Flowers and cake from Dr. El-Bayoumi and the Rodham Institute
This last week has been bittersweet. Though I miss the mountains, my family and friends, I’m going to miss everyone that I have had the pleasure of working with. I have loved exploring DC, have learned so much, and have been inspired by countless people over the past few weeks. It is sad to have to say goodbye. However, the beginning of the week was the busiest of the summer. Monday, after a morning conference about community outreach, a grants meeting, and the weekly Rodham Institute meeting, Dr. El-Bayoumi asked everyone to step into her office. I was extremely touched when I walked in and layed out on a table was a beautiful spread of sandwiches and a cake with “Good Luck Esme” written with blue frosting across the top. Dr. El-Bayoumi and Tracy explained that they wanted to have a lunch to commemorate my time with them.
After our delicious lunch and a thick slice of cake, we set out for Barry Farm’s Recreation Center, a newly built center in the southeast region of DC that hosts free summer camps and programs for children in the area. The Rodham, in collaboration with Whitman Walker, a medical organization, hosted a sexual and self-health program for a few of the camps. It was eye opening to see this part of the community, and really cool to get to sit-in on the program!
Tuesday was equally as busy with a few more meetings in the morning. I had the pleasure to observe Dr. Louis, a world renowned cardiologist, and her fellows as they checked echocardiograms. They explained the different regions of the heart and pointed out what a healthy heart should look like verses hearts with various problems. In order to get a background on echocardiograms, I followed a nurse into the hospital ICU and observed the imaging techniques.
After working with Dr. Louis, I headed back to the office and helped with the final preparations for the evenings event on toxic stress in children, co-hosted by the Rodham and the American Pediatric Association, and then drove out to the small restaurant that was hosting it. It was amazing to hear all the perspectives of the doctors, social workers, and even the deputy mayor.
On Wednesday and Thursday at the clinic I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Gloria again (I shadowed her the first day of my internship as well). She is just finishing up her residency and is planning to go into hospice care, and has been the most inspirational doctor I have worked with. Then, it was time for goodbyes.
My last few days in DC, I was able to see a Brett Dennen concert
I would be lying if I said that the past 6 weeks have been easy or simple, but they have taught me an unbelievable amount. My perspective has been completely flipped around. It has been such a pleasure, an honor, and a life changing experience to have worked with Dr. El-Bayoumi and the Rodham Institute, and instead of “good-bye” I’m going to leave it at, “see you later!”
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