked for over an hour. Honestly, I was not too excited to be biking in January; prepared for an indoor discussion, I did not prepare for an outdoor bike ride, and was chilled to the bone. After this bike ride, however, Carla met her goal of ‘100 miles biked’ with Gearing Up. This experience is affirming to me in many ways. Every time before we ride, everyone goes around the circle and names one thing they are going to leave behind; this can be stress, feeling overwhelmed, feeling sad, helplessness, etc. – any problem they want to push to the back of their mind during the ride. After the ride, everyone similarly names one thing they brought back: energy, excitement, laughter, fun, soreness. On this day, Carla brought back 100 miles. My whole experience with Carla from the beginning had been inspiring because she was there every week, ready to ride or ready to participate in a discussion; she was vocal and funny and made the rides a lot of fun. On this cold wintry day, she was so eager and motivated to bike to meet her goal. It was a small group, none of her friends were there, and she encouraged a volunteer and a coordinator to brave the cold weather for a bike ride; her commitment was truly inspiring. Moreover, the fact that she met 100 miles biked is quite the feat. All these women we biked with are recovering from a host of problems: drugs, alcohol, abuse; they are living in a home with others like them, trying to acquire jobs, trying to hold down those jobs, trying to move out into their own apartments. Carla was no different; previously incarcerated, she was recovering and just settled on a new place to live. She was moving out of Why Not Prosper in a month. With all this going on, she still found the drive and motivation to meet her seemingly less important biking goals. She exhibited perseverance and self-confidence, the values that Gearing Up strove to recover from their bikers. Carla exhibited values and traits that anyone could appreciate. As a medical student, learning her unfailing motivation even in the face of challenges, in Carla’s case as large as getting her life back on track to as small as cold weather, would behoove me. I think that I definitely value such qualities; not just as a student, but as a friend and just as a person, it is important to set practical goals and strive to meet them against all odds. – Shaivi Patel, Class of 2019Back to List

Health Career Academy:When our group first visited Martin Luther King High School to work with them on the Health Career Academy

curriculum, I was immediately taken aback. We entered the doors to be greeted by metal detectors and school police officers. Students were checking in by using their fingerprints and were then being sent through metal detectors while their bags passed through X-ray machines. Students often were not wearing their school polo uniform when they got to these X-ray machines, and they were kept from passing through the metal detectors until they were wearing the prescribed uniform. The school police officers at the entrance were always friendly to the students and to us, but it still seemed to be a surreal environment. Meanwhile, the school was always heated beyond levels of comfort, to the point that we were sweating while working with the students.

With security that seemed to be just a step below the TSA, I was shocked. What kind of environment were we entering? More importantly, how on Earth do these poor students learn in this environment when they are immediately met with this type of “welcome?” It was surprising to see the students and how excited they were to be working with us and to be learning about medicine. It was a strange juxtaposition to be met with this militaristic entrance but an environment that students actually wanted to learn in. I know that being in a school with locked doors, metal detectors, and fingerprint scanners would not be conducive to my learning, and I cannot imagine that it would be towards their learning.

I think it was definitely challenging to enter that environment planning to perform an educational lesson and to see the barriers that these students have to overcome before even getting to the material that they have to learn. It also made me highly grateful for the opportunities that I have had so far to have great educational experiences that allowed me to learn without the barriers that these students have to overcome to learn things like biology and math. Beyond these internal reflections, I know that it also provided me with a different lens that I will look on my future patients with. It gave me an appreciation for the hurdles other people have had to overcome to get to their successes in life, and I know that I will give my future patients more credit in the future as they share these types of struggles with me as their physician.

It would have been very easy for us to reduce our expectations of the students after this initial experience or to allow our students to “skate by” with a less than stellar performance on whatever the task was, but we kept our expectations high and we were always impressed by how our students handled the project for that day. I think this not only speaks to the enthusiasm of the students but also speaks to our ability to believe in them and to hold them to a high standard that they wanted to achieve and exceed. It reinforced my belief that people can do amazing and wonderful things, especially when challenged, and will be an attitude that I will continue to carry through life, both in settings where I am working with high school students and in other settings, especially with my future patients. It would be easy to hold a noncompliant patient to a lower standard, for example, but having a high bar for them to achieve that serves the goals that the patient and I agree on will put them in control of their health care and serve to promote health and wellbeing as they see it. – Zachary Kosak, Class of 2019

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Health Start:As a participant in the Health Start program at Mercy Vocational High School, I had the opportunity to help teach CNA

students the basics of physiology to prepare them for their certification exam at the end of the year. It seemed like a natural fit when I signed up for it at the time; as a trained anatomist and former graduate TA who has taught in the past, I knew that I enjoyed working with students to help them reach that “ah!” moment and achieve their learning objectives. However, working with graduate students—all likeminded geeks— must surely be different from working with high school students, right? With that in mind, I knew that I also had a lot to learn and I looked forward to working with the students from Mercy.

After the first couple of sessions and getting to know the kids in a small group setting, I learned that they were all very bright and capable. They were all juniors who looked forward to graduating next year; some planned on going on to college to become RN’s while some were still unsure of what they ultimately wanted to do. However, teaching the class as a whole proved to be challenging. How do we generate interest when there seems to be none? How do we engage students and encourage participation? To be quite frank, it was difficult for our group to effectively engage the class as a whole. Even as we tried to incorporate more activities into our lessons, the class never quite seemed fully engaged or interested.

However, this started to change in one of the later sessions. Our group was giving a lesson on the endocrine system and diabetes, and one of the students asked very good questions during class, relating her experience with relatives who had diabetes. I had the chance to work with her in a small group setting where we went through a case. She was an active participant, able to answer questions as well as ask insightful questions of her own. I found myself impressed by her initiative. This student remained an active participant after that day, and her own enthusiasm helped to encourage more engagement from the rest of the class. She was a joy to have in the class, and it was very encouraging to see that change. It was a reminder

that no matter how ineffective I felt, it was important to continue trying different things. All it took for her was to be able to connect the lesson back to something personal in her life, and it was like the fog had lifted. – Wai Szeto, Class of 2019Back to List

Hope Garden: My experience at Hope Garden has been surprisingly uplifting. Considering Stenton Manor provides emergency housing

for families who have nowhere else to go, I expected the children with whom I gardened would have encountered tough circumstances that may affect their behavior. However, these children have confidence, eagerness to learn, and curiosity like any other child with whom I have interacted. This is not to say that they do not have bad days or never show any problematic behaviors, but rather that they seem resilient despite their hardships. After spending some time with these students, I believe I understand one of their sources of strength.

Because of the weather, we were doing arts and crafts indoors, instead of working in the greenhouse. A little boy was getting frustrated with the activity, and I was just about to intervene when an older student stepped in. With a few simple gestures and a couple comments, he had completely placated the boy. The younger child was soon giggling uncontrollably and happily finishing his project. I remember being taken aback by how skillfully and quickly the older student had interceded. This instance compounded by countless others over my time in Garden Club has given me a new appreciation for this community. I come here once a week thinking I will be able to help and heal people who have experiences that I cannot even comprehend. Often times, I struggle to say the right things and act appropriately. By having these families come together and live amongst one another, Stenton Manor is creating a community of support. The older children are given a sense of purpose and responsibility when they look after their younger counterparts. The younger ones are given attention and a sense of importance and acceptance. I may not be able to understand what they have been through, but their friends can.

