DB test post: Lethycia interview from Pages

Taken from interview for MWFMP

Debbie: Tell me about yourself. 

Lethycia: I’m a daughter of immigrants. My mom came here when she was a teenager, so I’m a first-generation student. What brought me here and piqued my interest in the medical space was having to go with her to doctor’s appointments and being her interpreter. So that was a big part of why I want to go into healthcare and why I sought this opportunity to volunteer. Right now I’m a rising senior at Framingham State. I’m studying biology and biochemistry. So my intent is to go to medical school in the future.

Debbie: What is your role at the clinic?

Lethycia: Medical scribe, and a few shifts I’ve been interpreting and scribing. They’ve put me and a few other volunteers as lead medical scribe, when I’m basically going to be answering questions of incoming medical scribes—any sort of issues or questions that may pop up.

Debbie: How long have you been volunteering?

Lethycia: My first volunteer shift was in late may, as soon as they opened up for scribing.

Debbie: Are you finding it rewarding? 

Lethycia: Yes, so much! Because I always thought that I had to do so much to help someone; and even though I’m just typing on a computer, I do feel it helps. And people feel understood, especially if you just look at them with kind eyes. That’s why I wanna go into this field to help people. So it’s been so rewarding to be able to help, even if I’m just there typing. [Volunteering with MWFMP] kind of established my desire to go into medicine. It’s been so rewarding, so gratifying. Everyone is so thankful for me being there and they make me feel so welcome. 

Debbie: Do you have any particular stories or encounters that you would be willing to share?

Lethycia: The last time I was there, I was interpreting as well [as scribing]. And this one patient had a lot of mental health issues and depression. And she would say how much the clinic has been helping her because she doesn’t have insurance. There’s no way for her to get healthcare if it’s not the clinic. So that just made me want to be there and want to help even more.

Debbie: What would you say to someone who’s sitting on the fence about volunteering for MWFMP?

Lethycia: I would say from my experience that it’s watching doctors that are retired volunteer; watching lots of people take time out of their days. So rewarding, ‘cause you see that it’s not just you looking to do something; other people are too. It’s kind of a community there and I’ve really loved it, the engagement that we all have with one another….So it’s just different than anything else I’ve ever done. And it’s amazing to be there.