Carmen Irena Ekert

Miami Beach Senior High School

Prompt #1

The sun still sleeps at 6:00 am on a Monday morning, and the traffic rush does not begin until Starbucks opens its doors with the welcoming aroma of vanilla bean. I was up and about at 5:30 with dark lines charcoaled under my eyes, wearing a candy-striped uniform and volunteer badge. For someone who gets nervous in hospitals, my first day at Mount Sinai’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, where volunteers were more unwelcome than cancer, was a challenge. I was ready for it. 

In the Psychosocial Services Department, my assigned area, Doctor Pozo-Kaderman, the leader of the pack, made it clear that first day that she drank black coffee at 63 degrees celsius and that slacking off was not tolerated. I felt like an interning law student, getting coffee for the big shot before I could handle any heavy-duty assignments. Throughout the day I answered phones, took messages, and grabbed lunch, all with a smile. I quickly learned to be patient with these doctors because their moods were susceptible to changing completely within one session; they were like mood rings I could not take off.

The doctors never said “good morning” when I sat in front of their office’s in the morning, coffee and bagels in hand awaiting their next assignment like an obedient pup. Whenever I finished one task, I knocked on every doctor’s door with a gleam in my eye, asking if I could get them more coffee or anything else to ease their day, feeling like a Girl Scout selling cookies. 

At the end of my first week, I finally understood why they were not welcoming or friendly: the doctors were stressed from dealing with patients who could die. Their sudden mood changes seemed logical now, as well as the overflow of black coffee. I tried to imagine walking into work every day knowing you would see women weeping over hair loss and ruminating on the very real fact that they might not see another day. The cancer center soon became my favorite place to be. I stayed from 8 to 5, working on minor tasks such as organizing pamphlets. I did my work wholeheartedly, knowing that someone, even just one person, might benefit from it. 

Friday, I entered those glass doors and they mirrored a different person, someone more motivated and lighthearted, with a skip in her step. Doctor Pozo said good morning with a million-dollar smile and offered to help carry the coffee, an unusual start to both of our days. Doctor Pozo called me into her office and asked for me to stay during her 1 o’clock cancer survivor session. It was like Christmas morning. Throughout the session, I eagerly jotted notes on types of cancers and their emotional effects on patients. My hunger to alleviate the doctors’ workload had been satisfied. I recognized the reward of hard work and determination, assuring me that I could handle any situation so long as I had the patience to understand and persevere.

Working alongside these doctors impacted my outlook on the medical field significantly. Everyone assumes that sometimes doctors may be unpleasant or outright rude sometimes when we go in for routine exams or for more personal care but we forget to take note that doctors are people too and they deserve equal respect and appreciation. Doctors are the people who see everything uncensored, from a humans inner emotions to the ghastliest gashes, they see it all first hand. As a part of society, we must learn to appreciate doctors for every minor thing they do to us because they in the end like us need help but they don’t show it, they hide it so that their patients can have someone to look up to for hope and a hand to hold. 

Throughout my 2 weeks working there, I saw the Cancer Center through the doctors eyes. On a day to day basis there were patients walking in clutching to one another with dread in their eyes for an exam either to see how their cancer was doing. The Psychosocial Department, which I worked at had probably the worst patients because a majority of them there were patients who felt helpless and allowed cancer to take hold of their lives. Cancer was probably one of the worst disease anyone could have because it seemed to eat the patients up slowly up until they gave in to the disease and did not bother to fight back. 

After that one week of working at the Cancer Center and gaining the trust of the Psychosocial doctors, they started filling me in on some of the problems they dealt with at home which allowed me to sympathize with them. One of the doctors were having problems at home with a wife who wanted to divorce him for being in the office too long and being ‘married’ to his work rather than her. Another doctor told me her daughter was having troubles at school and was sent away to a camp to possibly help her improve her drug addiction. I remember I couldn’t believe that these were the same people cancer survivors were looking up to for hope. These doctors had a stiff upper lip for a reason and smiled for those only deserving of it. 

  That summer, the true heroes were the doctors who held in their problems and worked on those people who needed help to fight their disease. I was proud to say I worked alongside such valiant doctors and patients who were determined to fight, whether at home or in the office, everyone who worked in the Cancer Department were the people who knew pain. 

I have always had sympathy for doctors, knowing from my mother that they dealt with situations that a majority of people could not stomach. With first hand experience in seeing some of the things happening at doctors offices I decided to pursue a career in the medical field. This fall I will be attending Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to pursue a degree to become a Doctor of Pharmacy. I would like to help patients behind the scenes and assist patients in alleviating their pains and aches. Although I cannot handle being a doctor in such a rough environment, I would still like to help patients in one way or another and deciding to pursue a degree in Pharmacy would have to be one of the best decisions I have made for my future. My summer at the Cancer Center did inspire me and I only hope to one day make a difference to even at least one person.