This experience has taught me so much. First of all, it has forced me to realize my limitations in helping others with their problems. I have been blessed with an easy life and plenty of physical and emotional resources. When interacting with someone who has not had some of these, I am often an inadequate source of support. Secondly, I have a greater respect for children’s ability to thrive despite tough circumstances and for the compassion they show to one another. Finally, I have learned how to better attend to these students’ needs and to listen to them. Due to this encounter, I now recognize I have a strong desire to care for people who are in difficult settings. I also feel comfortable stepping back and letting others who have faced similar challenges work through their adversities together. - Alyssa Lage, Class of 2019

Legacy Youth Tennis and Education: To pick a significant moment out of my time with Legacy Youth Tennis and Education is difficult since there were many moments of triumph but also many hurtles (sometimes literally when doing agility training). Collectively many of those moments did make an impression. I never knew quite what to expect from the group each week. Normally there were three coaches except on Fridays when there were two, so Mark and I began going on Fridays to support the two coaches until it became just the one coach when one accepted another job. It felt rough at first transitioning from having the two lead coaches to just the one. All of a sudden Mark and I were more responsible for keeping the day going and it helped us get to know the kids a bit better as we weren’t just providing little tips about tennis but now providing both structure and encouragement. Actually taking a role as a coach was difficult for me because there were 20-30 kids after school fluctuating per week ranging from first grade through 7th grade students. Some of the kids really didn’t get along and others were tired of tennis

since they have two hours of tennis after school every day of the week. By Friday afternoon they were ready for the weekend. On multiple occasions there were fights and heated arguments so we had to focus on conflict resolution which was a difficult concept when fights start for insignificant reasons to begin with. It was frustrating to see the kids bear their teeth when there’s so much decency in each of them. After two sessions in a row with tirelessly separating kids we decided we needed to focus on the good aspects which help bring them together again. In a group huddle at the beginning, or team time, we discussed the necessity for supporting our friends and acquaintances. In that session I heard a few genuine compliments, a few nice things said in passing, and a few sarcastic compliments that quickly escalated. A few words won’t change their mindsets instantly. The Friday after that I heard one of the older girls give constructive criticism to a peer in a positive tone, it wasn’t received well but the intention was there and she was trying.

My efforts are often driven towards self-improvement as it’s always possible to be better in some way. This attitude is what I would discuss briefly in team time to help them set goals. They understood the idea of setting goals but were a bit eager to check the box and say that goal is complete. They might say, “My goal was to work on topspin and I accomplished that.” We’d ask, “How is your technique different now that you’ve worked on it?” While they were setting goals mostly about tennis, they’ll draw parallels to their personal lives and begin to apply this attitude more broadly. Our goal as coaches was to form a supportive environment at the surface to improve their tennis game and deeper than that to allow them to grow and have a safe environment. These collective events make me grateful for every time I see someone support another, and it makes me hopeful that they’ll continue to practice not only their tennis game but also their attitude towards their peers and towards life in general. - Doug McCaskey, Class of 2019 Back to List

Medical Interpretation at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children: For my CEE experience, I volunteered as a medical Spanish interpreter at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. In my time there, I learned a lot about how the social determinants of health impact families in Philadelphia, particularly in the Latino community--such as insufficient income of parents hindering a child’s access to resources or food. I spent some time in the “Grow Clinic” (for failure-to-thrive patients). I was a bit apprehensive at the beginning, as I had not used Spanish in a while, and this was my first time using Spanish in a medical context. But I had been drawn to the idea of interpreting myself for a long time, and this was the perfect opportunity.

At my third session, I interpreted for the mother whose child was a failure-to-thrive patient. This particular session lasted the whole afternoon--for a few hours. I was astounded by the amount of patience that it takes on the part of the patient, the physician, and the mediating interpreter to insure efficient communication for such a sustained period. The child had to be seen by a number of different specialists: two pediatricians, a dietician, a social worker, and other team members, as well, such as a first-year pediatric resident and a third-year medical student. Each time one of them entered the room with their long set of questions for the mother, I interpreted and the mother answered. But I realized that that all of them were asking pretty much the same questions. So I felt bad for having to translate the same exact questions for them as though I did not already know the answer, when I had just asked her the same thing two times prior. Most of the questions were about what exactly the baby was eating and drinking, including times of feeding, quantity, and whether there were distractions while eating, if he got up from sleep to eat--things of that sort.

By the end of the appointment, I felt like I could truly write an essay on the kid’s eating habits. At the time, I felt caught between two motivations--that of the translator, which dissuaded me from doing anything other than translating the exact words of the doctor and the patient to each other--and that of the first-year medical student, which told me to synthesize what the patient's story might be leading to. Soon, I realized, that I could pitch in when I remembered something important from the patient's previous statements, as I was not just an interpreter, but also a student of medicine. I think through this particular day's work, my feeling of my role on the medical team evolved. I felt more of a sense of belonging and like I was being put to important work. I am definitely beginning to feel a change within myself as I learn more, in my level of responsibility for the patient.

This experience was challenging, affirming, and something I learned from. Every time I interpreted, I never felt like I was just a machine receiving stimuli and outputting English or Spanish versions of the same thing. There are many ways of translating the same sentence, and I found pleasure in putting my own creativity into it and being able to help. That is not to say that I mastered the art of medical interpretation. There were always words I did not understand, times that I had to ask the patient to slow down or repeat herself, and even times I had to ask the doctor to repeat what he said in “medical English.” Each patient I saw, I was able to help in a small way, but also they helped me learn a new regionalism, or become accustomed to an unfamiliar accent. I learned to become a more patient, mindful listener; and I learned that careful listening, not lexical mastery, is the key to successful interpretation.

I am very appreciative of this experience. This is exactly what I’ve wanted for a long time and I am thankful to have gotten to try it out. I now feel a lot more confident with volunteering my ability in Spanish in a medical setting, in the future. Before, I knew that I could speak Spanish, but I had never actually used medical terminology and had to explain clinical concepts. It is frustrating enough for mothers to have to take their children to the pediatrician and sit through all the various specialists filing in and asking the same repetitive things. And to have the hurdle of not speaking the language adds another layer of frustration. As an interpreter, I felt like my job was to make the connection between patient and physician as seamless as possible, and my comfort level in filling those shoes has surely increased. – Venkat Mokkapati, Class of 2019Back to List

Mothers and Baby Dragons:Three months after the Mothers and Baby Dragons started, I met my assigned mother, Keilah, for the first time. After

weeks without communication due to her phone being broken, scheduling conflicts, a missed appointment, and cancellations, we finally met at the Drexel Women’s Care Center for her doctor’s appointment. I was nervous meeting her for the first time because even though we had spoken on the phone, I did not know much about her. Although she had agreed to the program, I felt like I was invading her privacy because doctor’s appointments and pregnancy are such personal experiences. The first meeting felt awkward. I gave her the Mothers and Baby Dragons onesie that was provided by the program, and she thanked me. I tried to get to know her more by asking questions and making small talk, but she did not seem to want to share much. After the meeting, we continued to talk regularly, but every conversation was the same. I would ask her how she was feeling, and she would say she was fine. I would tell her she could ask me for help if she needed anything, but she never did. I started to feel discouraged. Other than holding her coats and bags at the doctor’s appointments, I did not feel that I was helping Keilah. I decided to look for some other resources for low income mothers and found a program that provided a free car-seat. I asked Keilah if she was in need of one, and I was shocked by her response. For the first time, she told me she

needed help. She told me that not only did she need a car-seat, but that she needed every resource that was available to her. I instantly felt closer to her; like the barrier between us was crumbling down. She opened up as I found several other programs that could help her. She was appreciative and grateful for the help which I had previously thought was unwelcome. Getting to know Keilah while she went through one of the most personal human experiences was a challenge. I had to find ways to help her without making her feel uncomfortable or invaded. I learned that, at least in some cases, I would have to take the initiative when helping others. Merely offering help and waiting to hear back is not enough. It was crucial to understand her needs and build a trusting relationship, despite how uncomfortable it could feel. This is an important lesson I can carry on as I continue my professional career since patients aren’t always going to come forward with their problems or needs. It’s partly my job to recognize when patients are in need and to gain their trust in order to better serve them. I also learned some of the obstacles that inner city, low income women must face. For example, Keilah had to use public transportation alone when she came to the hospital. Since her baby had single umbilical artery, she had to come into the office once or twice a week for a non-stress test. Taking multiple trains and buses in the cold winter weather is very difficult for a pregnant woman in her third trimester, but owning a car was not an option for her. The financial and physical burden that comes with pregnancy can be exacerbated in these types of conditions. Without a network of support, as a single expectant mother, the stress must be tremendous.

