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1. My STEP signature project was an internship experience with the Cleveland Clinic in Wooster, Ohio. This experience entailed being trained to schedule appointments, serve patients when they walk through the doors, and work on projects that benefit the facility and my coworkers.
2. Completing my STEP Signature Project changed my assumptions about the world because I learned to respect other people and their stories. By completing projects, like interviewing people for a video I was putting together, I interacted with my coworkers in a more meaningful and deeper way than I would have otherwise. When I scheduled appointments, I talked to patients and learned their stories and why they were receiving care. Listening to them could make a bad day much better or be the reason they come back to our facility in the future.
3. Completing my STEP Signature Project changed my assumptions of the world because I was faced with the harsh realities of the United States healthcare system. I saw patients come in who utilized Medicare and Medicaid and would complain about the administrative hoops required to receive care. Appointments would be canceled because people would not be able to afford medically necessary care. It was shocking to see the number of people who had to choose between their next meal and an appointment with their doctor.                                                          As someone who has been covered by a parent’s insurance for their entire life,  I had no idea what hoops are required to jump through in order to be insured. The Cleveland Clinic does a good job of covering people below a certain income level, but they are still required to pay expensive copays and deductibles. I learned a lot about insurance and will take this information with me into the future.                                                                                                                                We had a cancer center at the facility where I worked which also greatly impacted the way I saw the world. I would see patients go from walking one week to struggling to speak the next. Hearing their stories from them or their kids and being told thank you for basic kindness was heartbreaking. Though I have had family members go through cancer before and suffer, it was heart wrenching to be on the outside of the situation.
4. This change is valuable for my life because it will change the way I interact with others in the future. I will be mindful of the fact that I do not know what people are going through. It will teach me to be mindful of the impact of my words and understand workers are having difficult days too. Thank you for the opportunity to have this experience.