III. November's Odyssey

 -         Monthly Community Service Hours: 7

-         Fall Semester Community Service Hours: 13

Throughout the month of November, I volunteered with Second Harvest Food Bank Broadmoor Food Pantry and Samaritan Multi-Services Centered on Living (SMCL) Foundation and Associates located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Second Harvest Food Bank's purpose is to aid in the prevention of hunger in South Louisiana through providing food access, advocacy, education, and disaster responses through community partners and programs. As stated in last month's blog post, SMCL Foundation and Associate's purpose is to improve the quality of life for military veterans, people with disabilities, and economically challenged populations. 

To commence, I began the month by volunteering with Second Harvest Food Bank in partnership with Broadmoor Food Pantry. Volunteering at the food pantry, I helped move boxes of canned goods, fresh produce, and water into the building, preparing them to be distributed to the community. Once everything was successfully moved into the food pantry, the pantry supervisor briefed the new volunteers on the day's schedule, outlined what items should go into each box, and clarified the expectations for everyone’s role throughout the day. After carefully packing all the boxes, we began the rewarding task of distributing them to the families in need, knowing our efforts would make a real difference. Through volunteering, I had the privilege of meeting incredible people from all walks of life, and I truly valued the connections we made as we came together to support a common cause. Volunteering at the pantry was an immensely rewarding experience, as it reinforced my sense of purpose in life—to make meaningful impacts on others—especially as a physician, where helping those in need extends beyond just medical care to supporting their overall well-being.

Furthermore, this month, I continued to volunteer with the Samaritan Multi-Services Centered on Living (SMCL) Foundation and Associates. For this month, one of the sessions was rescheduled due to conflicting reservations, but we were still able to meet at least once this month. Being able to contribute to an organization that enhances the quality of life for undeserved demographics, individuals with disabilities, and military veterans through sports is extremely enlightening and refreshing. 

Professionally and academically, November has been an extremely prosperous month. Cardiovascular, renal, and pulmonary were the focal points for this month's modules. I thoroughly enjoyed this month's lectures and activities. The cased base learning exercise was my favorite academic experience this month as it allowed for collaborative learning amongst a small group of the entire class. Likewise, I have interviewed and will begin to volunteer at a local hospital, and I am thrilled to have this opportunity. Furthermore, I made some beneficial connections with the community that will contribute greatly to my journey to medicine.