One strength that helped me during this experience was perseverance. It was discouraging to wait an hour at the Women’s Care Center only to receive a text message that she had overslept. There were times that I could not go to her appointments because I had exams or labs, and coupled with her cancellations, it was hard to stay motivated. Although it took three months of effort, I was eventually able to build a relationship with her. I was able to stay positive through the delays and roadblocks and I think it ultimately helped Keilah get the help she needed. Even now, I do not know exactly how old she is or what her family is like, but I am sure that she will continue to contact me when she needs help. Even when the program ends and she has her baby on April 11th, I think I will give her a call every once in a while and continue to be a part of her support system. - Jin Lee, Class of 2019Back to List

MOVE IT WITH MOMMY AND ME:For my Community Engagement Experience I have been working with “Move it with Mommy and Me”, a program that

meets every other week and provides fitness and nutrition education and engagement to moms and children living at the Eliza Shirley House. Once a month the session is run by the family medicine residents at Hahnemann hospital and on the other week other Drexel students and I teach a yoga class followed by a nutrition game. One of the things that drew me to this CEE was the opportunity to teach yoga. I discovered my passion for yoga in college and was happy to see that “Move it with Mommy and Me” would be a way to share that passion with others. In America, yoga is often considered exercise for the upper echelon. Yoga classes in a studio can range from ten to twenty dollars an hour, often creating a situation where the practice is not accessible to everyone. However, at “Move it with Mommy and Me” yoga is not only free, but also conveniently timed and located, so that moms and kids living at Eliza Shirley can easily access it.

Families can only stay at Eliza Shirley for three months, so we have a fairly high rate of turnover in our class and therefore a continuous influx of people who have never done yoga before. At first I found this overwhelming. Some of the other students seemed to handle this by oversimplifying the yoga practice to such an extent that some days it was neither fun nor a

work out. I decided that I would teach the kind of class that I would have paid to take myself. I respect these families and their efforts and I wanted to show that by offering them the best possible class. My opportunity to do so came at a time when I least expected it. Because of exams and scheduling conflicts, it turned out that I was the only student available to attend CEE and lead the yoga class one evening this past winter. Admittedly, I was slightly annoyed. It was a religious holiday for me and on my way to Eliza Shirley I was thinking that I would have rather been at mass. Because nobody else was available to help, I had to arrive extra early to pick up the snacks for the kids and then set up for the class by myself. When I went through the rooms at the shelter to tell everyone about class, I wasn’t sure if anyone was even going to come that evening as many of the families were new and seemed on the fence about the program. I sat in the empty room, surrounded by empty yoga mats and just was about ready to give up when a steady stream of moms and kids came through the door. As everyone took a mat, I realized that we had an unusually high proportion of babies in class that day. As I taught the class I watched exhausted mothers move their bodies through twisting positions in an effort to let go of stress and lose their baby weight, the product of which was seated squarely at the corners of the mats. As the babies watched their moms with confused faces and some smiles, class progressed with the background noise of cries and giggles that can only be made by a room full of babies.

A traditional yoga practice ends with Shavasana, a final pose which is designed to allow for rest and a regular breathing rhythm to return to the body. Practitioners will typically lay flat on their backs in dark, silence for a few moments as they clear their heads. Although it may be the easiest pose physically, it is often the most difficult pose mentally when people try to prevent their minds from wandering. In previous classes at “Move it with Mommy and Me” by this point in time the children have typically lost their patience for yoga and Shavasana often lasts less than a minute before the room erupts with noise and motion again. But on this evening amidst the babies and a room full of moms that looked as though they really needed some rest and reassurance, I decided to change things up. I explained the premise of Shavasana, invited everyone to lay down, and turned off the lights.

Then, I decided to read my favorite Marianne Williamson quote in an effort to remind these wonderful women that they were doing an amazing job. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?...Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory…that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”—Marianne Williamson

When I looked up from reading I realized that all of the moms had chosen to take Shavasana with their infants lying on top of their chests and bellies and it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in a yoga class. I realized that the room had fallen silent and that there was a feeling of peace in that room that I had not experienced in CEE before. In that moment I forgot about my hectic day, the stresses of medical school, and the fact that we were sitting in a shelter. I sincerely hoped that each of those women had allowed their worries to melt away as well. I didn’t want to say another word and break the moment, but eventually the room started to stir and the class came to an end. As always, the women were so grateful for the class, but on that day I knew I had offered them something that was actually worthy of their gratitude.

This experience was so affirming for me. I realized that if in the course of the entire year of CEE all I had done was allowed these four women and their babies five moments of peace, then I would have offered them something that they wouldn’t have otherwise had. I knew that in that moment there was a tangible sense of community and equality in that room that I had

been searching for throughout my CEE experience. I was so grateful to be able to use yoga as a way to connect with and empower these women. I learned from this experience that it isn’t always necessary to move mountains to make change. Instead, it is enough to come with an open heart and mind and offer the skills that you have to share. The impact that you make may not always be measureable by empirical methods or evident right away, but perhaps it is the changes that are almost imperceptible over time that can amount to the largest long term benefit for all those involved. I hope that all of the families that have attended yoga class over the past year have left with a similar feeling of peace, even if that was less evident to me at the time.

I felt that this experience tapped into my belief that anyone can do yoga and that a yoga class is a place where everyone comes to practice and there are no expectations, no judgements, and no rights or wrongs. This relates to my broader belief that outside of yoga class, life is a perpetual practice and a work in progress too. I was proud of myself for offering these women a quality yoga class. I realized that underlying the desire to provide the kind of yoga class I would attend myself, was a desire to treat the women at the shelter with the utmost respect and appreciation, because I believe that everyone deserves to be treated that way. I believe that the women living at Eliza Shirley are showing their bravery and courage by making big changes in their lives, rather than a weakness many people incorrectly associate with those living in shelters. These women are not needy, instead they need to be reminded how wonderful they are. I hope that throughout my life and career in medicine I can keep finding ways to connect with a variety of people and appreciate all that they do. – Kelly Cann, Class of 2019

Music to My Ears: When I discovered I was placed into the “Music to my Ears” program as my CEE assignment, I realized it was perfect. I used to play piano on a regular basis before college, and I had the desire to get back into playing since then. I thought this program would be my chance to not only reapply myself, but share what I knew and loved with others.As the date approached closer to the beginning of the program, I remembered back to when I was in junior high school and how others around me were. I had the opportunity to teach younger kids before, but never in the context of piano, and never junior high school level adolescents. I began to wonder about their intentions and my capabilities as well. Did these kids really care about learning how to read music? Did they have the desire to play an instrument? Or were they only using this one hour to get out of a class they just did not care to be in? Initially, I was skeptical and even a bit nervous. My goal was to be able to teach them at least one thing that they could carry with them beyond their junior high school years.

When the program actually began, I had the privilege of getting to know three young girls through my beginner level piano class. I remember how attentive and well-behaved they all were during our first hour together. To be honest, I was actually surprised to see them carefully listen as I explained the treble cleft and draw out the staff on their index cards, because I did not have high expectations, considering my earlier doubts.It was not too long after that I noticed a drastic, yet expected change. I quickly noticed that some of the girls did not want to be sitting in front of a piano, learning which keys corresponded to which notes. Instead, they would glance over every chance they had at the neighboring class as they strummed the strings on their golden guitars, become aggravated when they were asked to run through scales, and not want to practice in general. Even though these were the attitudes and responses I was expecting, I was still hoping that sooner or later, they would become interested in what was right in front of them.

When two or three more classes had gone by, that same young girl said one single sentence, which changed how I viewed my experience there, and stands out to me even now. I asked my three students who would like to play first. Without hesitation, she quickly stated that she would start, because she had actually been practicing. I became elated. I asked her how she was

able to practice, since I remember her telling me that she did not even have a piano. She put her hands down on the piano bench and told me, “See, I just put my fingers down like this and pretend to push down on the keys.” I was even more overjoyed than before. To know that at least one of these girls took time out of their day at home, and decided to practice what they learned through our program was so affirming to me.

