Sathwika Thodeti chats with a patient making him feel welcome at the hospital while she restocks his room. Sonny Kim brings another patient her lunch and busies himself to make the lives of the doctors and nurses easier. Matt Fiedler organizes the money in the gift shop cash register and sells a balloon to a patient’s loved one. These three high school students know that they are making a difference in their community by helping at their local hospital.

Revere seniors Thodeti and Fiedler and junior Kim volunteer at the Medina Hospital. Thodeti and Kim volunteer at nursing units in the hospital where they run small errands and help the doctors and nurses with minor tasks, and Fiedler volunteers in the hospital gift shop as a cashier. The Medina Hospital provides people with many different volunteering opportunities. Kim, who has been volunteering for two years,  elaborated on the different jobs the hospital has to offer.

“Different jobs [include volunteering for the] gift shop, front desk, nursing units, and intensive care units. There’s different jobs for each volunteer. For example if you work at the front desk, you answer calls and help visitors with directions of the hospital. I work at a nursing unit and help the nurses and doctors on my floor do their jobs easier. I help patients with lunch, restock their rooms, [and] anything I can do for the patient or any errands I can run for the people who work on my floor,” Kim said.
Fiedler has been volunteering in the gift shop for about ten months and recieved the position after filling out an online application and attending an interview at the hospital. He volunteers once a week for a four hour shift and his main job is balancing the cash register. Fiedler mentioned his gift shop responsibilities and what a typical shift includes.

“My shift is from 4:00 to 8:00 on Thursday nights but I have to be there at 3:45 to balance my register before my shift starts. I have to count up the money and make sure there is the proper amount of money in [the register], and I do this after my shift ends as well. I am responsible for greeting customers and making small talk with them. I often sell flowers and balloons for customers to give to patients. I am also lucky to be able to interact with both patients and employees to get a better understanding of how the hospital runs and sometimes get the inside scoop on activities in the hospital,” Fiedler said.

The hospital provides volunteers with many opportunities for patient interaction which is essential for aspiring physicians. Thodeti, who had also been a volunteer for two years, opened up about the most rewarding aspects of her volunteer experience and why it will help her pursue a career in medicine.

“What I enjoy most about this volunteering opportunity is that I get to interact with patients. Every Sunday I get to meet new people and learn about their lives. They all have such unique backgrounds and it’s fascinating to hear their stories. Because I volunteer on the nursing floor, many of the patients are elderly, so they tell me about their families and all their experiences. Patient interaction is a very important aspect to becoming a good physician, and I think volunteering here has given me that exposure,” Thodeti said.

While the hospital presents future doctors with the opportunity to connect with patients and experience a hospital environment, it also has a lot to offer those who are not looking into the medical field. Fiedler explained that volunteering is a rewarding experience for anyone.

“I would recommend this to everyone whether they are interested in medicine or not. No one I volunteer with is interested in pursuing medicine, but they all say this was one of the best decisions they ever made. From volunteering at the hospital, I have made some great friends [whom] I now am in contact with quite often. It’s a nice place to just go and kind of relax and talk to my new friends there since I don’t really see them anywhere else,” Fiedler said.

The Medina Hospital is always looking for more help and people to volunteer. It provides a unique experience for anyone who wants to get involved in the community, interact with patients, or just meet new people and experience new things. Fiedler, Kim and Thodeti recommend this opportunity to anyone looking for a unique and fulfilling volunteering position.