The diverse range of tasks and responsibilities I undertook this summer working at AFC (Arlington Free Clinic) and SOME (So Others Might Eat) medical clinics allowed me to develop crucial skills and insights that will be applicable in various professional settings, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity. 

At AFC I focused on the Move to Health exercise class and at SOME I focused on patient education. At both clinics I also helped with clinic flow through tasks such as compiling fax and phone numbers for nearby providers, assisting the staff with patients in person and through calls and organizing medications. 

My main focus at AFC with the Move to Health Program was increasing participation and organizing the many resources. For this I called every patient who had been referred to the program and went through everything that had been created for the program. I took the information I gained from talking to the patients and previous experience with the class to create compiled overviews of the relevant information and discarding the many full binders of information that wasn’t necessary. 

At SOME, I created educational materials on topics including HIV, Hepatitis, Podiatry, Screening, Mental Health, Immunizations, Healthy Aging, FIT tests, and hydration. I used what I learned from my classes this year about health literacy and giving medical talks to my presentations in order to reach the population best. 

Through our Laidlaw classes this year, I learned important leadership lessons that were emphasized through my project. 

First, I recognized the importance of effective communication and building relationships with others. By engaging with patients and fostering connections, I discovered the power of listening and the impact it has on establishing trust. This skill will enable me to connect with colleagues, clients, and patients on a deeper level, leading to better understanding and collaboration.

My experience also emphasizes that leadership is not about being in charge, but about understanding when to step up and when to support others. By working with various exercise coaches and interpreters at Arlington Free Clinic and supporting providers and patients with specific needs at both clinics, I experienced the importance of flexibility and adaptability. 

As the only intern working at SOME and on the Move to Health program at AFC, I gained experience prioritizing tasks and managing the workload effectively, as there was a lot to get done without anyone telling me specific deadlines or prioritization. These skills are essential for success in any professional environment, where juggling multiple responsibilities and meeting deadlines are common.

My project provided me with exposure to diverse patient populations and healthcare settings. Working with patients of different backgrounds, languages, and medical conditions allowed me to enhance my cultural competence and empathy. This exposure will be invaluable in my future career, as it will enable me to provide inclusive and patient-centered care to individuals from diverse backgrounds.

While my six weeks at both clinics is over, I will continue working with these clinics into August. With my additional time at SOME, I hope to present all of the presentations I created to different populations within So Others Might Eats network and create posters and presentations for the coming months when I will not be here. With the extra time at AFC, I hope to increase patient participation in the Move to Health Class. To do this I will re-call everyone who has been referred to the class and talk about the barriers to their participation. I will use the information I gather to figure out how to best increase participation and class flow. At AFC, I also hope to create comprehensive workout and nutrition lists to make it easier to work with every patient, regardless of their limitations.