Although I had my doubts in the beginning about teaching these kids, I soon realized that they were teaching me. I saw their dedication and participation and was humbled by what they brought to the table. Hearing one of my students say that she went home and practiced without even having a piano inspired me. I came to the realization that these kids really wanted to be here, and had the desire to learn what we were offering to teach them. My affirmation continued through the end of the year, when the talent show came around. I was expecting only one of my students to play piano in the show. Instead, all three of them were willing to display what they had learned. - Shaina Kumar, Class of 2019Back to List

Pediatric Play Program:Spending my CEE at St. Christopher’s playing with children in the ED was the perfect community experience. Not only

did it combine two of my favorite activities, board games and interacting with children, but I also was able to take a closer look at the health issues that different populations of patients experience. Some patients struggled with insurance coverage, as evidenced by one child who had to wait an extra two weeks to get his cast taken off so that his insurance could kick-in. Others experienced the perils of the healthcare system, enduring long wait times in the waiting room and spending their entire days in the ED. Being able to talk with these patients and their parents helped me understand their point of view and identify some of the obstacles I will have to work on overcoming as a healthcare professional.

At my last session at St. Christopher’s, I gathered all the toys I could hold and walked into a patient’s room who seemed to be in need of some entertainment. His mother was slumped over in a chair with exhaustion written across her drooping eyelids, while the boy was simply lying flat on the bed. I enthusiastically asked if they wanted to play some games with me, and both smiled and nodded their heads at me. The boy’s mother was a little reserved, not saying anything while giving me a soft smile. He picked the giant Legos to play with, saying that we should build the tallest tower we could. I happily obliged. While using all the blocks we could and laughing as our tower came tumbling down, I asked him questions about if he goes to school, who his friends are, and what he likes to do. I could see the barrier between stranger and friend being broken down as he started to trust me, something that comes from spending time with a child. As we talked, the boy was translating some of our conversation to his mother in Spanish, but her and I would still look at each other and laugh at the things we could mutually understand.

After playing games with the boy for a little while, his mother started to confide in me, in broken English, the stressful week she has been having. After trying to take care of her son at home for two days with his fever and constant vomiting, she brought him in to the ED. Hoping to get some immediate help, she ended up sitting in the waiting room starting at 9am that morning. When I saw them around 4pm that same day, he still had not received a strep test. ED wait times are a horrible consequence of our healthcare system that no organization has yet been able to fix. It means that for families like this one, the mother spends the entire day in the ED just hoping to get some answers about her sick child while also being unable to get up and grab a snack all day.

Feeling like a low priority in a hospital ED is a terrible feeling for a mother who is trying to get help for her sick child. Being able to sit back and watch how our healthcare system functions and the impact it can have on a single family has

motivated me to do whatever I can to help improve that system one day. A huge problem like long wait times is not something that can be fixed quickly, but will be part of a long and stressful process that I will undoubtedly experience throughout my career. Spending time with this patient showed me that taking a few minutes to establish a relationship with him, not just the parents of the patient, can help establish a wonderful rapport and enable a provider to gain a better understanding of this family’s circumstances. That’s the difference I can make as a physician. I will probably not have time to spare while seeing patients once I get into my career, however, making those few minutes I have with them meaningful and compassionate can change the quality of care they perceive they are receiving and positively impact their treatment. - Jaime Snyder, Class of 2019 Back to List

Philadelphia City Rowing:This year I had the pleasure of participating as a tutor, and mentor to the athletes of the Philadelphia Rowing Club. This

organization is an after school program that offers inner city teenagers and children the opportunity to learn to row, academic tutoring, college visits, SAT preparatory courses, and nutrition workshops free of charge. During the fall and the spring, when the conditions are favorable, the athletes row out of Lloyd Hall, a boathouse of Kelly drive. During the, colder months the PCR home base on West Girard has an indoor gym where they can continue to train. My role in organization was to provide the students with nutritional education throughout the course of the year and tutoring to struggling students.

I started tutoring in the winter. There was a female rower who needed a physics tutor so I volunteered because I enjoyed physics in college. I went into the sessions with the mindset that I will teach the information based on the way that I like to learn. So the first session started and I thought I had laid out the information well, but my tutee was unable to understand the concept. We reviewed the information again, and again there was confusion. I became frustrated with myself that I was unable to present the information well, and I apologized for my ability. After the session I felt like I had failed. This poor girl needed my help and I was unable to deliver. I told my fiancé about the situation and she recommended a different approach. During the next session, we talked about her ideal method of learning. So instead of me lecturing about a particular topic, I let her lead the session and I guided her as she solved the problem. This situation has allowed me to better see situations that require adaption. Instead of trying to make one methodology work, experimenting with different approaches will lead to success.

The nutritional workshops were organized so that a group leader first introduced basic information about the topic of the day. We were then split up into smaller groups of about 10 athletes per medical student and it was our goal to reinforce material and answer any questions. It wasn’t until we split up into groups that I realized that I was unsure about how to speak about the particular topic. I had a full arsenal of scientific terminology on hand, but I felt that those words would fall upon deaf ears. I was having trouble using lay language when I was asked several questions and I caught myself going a little too deep into biochemical concepts. Nevertheless, I managed to stumble through that nutritional workshop hoping that some of what I said was understandable. After the workshop, I realized the significance of communication and being able to communicate to the appropriate audience. Since then I have practiced converting scientific jargon and concepts into more understandable language, first practicing on my fiancé in preparation for following workshops.

I am a former high school and collegiate rower and I was excited by the opportunity to work with a rowing organization. I understand the amount of effort it takes to compete in the sport and I see the determination that these athletes have in pursuing their goals. I am thrilled that I was able to aid in their athletic and academic development. As they have learned from me, I have learned from them. - Paul Wisniowski, Class of 2019

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Philadelphia Futures: I had never been a tutor before. Nor did I ever feel as if I knew any one subject well enough to teach it to others. It made sense that if I didn’t “master" an area of knowledge, like calculus, then I would be an ineffective teacher. In high school I discovered that I felt comfortable working with numbers, and that served me well during the many years I studied engineering. That still did not mean, however, that I would be able to teach others. I was so naïve, but not enough to deter me from trying it at least once.

E is a quiet, shy high school student of Hispanic descent completing her senior year in high school. Since she will be the second member of her family to go to college – her older sister is a senior at Drexel – she took advantage of the support programs offered by Philadelphia Futures, which caters to low-income, first-generation-to-college students.

Even before I had first met with E for our first tutoring session in calculus, I had thought about several ways that I could teach her the content she was struggling with, keeping in mind the many different learning styles that people had. I thought about using visual aids, doing a traditional lecture, and setting up a virtual classroom through Khan Academy. I tried many of those things with E while also asking for her feedback. It wasn’t until E completed her first evaluation assessment – a quiz that tested her understanding and application of the concepts she learned or practiced – that I realized none of those teaching methods really worked. I was surprised, but also disappointed that I had not yet figured out how I could best meet E’s needs.

E and I had very little in common when I compared her to the person I was in high school, with the exception of two qualities: discipline and (unfortunately) a relatively low level of self-confidence. The latter is an unsurprisingly common trait in many teenagers, but it took me a while to learn that about her. Nevertheless, it proved to be essential in how I eventually started to tutor her. Before throwing in the towel and choosing to consult one of the organization leaders for help, I decided to try diagnosing E’s struggles by spending more time working on practice problems. I quickly realized that all she really needed was for someone to tell her she was on the right track, or that she was doing a great job and should keep it up. I always knew words of encouragement can go a long way, but it’s one thing to believe it and another to actually practice it. After working with her for several months, my discovery felt like both an epiphany and a relief. By the time E had completed her second evaluation assessment, besides a few algebraic mistakes, she showed a tremendous amount of improvement. It was as much of a learning experience for E as it was for me.

I’m glad I never gave up on finding a way to best help E reach her goals, especially when I felt as if I had hit a brick wall. More often than not we believe we understand why we are struggling. When in fact, we usually do not, especially when it involves ourselves. We also expect improvement to occur in a linear fashion. When in fact, it usually does not.

In many ways, this experience parallels what I expect to encounter in the clinic. I expect there to be times when, for example, my patient’s illness fails to respond to a treatment, and it will be exactly in those times when I cannot merely give up on that person. I will simply have to keep trying until I find something that works. I’m confident I’ll be ready when that time comes. – Kamal Shair, Class of 2019

Philly Girls in Motion: For my CEE experience, I participated in Philly Girls in Motion, a program that motivates adolescent girls to exercise, to eat healthy, and to have a positive body image. This program was held on Monday and Wednesday nights, and I attended on Wednesday nights, which were yoga nights. A yoga instructor from Temple University would come and lead an hour session.

