MedEx Day 20

Today was an amazing day! It started off with a short presentation from our lead intern, Donovan, on his journey through each of the four MedEx tiers. It was clear he had changed a lot from beginning to end, and that he had grown and learned more with each tier. Because of this, I was inspired by the fact that I might also be able to grow, mature, and change with each tier! The way he talked about each tier also made me excited as I realized there would be a lot to look forward to in tier three and four! After Donovan's presentation, Ms. Anne Kinsman and Dr. Erin Hahn started their presentation on the SC Lend program, which focuses on residents with disabilities. I had no idea this type of program existed, and I was intrigued to learn more. I had grown up around peers with autism in school, and they were some of the smartest and kindest people I had ever met, so I was interested to learn more about their neurodevelopmental disorders, and how it is diagnosed and aided. The way our presenters discussed the topic kept me interested the whole time because I never knew much about these disorders. They gave staggering statistics, as well as introduced us to how the spectrum REALLY works. I personally had always thought of the spectrum as linear, but I now realize it is much more circular! I also understood how it could be difficult to diagnose as some of the characteristics of autism can be found in other disorders such as ADHD. Personally, I have two cousins with severe ADHD, and some of their actions when they were younger matched up with parts of the spectrum, such as trouble in social situations and lining up cars "perfectly". However, since it is a spectrum, you can have some characteristics, but without others you may not have autism. I had no idea this was true! I also feel like my eyes were open to the real struggles of those who have differing levels of autism through watching a documentary following four different children. It is truly disheartening that some people decide to make those with autism feel unwanted and bully them, when in reality they should be treated with the same kindness and respect. I hope that if I become a doctor, I can become an advocate and compassionate caregiver for this type of community if/when I come across them!

After this, we started another icebreaker with our tier where we went around in a circle paired up with one other peer, and then had to answer a question asked by the interns. It was truly such a fun experience, and I felt like I got to know many of my tier mates better with this icebreaker! After lunch, we completed an eye-opening activity called "Don't Put People in Boxes". It was an activity that required a lot of vulnerability, and I feel as though our tier went into it full force. There were times that it was hard to know what to say as many of our tier mates experienced shocking and unimaginable hardships in their life, but it honestly brought us closer. Many of our tier mates were able to connect and relate to each other on a deeper level, and it was really powerful. It truly represented the fact that no matter where people come from and what they've experienced, we're all human and deserve to be treated as such, and this is an important aspect of healthcare.

After this activity, Dr. Frank Clark came to present to us, which I was super excited about! I remember him from Tier One, and he was very inspiring. Luckily, he was just as inspiring this tier. He truly made me think and reflect on what's truly important to me, as well as my thought process behind my doubt in myself. I've always been hard on myself in school and life, and he discussed the fact that we are never failures, we are just progressing! Just because life doesn't work out the way we want the first time, doesn't mean we are any less of a person. I hope to bring this mindset into these next few years of undergrad as I work towards a degree and applying for medical school.