As a Care Attendant for UPMC, I am able to gain clinical experience as well as knowledge and familiarity with the hospital setting and technology, doctor-patient relationship and interviews, as well as network further for additional shadowing opportunities. As a Care Attendant, I have direct patient contact for long periods of time and assist with daily living activities. These include: brushing their teeth, combing their hair, bed baths, getting in and out of bed, feeding meals, etc. I sit with patients with safety concerns of themselves or others, elderly age, overdose/dextoxing patients, incarcerated patients, and patients with a history of psychosis or mental illness. With experience in the hospital setting with these patients, I was able to indulge in my curiosity of mental health and mental suffering in addition to learning medical terminology and tools. I was also able to use this information to better compare healthcare systems in the United States and Tanzania.

As the Intern for Pitt-Assisted Communities and Schools, I was able to coordinate and manage volunteers from Pitt as well as volunteer myself. I travelled to all of the schools covered under the program (Westinghouse, Faison, Lincoln, to name a few) and worked as a Lunch Duty volunteer but also checked in with volunteers about their experiences. I was able to use their feedback and ideas to better tend to the wants and needs of the Pitt students as well as the students they were tending to. Being an intern gave me an opportunity to sharpen my leadership and communication skills as well as achieve my goal of being more involved in the community. As an intern, I was able to create and organize my own idea of the annual “Pitt Loves Homewood” Cookout, which is meant to eliminate the negative stigma of Homewood, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, as well as strengthen bonds between members of both communities.