There were about four girls who attended yoga nights, ranging in age from 10 to 13. We would begin each yoga session by setting down pink yoga mats provided to us by the recreational center, taking our shoes off, and greeting one another. This created a positive energy in the room. The instructor would do the pose first and demonstrate how to do it safely; she would also show other forms of the pose that were easier to do. We would then end the night with a five minute quiet reflection, and then we would bow to each other and say “Namaste.”

The experience I want to talk about was not something that only happened once; it happened every yoga night. When a particular pose was challenging and a girl was struggling to get it, the other girls would cheer her on and help her finish the pose. They never made fun of each other, and they always pushed each other to be even more flexible. This gave the girls a safe space to see how far they could push themselves without judgement. As the girls got more comfortable with themselves and one another, they constantly wanted to show off how flexible they were. Again, they would cheer each other on during these mini-demonstrations.

Seeing these positive attitudes between the girls was really moving. From a young age, girls are trained to see each other as competition rather than as people, and this makes it difficult for relationships to be forged between girls. Girls should be taught how to motivate one another and how to help make each other the best people that they can be; I was so proud to see this group of girls doing that. Philly Girls in Motion is a wonderful organization that provides these girls with a community that encourages positive self-expression, and every person, especially young girls, needs that in their lives.

This experience has inspired me to be more of a motivator to the people in my life. I was reminded about the power of having a person or people in your life who are motivating you and cheering you on, even if you falter. It does not matter if you find that person in a family member, friend, or significant other. Having someone who has your back just makes life more wonderful, and every person should experience that positivity. I am very glad that I got to witness this in a group of wonderful young ladies, and I hope that they continue to motivate one another. – Melonie Phillips, Class of 2019Back to List

Reach Out, Educate, and Connect (REC):During my time at Reach Out, Educate, and Connect, two of my fellow classmates and I visited a third grade classroom at Wissahickon Charter School to teach them about health, the human body, and doctors. The class also took several trips to DUCOM where we gave them a tour of the school, showed them organs, and introduced them to doctors who talked about their profession and answered any questions the students had. Looking back on my time with Reach Out, Educate, and Connect, I am extremely thankful for having the opportunity to have such a wonderful, rewarding experience. Going into Reach Out, Educate, and Connect, I had never taught before and I was not sure if the students would be all that interested in health. From the moment we walked into the classroom it was clear the students could not wait to meet us and they were very excited to learn. What really stood out to me during my time with the third graders was all of the questions they had for us. We would always wrap up our sessions with some time to ask questions and immediately every student’s hand would shoot up. I was really inspired by how much the students wanted to learn about health, but what really inspired me was how much students wanted to learn about us. We got asked questions about what we do on a typical day in medical school, how we got to become medical students, and if we had any role models growing up that helped us along the way. It was obvious to me that the students really looked up to us as role models and wanted to learn as much as they could while they were with us.Although our time with the students was brief, I truly believe we helped them learn important topics about health in a fun, engaging way. This experience taught me a lot about myself in many ways. I realized that teaching is a very rewarding experience and I really enjoy working with

children. A person is shaped by the people and experiences in his or her life. Reach Out, Educate, and Connect reaffirmed my passion to help people and has shaped me into a better teacher and a better person in general. I hope I was able to help the students learn about health and I hope they had as good of an experience as I had. – Justin Baker, Class of 2019Back to List

Science Explorers: Before my CEE project began I was a little nervous about what to expect. As a member of the Science Explorers I was tasked with going into a 7th grade classroom, delivering a mini-lecture and then leading the kids through an experiment with a “wow factor” (explosions suggested) that would fit the theme of “spread of disease and epidemiology”. On top of our dilemma of trying to jazz up epidemiology in a fun and potentially explosive way, some of the reflections from the previous Science Explorers presented the experience as more of a babysitting/riot control adventure than an opportunity to connect and engage middle schoolers with science.

As we prepared for our first visit to the AMY Northwest Middle School, my apprehension hadn’t waned. I was about to walk into a classroom of 28 7th graders (and the next class with 60!) with a power point presentation explaining the importance of…. hand washing. I thought I was doomed from the start, and I couldn’t stop envisioning 28 sets of eyes blankly staring at me as I prattled on about how one study found only 31% of men washed their hands after using the bathroom. I’ve stared that stare at some poor sap trying to show me a boring power points before, and at least the day was saved by an engaging activity afterward. This day, however, there were to be no explosions. The experiment planned for the kids involved them rubbing some fluorescent lotion on their hands, documenting how dirty their hands look under a black light, washing their hands for various amounts of time and then charting how washing time effects hand cleanliness. While this activity seems pretty fun in theory, I had attempted it at home the previous night and found the results weren’t as obvious or exciting as I had imagined.

Never the less, the day arrived and it was time for me to face the kids and their assured boredom. Surprisingly though the kids seemed genuinely excited for us to be there in the classroom with them. Now whether that was because they thought what we had to say was interesting, or whether they just wanted something to break up the monotony of their school day was irrelevant. The kids asked questions and even volunteered to answer my questions without leaving me to bear the sound of silence for too long. Although my experiment may have lacked a little luster, the kids still had a fun time looking at their hands under the black light and taking turns timing each other as they tried to wash them clean.

In the end, the day was more successful than I could have imagined. This success carried on throughout the Science Explorers experience and even included the kids visiting Queen Lane to come check out our school to get grossed out by holding hearts, livers and lungs. There undoubtedly were times when I felt like I was trying to operate in a sea of chaos and I can see how a different group 7th graders could make the experience unpleasant. However, I found that the kids really seemed to match whatever energy (positive or negative) we brought to the class each day we visited. I’m happy that I ended up with the Science Explorers and can’t think of a more fun and fulfilling way to engage middle school students with science. – Nate Doremus, Class of 2019Back to List

Smoking Cessation:

If I were to describe my whole experience working as a smoking cessation counselor, I would say it was a challenge—but a good challenge! The two key experiences that I like to point out where the first session that I attended in which I shadowed Greg and Allison and the second experience was the first time I conducted a session by myself.

I distinctly remember our first session when Greg and Allison did a phenomenal job at counseling our patients. They were extremely knowledgeable and natural in their presentations. I honestly questioned whether I had the competence to one day emulate them. I was never a good public speaker nor was I particularly experienced in providing counseling to individuals. It honestly felt as though they had been practicing this for many years because they were easily able to recall all the side effects of using nicotine patches and speak of the feelings smokers experience trying to quit. What I found particularly shocking was that neither Greg nor Allison has ever smoked a cigarette in their lives, so I was extremely impressed by the level of enthusiasm and interest they put into smoking cessation to become almost experts on it.

Their knowledge and finesse in dealing with these patients inspired me to emulate their ways and to learn as much as possible so that I could one day take on the same responsibilities that they hold. It was a challenging journey to not only learn the information and to gather the knowledge, but to also take this new found knowledge and apply it to our patients.

After several sessions of contributing here and there, I was finally given the opportunity to conduct an entire session by myself. It was certainly a terrifying experience with the usual jitters beforehand; however, before I began the session, I thought about the first session that I shadowed and tried to draw upon the knowledge, experience, and calm my mentors had and channeled it into my session. 60 minutes later, I had successfully completed my first independent session as a smoking cessation counselor and Allison and Greg took me aside and congratulated me on a job well done. It was a thrilling experience to have finally taken on the responsibilities as a full time counselor.

I am most proud of the fact that I was able to overcome the trepidations that I had at first and gained more confidence and experience in dealing with my patients. Speaking in front of a group of people and giving medical advice is incredibly challenging, but over time I have been able to develop as a healer and hone my capabilities.

