This weekend, 240 UVA employees, nursing and medical students are volunteering at the Remote Area Medical clinic in Wise, Va. We’ll be talking to some of them and sharing their stories with you.
Last week, we met with Nosheen Reza, a fourth-year medical student, as she reviewed the clinical skills she’ll need at the clinic. This is Nosheen’s first year volunteering at RAM, but she grew up in Wise.
What inspired you to volunteer at RAM?
Being from Wise. I’ve lived there since I was five, and my father is a physician there. I’ve gone to my dad’s clinic and seen his patients, and I volunteered at hospitals in the area when I was growing up. It’s a small town. Everyone knows everyone.
When I decided to pursue medicine as well, I realized I could give back to where I came from.
How is working in healthcare in southwest Virginia different from Charlottesville?
Some of the health challenges are the same. We see the same conditions, like diabetes and hypertension, here.
But I think one of the most challenging things is overcoming the economic and social barriers to health care that may be more prevalent in that part of the state. People just don’t have access to specialists and don’t really know how to get connected into the system. I feel like being in Charlottesville is easier because everyone knows that UVA is here.
What will you do while you’re volunteering?
I signed up to get a variety of experiences. I’m hoping to interview patients and get their stories. I also want to practice the skills that I’ve learned in medical school so far.
I’ll be seeing women’s health patients one day, doing cardiology and GI a couple of other days, and the emergency tent another day, so we’ll see what surprises await.