Personal Narrative-HIV/AIDS Education Program

The classroom was noisy, students were passing notes, and talking loudly until I emptied my brown lunch bag of multi colored condoms on the teacher 's desk. Starting in my sophomore year in high school I worked with the Red Cross in a peer HIV/AIDS education program that lasted for three years. I visited classrooms and businesses to talk about HIV prevention and dispel many of the myths associated with the disease. I taught hundreds of my peers and presented at many local businesses. I asked both the students and adults to tell me what they knew about AIDS. Uneasy attendees often looked away when I asked the question. Many thought the disease came from using the same toilet as an infected person and admitted they avoided public restrooms …show more content…
There were times I could not get out of bed and support my own weight. As an adult, I had never been helpless and disabled; it left me defenseless and scared. I placed my trust in teams of medical workers who tested, wrote treatment plans, and cared for me in a way that gave me hope. Working together they healed me. I left the hospital, but the indelible memories of the compassion, empathy, and hard work of the nurses and providers never left my mind. Each one is partially responsible for the return of my health. This experience, combined with my passion for community service set me firmly on the path of pursuing a career in medicine. After receiving my BS degree in Biology, I was accepted to a caribbean medical school and and had a 4.0 GPA when I withdrew and began exploring the possibility of becoming a nurse. This research led me to the conclusion that the nursing model and approach to medicine is best for communities, because it provides a more holistic approach to …show more content…
These experiences include working as a medical assistant where I set up sterile fields, took vitals, and gave vaccinations. It includes the duties of a MRI technologist which required me to take histories, sooth the claustrophobic, and place IV needles in fearful patients. My health care involvement also included volunteering as a hospital patient assistant and it included work as a medical coder and medical consultant where I taught others how to properly document and choose the appropriate diagnosis and procedure codes. This exposure taught me that I enjoy working one on one with patients and it left me with a unique skill set that has given me the confidence and desire to head towards a more advanced role in health