In terms of qualities about myself that I discovered, I would say that I learned how resilient I am in the face of adversity. My CEE is one of the extended CEE, so it really took a chunk out of my week to prepare and present each time. There have been times when I had to juggle completing an assignment due at midnight with my responsibilities in my CEE and other instances where I had to miss opportunities to celebrate with my peers for completing a block of exam with my duties as a smoking cessation counselor. However, in the end, I am immensely proud of impact I have had on the lives of my patients. Although there will be those patients who will turn back to smoking, I am confident that of the countless patients that I’ve interacted with, I have had the opportunity to make a positive and dramatic impact on the health of at least some of my patients! - Brandon Chu, Class of 2019Back to List

Squashsmarts:Going to SquashSmarts each week, I usually had some idea what to expect. I would help out wherever I was needed, either helping students

with their homework, or playing squash with them. Normally at SquashSmarts I saw the same fifteen to twenty kids, all underprivileged middle and high school students from Philadelphia. However, on this day I was assigned to help somebody I had never seen before. After introducing myself, I learned his name was Robert, and he seemed like a really nice kid. While not every student at SquashSmarts necessarily wants to start their homework right away, Robert seemed intent on getting his English homework done, so I was already excited to work with him.

Robert’s assignment consisted of identifying different parts of sentences such as the subject, predicate, prepositions, complements, objects, etc. I had to go on my phone to hone my high school grammar skills in order to help Robert with the assignment. The assignment was tricky, but I tried to let Robert do most of the work for himself, and I helped out wherever needed. Robert finished the assignment in forty minutes, which left us another twenty minutes before he would play squash. Since Robert had no other work to do, we started talking.

The connection I made with Robert in those twenty minutes was the strongest I made all year at SquashSmarts. When I told Robert I was in medical school, he seemed genuinely curious, asking me what medical school was like, how hard I worked, what kind of doctor I wanted to be, and which science classes I was taking. Robert’s intellectual curiosity struck me. Knowing he was a junior in high school, I asked him if he had any plans to go to college. He said he had not really thought about it until he entered the SquashSmarts program in middle school, but since then he became more interested in academics and decided he wanted to go to college. He was working to get a squash scholarship pay for his college education.

When Robert told me that, I just sat there in awe for a few seconds. I could not get over Robert’s work ethic and spirit, and how much SquashSmarts had helped and influenced Robert along the way. My response was something along the lines of, “Wow that’s awesome Robert I really hope you get it!” Honestly though, I didn’t tell Robert everything that was on my mind. I wanted to ask Robert if anyone in his family had gone to college, and what kind of support he had from his family in his endeavor to go to college. I wanted to tell Robert how inspiring he was for having the motivation and work ethic to get a scholarship and go to college. But I kept all of this to myself; in retrospect I wish I hadn’t.

Soon enough, Robert went to play squash, and I tutored a different student for the remainder of the SquashSmarts session. Before I left I made sure to say goodbye to Robert and wish him good luck. I have not seen Robert since then, but I plan on volunteering at SquashSmarts in the future, and hopefully I will see him or I can ask the program director how he is doing.

Reflecting on this now, Robert reminded me why SquashSmarts is such a great program. SquashSmarts provides students with much needed academic tutoring, helps students with college prep, and fosters a team atmosphere with the squash team. Not every student in the program was as motivated as Robert both in the classroom and on the squash court, but SquashSmarts gives every student in the program the resources to make good decisions. With a push in the right direction from SquashSmarts, Robert’s determination showed through as he pushed to get a squash scholarship and go to college, and I will remember and admire him for that. – Benjamin Cowan, Class of 2019Back to List

Starfinder:This year my CEE was Starfinder. It’s a soccer program in Manayunk that takes high school students from all over the

city and gives them a chance to work on their soccer and personal skills. My role was to help out during Focus Fuel, which was their conditioning hour, and then tutor for the last hour. I meet with a great group of girls every week and loved seeing their commitment to the sport but also to becoming the best they can be.Starfinder put together a diverse group of girls from all over the city. There were a lot of non-English speakers at Starfinder who would continue to come week after week to work on their soccer skills and make friends with all the other girls. I had known that many of the girls did not speak English but as someone who did not speak Spanish I felt as though there was little I could do. During conditioning, I would give directions for the exercise we would do and then after I was done, would wait for one of the girls who was bilingual to translate to anyone who had not understood me. Among the girls who could not speak English was Sandra. Sandra had just come to America 6 months ago and was working on getting use to life in Philadelphia.

During tutoring, every week I would help students with math, biology or proof reading papers. Sandra had never asked for homework help from me or the other tutors. On my second to last time at Starfinder, Sandra asked if I would help her with her English. I was surprised. I knew some of the girls couldn’t understand me during conditioning but for some reason I never made the connection that it could also mean they were struggling in school. She told me she was having trouble following along in school and wanted to learn English as fast as she could. We went to a different room for some privacy, and I read her sentences from a book that she could transcribe. It was clear that this exercise was difficult for her but she kept trying. It was great to see her work so hard for something that she really wanted to learn but every time she made a mistake or mispronounced a word she would apologize. I told her that she had no reason to apologize. Learning a new language is extremely hard and you’re going to make mistakes but that’s all part of the learning process. I thought it was courageous of Sandra to ask for help and practice her English, even though it wasn’t perfect.

Seeing Sandra try to learn the proper way to form sentences and pronounce words, reminded me of my mom. My mom came to America when she was 25 and she had to learn English as soon as she got here. She would tell me about how embarrassing it was when she said something wrong in front of a native English speaker but despite feeling that way she had to keep trying to learn and get better. I can’t imagine the amount of bravery and determination it takes to move to a completely new country and learn a different language. I’m not sure if I would be able to do it myself. But Sandra and many of the other girls at Starfinder were doing just that. Although I did not choose my CEE for this reason, watching these girls not only try to learn English but adjust to a new life, was the most inspiring thing about Starfinder for me. – Kaya Patel, Class of 2019Back to List

Strawberry Mansion High School:Over the course of my educational career, I have been a tutor a handful of times. I have always loved tutoring because it reinforces the

information within myself, and I can help another potentially improve their grades and provide increased motivation to succeed. After feeling a moderately unsure that my first choice for CEE was a good match for me, I jumped at the opportunity to become a tutor when new options were presented. The tutoring opportunity I participated in for my CEE was at Strawberry Mansion High School.

At first, I was pretty apprehensive about entering this particular school due to its notoriety of being named one of the most dangerous high schools in the country a few years ago. However, I got over my apprehension once my CEE partner told me about the current state of the school. She informed me that there are days where some teachers just don’t show up for that day, leaving the students having to congregate in the gym during these periods. This was upsetting for me to hear, but given current state of Philadelphia’s school system, not surprising to me. It was very apparent that this place needed help.

Upon first entering Strawberry Mansion High School, it was a completely different experience for me. The second you walk in the door, you are greeted by a security guard, who then asks you to empty your pockets and subsequently walk through a metal detector. I had gone to private school the majority of my life, so I had never done this before at any of my own schools. I understand the purpose is for protection of everyone, but it’s a bit unsettling that due to past events in the school, that this has to be done. Upon further exploration of the school, you will find beautiful murals and paintings. Seeing the uplifting art helped bring my mood back up during my first visit. During our visits, I worked predominantly with the Guidance Counselor Ms. Schafer. Ms. Schafer provided us with students to work with on college applications and their senior project. As I worked with the students, I learned that although they attended “One of the Most Dangerous Schools in the US”, that didn’t stop them from wanting to achieve great things and do better for themselves and their family.

I was provided with a variety of students upon which to work with. One student that I worked the most and had the best relationship with, was named Brittney. I first began working with Brittney for her Senior project. While working on her project, I learned a little about her. She like many others in the school, don’t have access to computers at home. Due to this, she wasn’t very computer literate. One particular session that comes to mind, was while we were working on the Personal Narrative portion of her senior project. While making spelling errors typing her paper, it was made apparent that she was unaware that the “spellcheck” option on the computer existed. Informing her of this, combined with mentioning the “I before e” rule (which she claims she was never taught), blew her mind. It fascinated me that something so little could make someone so happy. It provided me with a sense of fulfillment that I was able to actually help her improve, and help fill in a gap that was created in her elementary studies. We bonded over our shared love of medicine (she wants to pursue Nursing). One day I brought my stethoscope in, and gave her a mini lecture of the heart. After practicing on her classmates, she thanked me for letting her “live her dream” for the day. This also resonated with me because I had a similar experience and reaction when I first became interested in medicine, and was allowed to utilize some of the medical instruments on someone else. It’s one of my passions to promote STEM professions to the youth, the way others had done for me.

