Feeling Thankful (November Service Projects)

Total Semester Volunteer Hours: 14.5

        Things just keep getting better...The month of November has brought more opportunities not only in this masters program, but in being able to offer my service. I'm learning more about the different body systems and more drugs. This last module was extremely interesting to me because we learned about hypertension, the kidneys, and lab techniques, which I needed a refresher on. Normally I volunteer at Second Harvest Food Bank, but this month brought about two different volunteering opportunities. 
       First, I volunteered at the heart walk, where I was able to meet up with a classmate and we worked with a photographer taking group company photos. Being paired with my classmate and the photographer surprisingly brought us a study review and much laughter. Once the photographer found out we were pharmacology students, he immediately asked, “do y’all know what losartan is?” and we actually could respond with confidence since that drug was recently studied in our last block. From there, our booth-mate ran down his whole medical history to us including an emergency helicopter ride that kept us very interested. He also told us about the statin he was taking that his provider told him not to skip more than four days or else he would die, in which he told us he skipped eight days and lived to tell the story, which is not something we recommend per his doctor’s orders. Not only did we get a drug review, but our booth-mate even gave us tips on the photography profession and how to work around the outside lighting. The heart walk participants even allowed us to take their separate pictures on their personal cameras so they could have their own pictures, which I really enjoyed. The heart walk was an overall pleasant experience since we were able to witness heart surgery survivors ranging from young children to adults who had the honor of wearing red capes for the day. I plan on volunteering at this event again if the opportunity arises. 

        My final volunteer hours came from the Thanksgiving day breakfast and lunch hosted by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. This is my third year serving at this event, and I would not have missed it for anything. I was able to serve food to the community in the convention center and was happy to be there to serve people who were so grateful to have a nice hot meal and dessert on this holiday. It brought me great pleasure to have several of the community members request a certain dessert and me go find it for them and bring it back to them and they be filled with joy over something so many of us take for granted. This event also provided clothes, drinks, gift bags, and entertainment. All of my fall volunteering turned out to be fun and rewarding so I am once again grateful to not only be furthering my education at Tulane, but I am also grateful for the volunteering opportunities.

Heart Walk Service: 5 hours

Thanksgiving Service: 2 hours

Falling for Volunteering (October Service Projects)

       Fall is here! Now that I’m looking back, time is flying! The course load is challenging, but I still see how this pharmacology program will help prepare me for my future as a doctor. We have just completed the Physiology and ANS block, and I have added even more drug names to my growing list. Working in an urgent care, I see EKGs all the time, but I never understood what all the lines and bumps meant, but now I feel I should be able to at least look at an EKG and know what is going on. 

       I have now completed three shifts at Second Harvest Food Bank, and it gets more rewarding each time I go. For my second shift, I walked into the kitchen at Second Harvest, and one of the kitchen leaders asked me if I could come every Tuesday on her shift, and that made me not only feel welcomed, but as if my volunteering work is being recognized. My second shift was also special because I ended up doing a project by myself possibly due to the lack of volunteers that day. I sorted and packaged 210 snack packages, which included a portion size of carrots, ranch dressing, crackers, cheese sticks, and napkins for an elementary school. 

       My third shift at the food bank allowed me to make more volunteer friends, and of course the conversation about “oh, you want to be a pharmacist” came up, which is what everyone seems to think when they hear of a masters in pharmacology. Surprisingly, this conversation lead to another conversation about personal stories about doctors, their bedside manners, and doctors taking the time to explain procedures and following-up with detailed explanations. Listening to this conversation and reflecting on my personality, I can only hope to make all patients feel welcomed and important while under my care. While making new volunteer friends, we also worked on three projects together: sorting and packing two different snack packs including juice, crackers, and cheese and also boxing a Taco Tuesday snack with black beans, salsa, and chips (about 670 meals total). If there is a break between finishing a project, we all look for more to do and really want to provide our time to help serve the community while we are there, which is important to me. I am enjoying my volunteering opportunity at Second Harvest, and I always look forward to returning. 

       

Completed Hours: 7.5

Pharming and Volunteering September 2019

       Wow, already five weeks complete! I already see how this program will help me achieve in the future. From basic principles to cell biology modules, and I already know some drug names and classes, how drugs work on and in the body, microbiology, the background of stem cells, and so much more helpful material that gives me the background required for my future as a doctor. I must say since I’ve learned about the drug classes, the several routes to take drugs, and different interactions with other drugs, I find myself randomly going into the pharmacy section of stores like CVS, Target, and Walgreens just to look at the back of the medicine boxes and bottles reading ingredients, dosage information, and side effects. I’ve also suddenly taken up an interest in drug commercials when I find the time to watch television between studying. I already feel I can take the information I have learned so far from this Master of Science in Pharmacology program and can apply it to the real world, and it's only been five weeks. 

       Yesterday I completed my first community service project as a Tulane student at Second Harvest Food Bank and my experience was amazing. Not only did I get to package different food items for senior home cares, homeless shelters, and schools, but I got to volunteer alongside other experienced, welcoming, and hard-working volunteers. First, we packaged school lunches for children, which included sandwiches, salad, diced pineapples, milk, chips, condiment packets, and eating utensils. Next, we packaged lunches for seniors, that included: kale, grilled pork chops, and sweet potatoes. Finally, we packaged bread in bags that would be sent out to different facilities. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been able to volunteer with Second Harvest Food Bank, which to date has served more than 88,093 senior café residents, 895,880 kids café students, and 788,396 summer meals. The fact that we are packaging meals for so many people across South Louisiana makes me feel we are really making a difference. I am looking forward to the remainder of my master’s program and am ready for my next volunteering opportunity.

Total Number of Volunteer Hours: 2.5