NicolevanSchijndelvanSchijndel1

HealthServicesII,Day2Per.4
18April2016
NationalYouthLeadershipForum:Medicine
Itwasarareoccurrencetohavethepleasureexperiencingafullweekofscheduled
seminars,meetings,mocksessions,roadtrips,andenlighteningspeakers.Wewereagroupof
hundredsofstudents,allwithadifferentstory,butalsowiththechanceofasimilarfuture.Our
goalwastobeabletoimprovethehealthofothers,andwiththeinformationwegainedfromthe
forum,itismoreplausiblethatsuchagoalwillbeachievedinthecomingdays.Wellinformed
students,whoatthetimewereinmedicalschool,ledusasteachers.Theirknowledgeandfresh
mindsetabouttheneartasksweweretopursueencouragedmyinitialdesiretobecomeadoctor,
yetalsopreparedmymentalityforthehardshipsofamedicalstudent.
Dr.SteveShamawasthefirstguestspeakertheforumreceived.HiswordswereonesId
repeattomyselfeveryday,buttheywereshockinglymoreinspirationalwhentheycamefrom
anotherspointofview.Hedspeakofbeingtruetoonesselfandtakingeveryopportunityto
createthelifeonealwayswishedtohavewhenitcametothemedicalfield.Inmyperspective,
hewassimplyamotivationalspeaker,slowlyadjustingthethoughtsofthestudentstogetthem
readyfortheterrifyingstoriesaboutthestrugglesofmakingitintoresidencies.Otherpresenting
speakerswerearepresentativeoftheNewEnglandDonorBank,whohighlightedtheimportance
ofdonatingpartsofonesbodyoncetheyreachtheirdeathbed,LisaRussell,aglobalpublic
healthadvocatewhohealedbedriddenwomeninAfrica,andachiropractor,revealingthe
underestimatedjobofaDoctorofOsteopathicMedicineandtheuniquewayoftheirtreatments
forhealthissues.SpecificallyMs.Russellandthechiropractorgotmyattention,forIhopeto
healpeopleinothercountriesasaDoctorofOsteopathicMedicine.Withtheirspeeches,Iwas
abletolearnhowIcangoaboutdoingso.

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Everyday,differentMEDsessionswereheldtodiscussimportanttopicshelpfulfora
medicalstudenttolearn.Atonepointintime,studentsweretoldabouttheethicsbehind
practicingasamedicalprofessional,howtodowellontheMCAT,thedifferencebetweena
D.O.andanM.D.,andthepathonemusttaketobecomeamedicalprofessional.The
conversationsaboutthesedifferenttopicswerebeyondbeneficial,especiallytothepeoplewho
werefairlyconfusedabouttheprocessofbecomingalicensedhealthprofessional,suchas
myself.Mockexperiencesofinterviews,thecollectingofapatientshistory,suturing,findinga
patientsbloodpressure,disastertriages,andcaucusesgavealumnialookintothelifeof
differenthealthcareworkers.SuchoccurrencesaresomeofthenumerousthingsIamgrateful
for,nowbeingmoreeducatedinareasIwasntbeforeandhavingmorepracticeinspeakingto
largegroups.
MajormomentsduringtheforumendedupbeingtheroadtripstotheHarvardMedical
SchoolandtheRhodeIslandSimulationCenter:Lifespan,andthesurgicalexperiencewiththe
CenterofScienceandIndustry.TheactuallookofHarvardislessintricatethanexpected,butthe
teachersandstudentstherewereasdiverseandopenmindedasIwashopingfor.Animportant
messageIgotfromallHarvardspeakerswastonotgotoIvyLeagueSchoolsfortheprestige,
butfortheenvironmentandlessonsonewillgetthere.ThatHarvardisjustanotherschooland
peoplewhogotolesswellknownuniversitiesarenotanylessofadoctor/nurse/etceterathanIvy
Leaguestudents.Atthesimulationcenter,studentsgottocareforemergencyandchildpatient
replicas.Suchanengagementincreasedeveryonescouragebyplacingthestudentsinfairly
realisticemergencysituations.Duringthesurgicalexperience,everyonegatheredinan
auditoriumtoseeanautopsy.Beingslightlydisturbedbythefirstincisionoftheflesh,itwas

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expectedformetofeelnauseousthroughouttheentiresurgery,buttheinnerpartsofthepatient
becamelessofhumanorgansandmoreasmereobjectsinsideacontainer,oncethesurgeoncut
completelythroughtheskin.Whentheautopsywasfinished,Idecidedsurgerywasnotmycup
oftea.Stayingfocusedonthesamescenarioeverydaywouldmakemeapartiallyboreddoctor
and,thus,anillsuitedprofessional.
Theenvisionprogramwasveryinformativeandhaspreparedmeformedicalschoolin
veryengagingways.WhatIdidntexpectwasformetoalsoenjoytheForumwithothers.Due
tothenaturaltendencytoisolatemyselfinsocialsituations,itnevercametomindthatpeople
wouldreachouttoaquietpersonandincludemeintheirconversationsoutsideoftheclassroom.
Thestudentswereverykindandacceptingofothers,but(ofcourse)ahighschoolaurawasstill
present.AlthoughhowIinteractwithothersstillhasroomforimprovement,Imcertainmy
abilitiestosocialisehavegottenbetterandthatIwillbemorecapableofadaptingtonew
environments.
IsendmyappreciationtotheNationalYouthLeadershipForum:Medicineandmy
supportersatLibertyHighSchoolforenablingmetogettothislevelofachievement.Withwhat
Ihavelearned,Iamfurtherintriguedtoimprovethelivesothersandambettersuitedforthe
conflictsthatwillcomeuponme,testingmydeterminationandcompassiontowardsmygoals.
TheHealthServicesprogramatLibertyHighSchoolhasinformedmeastohowtostepaway
frommyareaofcomfortandinternwithmedicalprofessionals.Duetothechallengesthatcame
fromtheprojectsanddiscussionsofHealthServices,thestepstowardsimprovingmystudying
abilitiesformedicalschoolhavebecomelessstrenuous,butstillremainimportant.Iappreciate

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thehelpIhavereceivedthroughoutmyyearsinHealthServicesandexpecttobringalongwhatI
havelearnedtothefutureeducationalsystemsItakepartin.