From the August 18, 2023 issue of the Transformational Times - SPARCC and AIM focus
Don Mai, 2023 SPARCC Participant
Student-centered Pipeline to Advance Research in Cancer Careers (SPARCC) is a program designed to prepare underrepresented minority students to pursue medicine and biomedical research, and ultimately, pursue careers in clinical cancer research ...
“(Hospitals) are no place to live and die.” — BJ Miller, palliative care specialist from his TED2015 talk, What Really Matters at the End of Life
As a recent college graduate, I was thrilled to be a part of the fifth cohort of the Student-centered Pipeline to Advance Research in Cancer Careers (SPARCC) program. The immersive, eight-week summer experience introduced me to a plethora of medical specialties and health care-related topics. Each of SPARCC’s three components have shaped my perspective on medicine.
From learning about cancer biology to palliative care, the professional workshops taught me the importance of treating the person and not just the disease. After watching the film Wit (2001), and palliative care specialist BJ Miller’s TED speech (2015), Dr. Wendy Peltier, professor of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, walked us through the process of end-of-life care.
Patients suffer from their diseases and they suffer from the treatment. “We ask too much of our hospitals. They are places for acute trauma and treatable illness. They are no place to live and die; that's not what they were designed for,” Miller said during his TED speech. This changed my perspective on how we can provide dignity in end-of-life care. Whether it is eating an unhealthy meal or skydiving, we should not deny patients the pleasures of life that bring fulfillment for fear that it will hurt them. We should empower patients to live when facing death.
Taking the insights from the workshops, we began our practicum rotations through various specialties. Witnessing the strength and resilience of patients while grappling with multiple co-morbidities moved me. One remarkable individual was a young woman about my age. Against challenges with her central line and raising children while receiving treatment, she carried a light within her and shared her positivity with smiles. It warmed my heart to see that little things make a difference. Because individuals with iron deficiency experience enhanced thirst, and ice helps, Patrick Foy, MD, a hematologist, offering a cup of ice sparked her smile. Witnessing this interaction helped me appreciate the humanistic care of medicine.
The final enriching experience was the independent research project with Sarah White, MD MS FSIR, from the Division of Vascular & Interventional Radiology.
Learning about central line usage in cancer patients, I became aware of the variables affecting care. This project evoked a personal memory of my father’s experience with receiving a central line for dialysis. I vividly recall the fear that overcame our family when his catheter developed an infection after two weeks. This connection made the project more significant and motivated me to learn more about how the field is transforming lives.
I was inspired by Dr. White’s dedication to address every individual catheter-associated infection through policy implementation and raising awareness. She both cares for her patients and helps to shape the future of health care. She is the kind of physician I aspire to be, and I am grateful to witness my mentor’s work.
Graduating from SPARCC, I am filled with a fresh perspective and motivation toward a career in medicine. I am grateful for the transformative experiences that SPARCC and our mentors offered. With new insights, I am eager to continue my journey in health care for the upcoming enrichment year and apply to medical schools in the near future.
Don Mai was born in Vietnam and immigrated to Milwaukee when he was 12. He graduated from Ronald Reagan High School and then obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Neurobiology and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He enjoys practicing Taekwondo and Jiu-jitsu in his free time.
No comments:
Post a Comment