Tutoring the students at this school is not as of yet, an official CEE site, I strongly feel it should be. The faculty and students could definitely use some additional help. Ms. Schafer and the students are always so appreciative whenever we are able to come assist for the day. I would say that this experience challenging (the fear of the unknown and what I would encounter in this school, as well as experiencing how broken, and much different than my own, the Philadelphia school system is). It was also affirming (the sense of fulfillment given for helping an underserved population in a way I haven’t before). I feel that this was an invaluable experience, and one that I would like to continue next year, as well as hopefully being able to bring more students along for the ride! – Deylan Moore, Class of 2019Back to List

Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission:My Community Education Experience took place through at Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission (SBRM). SBRM is a shelter

for homeless males in Philadelphia. I taught health education to about fifteen males who were part of the shelter’s overcomers program. Participants of this program had made a commitment to go through a strict regimen aimed to get them on the path to working, and affording a place to live.My first impression was one of respect for the members of the overcomers group. Over 200 people visit the shelter at any time, but this select group of gentlemen decided to conquer challenges in order to get back on their feet. I was interested to know what kept them motivated through this difficult road, and faith was overwhelmingly the answer. Initially I may have underestimated how valuable our teachings were to these men. Knowledge that I assumed was common was not presented to them previously. Most did not know what diabetes or heart disease is among many other common illnesses. There were also many questions about nutrition, and I enjoyed providing this crucial information to them.

I loved their genuine interest in health education. Of course, participation and attention varied from person to person, but they were so interested in every topic we were teaching. And once we left the floor open for questions, these men told us their stories and drew from our knowledge so they could take better care of themselves. They had real concern for each other and their own health.The learning was by no means unidirectional. I remember learning a great life lesson from them when discussing nutrition and the food offered at the shelter. When one of the younger members would complain about the taste of the food, an older member would say “you have no idea what bad food is, appreciate what has been given to you, there are people in the world who are

starving”. Here I was, in a room full of homeless people, and they could draw the strength to appreciate what has been given to them, and empathize with people who have even less than they do.

One of my most memorable moments was regarding an overweight man who was initially uninterested. In the first few sessions he would sometimes fall asleep, and not contribute much to the discussions. He would usually show up to each meeting with two one-liter sized coke bottles and drink them throughout the session. When we had our session on diabetes and obesity, he was shocked to find out that soda has so many negative consequences on his health. I personally talked to him to get him to reduce his intake. He would say that he just could not stop, so I told him to try and cut it by increments. By one of the later sessions, right before thanksgiving week, I saw him come into the room with a bottle of water instead. I immediately applauded him, and his smile is something I will always remember. As I told him that I am leaving home for the break and will return next week, he replied “make sure you get back safe, we need you.” Those words meant a lot to me.

I enjoyed improving my teaching skills as I did not have much teaching experience prior to this. This experience was so eye-opening. I now look at those who are homeless in a different way. Hearing their difficult stories and what this group was doing to turn their lives around was so inspiring. Seeing their need of health information made me feel like my time was going to the great use. Finally, witnessing their appreciation and progress was the finishing touch to a great experience. – Aria Ashir, Class of 2019Back to List

Teach-to-Learn:For my CEE project, I participated in the Teach to Learn program; I, along with 2 of my classmates, visited the local

Wissahickon Charter school (which is a 10 minute walk from campus), every week and tutored eighth-graders in different topics in biology. We each helped the same 3-4 students throughout the year and had the opportunity to see how they progressed.

An event that I thought was significant happened on our last visit to the school. For most of the year, one of the kids I was tutoring was always disinterested in what we were doing, would not pay attention and always threw tantrums. She never did any of her assignments because she said there was no point to studying biology because she was going to become a cheerleader for her brother, who was going to become a famous basketball player. She would always come late and leave early, try to copy answers or talk the whole time. I tried to explain to her why her education is important and she should finish school, but I don’t think she ever understood. By half the year, she was much better and finished most of her assignments and listened to me while we went over the handouts, but I thought it just because she realized that the faster we went over everything, the faster she could leave. However, on the last day of classes, she asked me if it was possible if she can be a teacher and a cheerleader when she grows up. She said she hated biology before because she didn’t understand it, but now she likes it and wants to be a biology teacher, but doesn’t want to let her brother down either; I told her she can do both.

I was really happy when I heard this. I felt as if I made a small difference in the girl’s life and it is good to know that she understands and enjoys what she’s studying now. It was great to here that she wants to further her education as well and has motivation to do well in school. Before this, she had failed the 8th grade twice and was taking it again. However, I feel like this was a very idealistic situation and it doesn’t happen all this time which is slightly upsetting. Most of the other students in our tutoring group were relieved they don’t have to come for after-school help and can stop doing their homework again. It’s upsetting to see these students purposefully not try, because through working with them throughout the year, I definitely saw that they have the potential to do well if they put the effort. It also saddened me to think of the all the students in the school who don’t have the opportunity for one-to-one tutoring or receiving the help they need. One of the reasons these students had

after-school help sessions was because of the DUCOM CEE program. As a charter school, most of the students come from impoverished or underserved areas and not having strong facilities or mentors to support their learning definitely did not help them.

This experience reinforced my belief in the fact that we all have the ability to make a positive change on people through our actions. From this experience I realized that it also takes time and lots of effort to make a meaningful change and that it’s not a one-step process. I recognized that with hard work and passion you can achieve a lot and that if you understand something, you are more inclined to enjoy it. I also realized you can’t change everything, but one step at a time is good enough. -- Krithika Namasivayam, Class of 2019Back to List

The Arc of Philadelphia:One of my most memorable experiences that I had while volunteering at the Arc of Philadelphia occurred during the third to last day that I

volunteered there. I was calling the mother of one of the individuals at the Arc who had participated in the Healthmeet Screens that had been done at the HOP clinic about a month or two ago. When the individual’s mother answered the phone, I introduced myself and explained to her what the Healthmeet Screen was and the follow-up recommendations that were made for her loved one by the medical student that performed the screen. After telling her about these recommendations, I then asked her the same question I ask each and every one of the caregivers I called for these follow-ups: has your loved one visited their doctor within the past 6 months?

The response this mother gave me was something I never expected. It turns out that she had been suffering from many ailments of her own, especially after her own mother had died just recently. Being left to care for her son who has many developmental and physical needs, this mother had to work both to provide and be present for her son while she tried to manage her own chronic ailments. Being in and out of doctors’ offices, working, and taking care of her son, it sounded like this mother barely had any time to grieve let alone manage both her and her son’s healthcare.

While listening to her story, I couldn’t help but feel terrible. Not only was this woman in an extremely tough situation, but here I was drudging up all of these struggles in her life just by asking about her son seeing his doctor. Although I repeatedly told her she did not need to explain, saying that it was understandable that she was not able to get her son to the doctor as caring for someone with such needs can be overwhelming, she continued to tell her story. I know I had to ask, as that was the point of the follow-up call, but I felt powerless listening to her struggles feeling that there was no way for me to help her. However, as we continued talking, I realized that the call might have been bigger than me trying to “solve” all of her problems right there in that moment. That phone call might actually have been for the benefit of us both as this mother finally had the chance to have someone listen to her story and hear the pain and sadness in her voice as she expressed just how strenuous the situation with her family had become. Meanwhile I on the other end of the line had the benefit of hearing this story, allowing me to realize just how bad things have been for families that care for loved ones with special needs that don’t have the resources to keep up with the needs of themselves and their loved ones. In the past, I have learned from personal experience that taking care of a loved one with special needs is a journey like no other; but to also have the burden of financial instability, illness in the family, lack of resources, and a lack of care providers among many other setbacks puts families like that of this mother at an incredible disadvantage. I could never imagine having to care for someone with such needs independently, working, and reeling from such a devastating loss all at the same time. It is for this reason that I am now glad that I made that phone call. It made me realize just how much adversity this community of families really faces in caring for themselves and their loved ones, making them an underserved population that warrants attention from many aspects of society, including the field of medicine. As a result, I find that serving special needs individuals like this

woman’s son is something that I would like to do as a part of my medical career, as I believe taking care of these individuals in turn helps heal the family members that take care of them. - Alexis Matarangas, Class of 2019Back to List

Urban Blazers:Urban Blazers was described to me as a mentoring opportunity with lots of hiking and outdoors activities for underprivileged students. The

first day of CEE went very different from the proposed expectations for me. I came expecting to do lots of outdoor activities and such, yet we met at a small charter school in northern Philadelphia instead. I was disappointed. Overtime however, I learned that being in a classroom consistently with these kids was actually a good thing.

