Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio

Grace Lambert, Summer 2016

Caring for people experiencing the worst day of their lives is part of day-to-day work in the medical field. The job of a physician calls us to the bedside of those who are dying, comforting a loved one in their final hours, or desperately hoping for recovery. Although my summer internship was not spent in a clinic, I similarly provided support for families who were living their worst nightmares. The refugees served by Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio had been separated from their family, witnessed the death of their loved ones, or watched as their homes were destroyed. All were familiar with intense fear and the fight for survival.

As a UHP intern, my daily tasks were quite different from the medical practice: I prepared homes for refugee families, organized a warehouse, collected home furnishing donations, taught job readiness and English as a Second Language classes, farmed with clients, grocery shopped with families, and more. The ways in which each day has enlightened me on the refugee experience and cultural competency are countless. But the moments that I will carry with me the most as I continue my medical education were those of vulnerability as a refugee family was first welcomed into the country. Some families met this challenge with excitement and an optimism about making the most of their circumstances. For others, the intake process was received with resistance and distrust. It was in working with these clients that I see my internship as being particularly applicable to the medical field. As a physician, the patient encounter is heavily dependent on trust. Medicine can only be effective if the patient has confidence in the physician’s recommendations. During refugee intakes, I observed seasoned employees who were able to communicate in a manner that developed client trust. The key was to listen carefully to understand the client’s concerns, to repeatedly validate these concerns, and only then to propose a way to move forward. All of this must be done with endless patience and a sensitivity to the trauma that the family was coping with.

While working with refugees can be what my co-workers described as a “messy” job, filled with unexpected challenges, I was able to witness numerous truly beautiful moments. One of my favorite moments includes participating in the first women’s support group at the organization, during which the women were able to dance, enjoy each others’ company, and voice their hopes, dreams, and fears. Women expressed their worry about having a family while still pursuing their career. As we talked, the cultural gap among the group narrowed, as this was a concern shared by all of the women, staff included. In a world that is increasingly divided by differences, it was powerful to see women who had come from vastly separate cultures offer support to one another.

Finally, as I reflect on my summer, I am struck with deep gratitude that, in comparison to the life of a refugee, the challenges in my life are derived from the endless opportunities that I have been granted. I start my second year of medical school humbled by the opportunity to pursue my dreams and inspired to make the most of it.