I am embarking on my practicum journey and I am being drawn to the homeless and youth community, particularly the medical side. I believe this knowledge will come in handy one day. I want to be able to facilitate both individual and group counseling sessions with youth. “What has drawn me to the medical side of the profession?” I think of the famous quote by Audrey Hepburn, “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”  When I was a little girl an organization named the Lions Club gave me my first pair of prescription glasses. It was a life changing gift, and something about that medical kindness has always stuck with me. Moving forward in my career, I know one must be physically and mentally well to make progress, and to achieve bigger goals.

I am glad I took the time to self-reflect, and to ask myself the question “What has drawn me to the medical side of the profession.” I personally know when one is feeling a hundred percent and can see clearly it boosts their confidence, allows them to stand up a little taller, walk with a bit more swag, and to speak up more often than not. That is why I am often annoyed that healthcare services in the US are based on the traditional fee for service model instead of the value-based care model. To me, valued based care is the way to go as it considers the patient experience and outcomes, as well as the total cost of care.