Each Wednesday we would meet with the students and do different team builder exercises along with a weekly journal club where the students would write in their journal about a new topic. The nice thing about this group was that we got to see the groups’ progression over time. The first weeks the games revolved around more on working independently with a team. The projects did not rely too much on teamwork and instead highlighted few individuals that could perform really well. For example, dodgeball was commonly played and would often have to be stopped to try and get students to include all of their classmates.

As the year went on however, games started to shift in focus to primarily teamwork based. The teams could no longer be carried and all of the students had to work together if they wanted to win. For example, we played a game where each team had a tent pole resting on top of all their fingers. The goal was to lower the pole but if one person rose the whole team could not go down. At first, this caused lots of yelling, but as the students started to trust each other more and more they were able to slowly lower the pole.

This overall experience highlighted to me the reason we were there as volunteers. We were not there to really teach the students but instead we were there to help them figure out stuff on their own. We were there to help provide games that would let the students learn how to work together despite their different backgrounds. The students were then able to use what they learn and apply it to new games and their own lives to have better success. It was inspirational to see the students learn on their own and actually be able to complete the various challenges and I was amazed by how well they worked together by the end of the year. The amazing part for me was that some of the faster students that initially were frustrated by the slower students turned to teaching in order to win.

This experience was very much learning based, as it was a challenging experience. The beginning of Urban Blazers was more challenging in that we had to learn how to set up the games so that the students would work together better. For example, while the students really liked the dodge ball game, they did not really learn any teamwork skills from it besides using each other. By bringing in new games, like the tent pole game, the students were instead forced to not use each other but instead to rely on each other. I think this experience was great for me because I learned a lot about how to approach people of different backgrounds. This experience also highlighted the importance of having a positive outlook and being creative in ways to prompt the students to complete the given tasks. I think it was also very important for me because as a future physician. We will be responsible for teaching the next group that comes after us; so any experience teaching is a good thing for both our future students and us as well. - Timothy Sherry, Class of 2019Back to List

Women Against Abuse Shelter:Over the months that I have been working at Women Against Abuse’s Sojourner House, I have noticed something

interesting. When I started back in October, many of the kids I worked with were reserved and withdrawn. They were shy

when it came to talking, wouldn’t participate in group activities, and didn’t often listen to instructions. Their reserved attitudes weren’t particularly surprising – every one of these children had grown up surrounded by domestic violence. After escaping with their mothers, they now lived at Sojourner House, a transitional housing facility that allows abused women to live in safety while case managers from Women Against Abuse teach them the skills they need to manage a household on their own. Given that these kids had grown up with a much harsher view of the world than most people ever see, their behavior was perfectly understandable.

However, as the months passed, I noticed changes in the kids I worked with. Jeff started asking politely to use other children’s toys and then thanked them when he was done. Instead of brooding in the corner, Armani built a K’NEX car (complete with a steering wheel!) which he proudly showed to me. Michael toned down his aggressive outbursts. Marquise shyly acknowledged that he did actually like math, and excitedly showed me how he could sound out big words like “photographic”. After a few conversations about what I am studying at school, Sage proclaimed that she was going to be a doctor when she grew up. Slowly, the kids became more active and invested in the group. They played together more, cleaned up at the end of the night, and even started looking for ways to help around the class.

At first, I was surprised by the transformation, but when I thought about it, the changes in their attitude and behavior made sense. Like anyone else, kids blossom when treated with compassion and respect. Genuinely taking an interest in their lives means a lot to them, and they respond warmly to someone who actively tries to engage with them on their level. Over time, they come to trust, like, and respect you in return. Because of this respect, kids also start to emulate and adopt your attitudes and behaviors. To me, this re-emphasized the value of role models, especially in the lives of underprivileged kids. I also realized the value of stability, of having someone come back reliably week after week, in the lives of kids who have experienced such volatile environments.

My experience at Sojourner House has taught me to value my ability to empathize and care for people. Helping at Sojourner house also reminded me how important it is for people to feel that they have been heard. It is only after people feel that they are understood that they can begin to change themselves. Overall, I hope I have been a positive factor in these kids’ lives and that our time together helped to make a very difficult time in their lives just a little bit better. - Andrea Verghese, Class of 2019Back to List

Women In Medicine (WIM):The time that I spent volunteering with the Women In Medicine (WIM) was truly invaluable. I not only learn a lot about

my inner personality and what to expect as a future physician from my patients, but I also realized the importance of dedicating time to help future student’s succeed. Having previously participated in a medically related program during my senior year of high school, I was instantly drawn to the Women In Medicine’s mission statement: mentoring young women interested in the medical field. Yet, during our very first meeting I slowly recognized that our program was fairly new and that there was a lack of participation amongst members due to recruiting issues with the club’s population demographic being so limited. Yet, my fellow classmates and I persisted and we began making phone calls to WIM members trying harder to entice group members to attend our meetings. I even suggested that we advertise that the member that brings the most friends to the next meeting will win a gift card.

I remember walking into the meeting that night in total shock, there was not one single member present. I was angered and disappointed having spent so much time adjusting my scheduling just to volunteer and low and behold, there were no mentees that night. I believe the reason that I was so angered and discouraged was because there were a few meetings in which we did have a better attendance and during these times I made an awesome connection with some of the mentees. I remember one encounter vividly with my mentee, Jamie, during our November meeting, which involved taking the girls to the anatomy lab. Prior to the meeting, my CEE classmates and I collaborated on a presentation about cardiovascular and pulmonary anatomy and physiology. I enjoyed the camaraderie amongst my fellow peers and the ability to help coordinate the power point presentation by assigning my classmates topics to present on. I could tell that some of my classmates had begun to shut down from trying to persuade some of the girls to attend due to the lack of turn out at our previous meetings. I remember also feeling disheveled but tried to remain optimistic. However, on this very meeting we had our best turn out ever. I remember the smile on Jamie’s face as she saw the human heart for the second time. Having previously participated in our program, she was excited to still engage in an experience that she felt was rewarding. I enjoyed talking to Jamie that night and for the two hours we had in the anatomy lab all the worries about the previous meetings faded away. I listened closely to Jamie and began to understand some of the hardships and struggles she has to overcome to attend college next year. Jamie spoke about being the first person to attend college and that her passion for medicine was blooming in yet she was afraid that she would not be able to succeed in medicine as a specialty because she felt it was extremely challenging. As Jamie continued to speak about her issues and struggles, I could not help but relate coming from a similar background and having to jump through fire and flames each step of the way. I knew that at this moment, the WIM program was something truly valuable for underserved populations who may not have the ability to afford a mini-medical program or have the luxury of speaking with a father or mother who are in the medical field. Being an advocate for those who do not have resources necessary to achieve their dreams is truly rewarding. From my experiences with WIM, I have learned that in the future I will have non-compliant patients as well as patients that may not even show up to their office appointment, like the some of the girls of WIM not showing up to our meetings. Likewise, one may put aside time and efforts to make accommodations and preparations for your patients, but you have to understand that people are humans and it is important to simply ask why they are not compliant. What obstacles are they facing in not proceeding with treatment or making it to a regular appointment? Although there may have been some recruitment issues, there were definitely social determinants of health that the members of WIM faced each day that precluded them from attending meetings regularly. Speaking with Jamie for the time we shared offered a paramount lasting reminder about the responsibility we have as clinicians to help educate and empower youth and underserved populations that may need more assistance. - Kristen Kelly, Class of 2019