Allison Kirk, '05

Chicago medical student helps at free clinic, does clinical rotation at urban Cook County Hospital

November 5, 2009

Have you always been interested in community service?

I have always been involved in community service in one way or another. During high school, I developed a passion for helping people with disabilities and sought out volunteer experiences that would allow me to work with that population. I spent my summers helping children with disabilities with their physical therapy sessions, summer school, tutoring and day camps. During the school year, I took my two study hall periods and volunteered with special education classes.

Did your passion for service influence your decision to become a part of the Jepson School?

This background of service was part of the reason why I chose to major in leadership studies. At Jepson, I was able to learn about service as well as get out into the community and be a part of numerous service initiatives. I volunteered at Emergency Shelter Inc., Cross Over Health Ministry, and Boaz & Ruth. One of the most meaningful experiences involved Jepson’s 2004 Student Community Project with Boaz & Ruth, an organization that provides on-the-job and beyond-the-job training as well as caring and coaching relationships for ex-offenders.

What initially made you want to become involved in the 150 Days in a Lifetime of Service campaign?

Much of my learning at Jepson stemmed from the service initiatives that were incorporated into our classes. I was very involved in community service during college, but since then I had put volunteering on the back burner. It was easy to get swept up into my studying and rationalize that I would start volunteering once I graduated and was in a position to really make a difference. I needed a catalyst to get me back into volunteering — Jepson’s 150 Days Campaign came at exactly the right time.

What made you want to get involved with the cause that you have been working with?

I have chosen to spend the majority of my clinical rotations at Cook County Hospital, which serves the poor and uninsured of the Chicago area. It is unbelievable how advanced our patients’ medical problems have become by the time they present to the hospital because they were unable to receive routine medical care in their communities. For that reason, I volunteer at CommunityHealth, a clinic which provides routine medical care for the poor and uninsured. I teach my younger colleagues how to take histories, perform medical examinations, identify problems and develop a plan of treatment.

Have you witnessed any of the teachings from the Jepson School present in either your current occupation or your community service?

Yes. As a medical student who has spent her last two years on various clinical rotations, I work each day with a team of physicians, residents and nurses to provide the best care possible to our patients. While often the least experienced or knowledgeable person in the group, my understanding of group dynamics, effective communication and motivation have allowed me to be an integral member of the team. Improving group dynamics and communication — both within our team and with the patient — allows for more free-flowing exchanges, better diagnoses, and, hopefully, better overall outcomes. In Cook County Hospital in Chicago, what ails our patients is often much more than the physical illness that brought them in. Critical thinking skills help me to more comprehensively address the larger, interconnected problems that many of these patients face. I’ve found that being successful in my field requires having both the necessary scientific background and knowledge and also being able to work effectively with a team and a patient. I have been able to better serve my patients and team in large part due to what I learned at the Jepson School. 

What advice would you give to others who are considering participating in service projects?

Find something that you are passionate about and seek out a volunteer opportunity in that area. You will make a difference and will often find a lot of new opportunities to get even more involved.

Spring 2009
This is one of a group of articles featuring Jepson School graduates and students as part of the 150 Days in a Lifetime of Service campaign.

Article ID: 506