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| Ms. Mole working triage in a mobile clinic in Thailand as part of the 2015 Summer Medical Institute, led by Medical Campus Outreach |
Ms. Mole is a former South Carolina AHEC
Summer Academy participant and mentor who is now enrolled at the MUSC College
of Medicine. The following account is written by Ms. Mole.
When I think of the South
Carolina AHEC, I think of an organization that afforded me significant opportunities
that led me to where I am now. Their commitment to improving healthcare in rural
and underserved areas by reaching out to future healthcare professionals has
helped me greatly as I seek to serve in an area similar to that in which I grew
up: a place where primary care physicians are greatly needed. During my
undergraduate education, I was a participant in the Summer Careers Academy as a
medicine fellow. In this program, I learned about the importance of
interprofessional teams, as well as the rewards and challenges that medical
school would entail. I gained a new appreciation for building relationships
with not only my peers, but also with faculty and staff that have provided me
with much support in my path to becoming a physician. I am so grateful that I
was able to give back to this program by serving as a mentor this summer. I
have personally enjoyed the benefits of this program and I benefitted once
again from being able to walk alongside students who have a desire to
positively impact medicine.
Now, as
a medical student, the South Carolina AHEC continues to bless my life through
its Institute for Primary Care (IPC). I like to also think of that acronym as, “Information
that Promotes Compassion.” Being an Institute fellow has challenged me to
practically examine my role as a future primary care physician. Will I dominate
or motivate my patients through motivational interviewing? How are medical
homes changing medicine for the better? These are just two of the numerous
questions that were posed and addressed during the monthly IPC sessions I
attended. The resources the Institute for Primary Care provides have encouraged
me to never forget to suffer with my patients as I seek to not only treat a disease
but care for a person.
The South
Carolina AHEC makes a huge investment in the lives of future healthcare
professionals, understanding that this investment will continue to promote
better healthcare throughout our state.