Hi, I was looking for some feedback and proofreading on a supplemental app. Thanks!

[sstephens]

This essay is to answer the question: Please describe your involvement in any type of community service (medical or non-medical) limit one page

 

My experience with community service ranges from sorting canned goods at a local food bank to taking blood pressures at health fairs and conferences. Community service was a great way for me to give back to my community while confirming that helping others is the most gratifying experience for me.

While obtaining my bachelor of science in nutrition, I volunteered at a local food bank, Three Square, and for a food and health message development company, Teaspoonful Communications. My experience sorting through pallets of donated goods at Three Square, taught me how fulfilling even the simplest acts of kindness are. Three Square is the only food bank to serve Southern Nevada and at the time that I volunteered it had been open for less than two years. It was very satisfying to know that I was volunteering for a ground breaking company that helped feed thousands of hungry people in my community. During this time, I also researched and compiled nutrition and health information for Bonnie Johnson, R.D., co-owner of Teaspoonful Communications. One example of my work is that I created a flow chart and conceptualized the character, “Richie the Resistant Starch” for a preliminary presentation on the life cycle of a potato to be given by Mrs. Johnson at the Discovery Children’s Museum. Another example is that I read many gluten free and diabetic blogs to summarize the chief concerns and topics for discussion of patients with these conditions. This taught me how much I enjoy being part of a healthcare team that’s mission is to educate the community.

My next experience as a volunteer at a local emergency room confirmed that direct patient care was the most rewarding area in healthcare for me and that I wanted to pursue the physician assistant profession. My primary duty was to make sure the patients and their visitors were comfortable during their stay in the emergency room. I enjoyed talking with patients as I brought them the extra blankets, pillows, and snacks they requested. I assisted a lady with her feeding who could not hold a fork due to multiple sclerosis. In between bites we found out we both loved the outdoors. She beamed as she told me about her water skiing days. This service gave me the opportunity to see how rewarding it is to put a patient at ease with good bedside manner.

My longest standing community service has been as a medical support volunteer for the Medical Reserve Corps of Southern Nevada (MRC). I have worked as a MRC volunteer since October 2009 and since then I have received training to assist in local and national emergencies, volunteered at various events throughout the Las Vegas area, and gained valuable experience in direct patient care. As a MRC I have worked the blood pressure screening booths at two local events. Most recently, I worked the blood pressure screening booth at the 9^th Annual Women of Color Conference. This was a convention of minority women and men who gathered to participate in workshops ranging from health and wellness to personal finance, beauty and self-esteem, career development and leadership skills. I thoroughly enjoyed discussing health and wellness with these men and women after taking their blood pressures. I answered what questions I could of theirs and directed them to where in our provided educational pamphlets they could read about their blood pressure reading. My pharmacy training was helpful because I offered suggestions on obtaining an emergency fill of medicine for those out of medicine and waiting on a refill authorization or mail order. It is experiences like these which confirm that using the knowledge I do have to help others stay healthy is very satisfying. These experiences also confirm how much I want to be a physician assistant so I can assess and counsel patients on their health conditions and concerns.