My experience as a caregiving assistant in an in-home hospice setting opened my eyes to both the personal and systemic factors that shape people’s health and quality of life. One of my main goals was to gain hands-on healthcare experience and better understand the realities of caring for patients, and I accomplished that while developing greater confidence in communication, empathy, and patient-centered care. At the same time, while it was meaningful to alleviate a patient’s discomfort in an immediate and personal way, my experience opened my eyes to the larger systems, resources, and policies that contribute to people’s circumstances. This experience affirmed my interest in finding ways to combine close, compassionate care with broader systems-level work and consider how I can support individuals while also contributing to meaningful, long-term change.
Moving forward, I hope to continue exploring the connection between individual care and the systems that shape people’s lives through my coursework, involvement, and future healthcare experiences at SLU. I am incredibly grateful to the donors who made this fellowship possible. The funding gave me the freedom to take a step forward and fully engage with this experience without allowing financial concerns to limit my choices or narrow my thinking. Compared with many of my friends, I felt fortunate to have the flexibility to remain open to learning and exploring rather than feeling restricted to what was financially practical. This opportunity allowed me to grow personally and professionally while challenging me to think more deeply about the kind of impact I hope to have in the future.