University of Maryland Chapter
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UMD AMSA has decided to start a series in order to publicize the voices of our members during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Please review quotes from our members on their experiences during quarantine. We will continuously post quotes on a weekly basis.
"As an aspiring healthcare professional, the COVID-19 pandemic makes me aware that I would be expected to be a first responder in these circumstances--exposing myself to potentially infected individuals to put others before myself. It also convinces me that there's nothing else I'd rather be doing. This situation has allowed me to confirm that during a public health emergency, I would want to be on the front line. However, as a citizen it's difficult to go through each day with uncertainty, and in fear for the health of my family members and friends. One of my family members was recently diagnosed with COVID-19 and it has been incredibly hard to process. I've also realized how much we take for granted--little things like going outside (I got to celebrate my birthday from bed) and holding our loved ones close."
-Adele Carr, Junior, Public Health Science Major
"As a (hopeful!) future healthcare professional, this pandemic has taught me the strengths and weaknesses of the healthcare system. We are in an age of the best medical care the world has ever seen, the cutting-edge of innovation, and yet we are struggling to contain this disease. There is no way of knowing the impact this will have on the world, but I sincerely hope that it spurs a new wave of efforts to increase efficiency and productivity in healthcare systems across the globe. This will alleviate ethical issues relating to scarcity, and prevent unnecessary loss of life. No one is immune to this horrible situation and this horrible virus, and it has reiterated for me that patients should be on the forefront of the medical care experience no matter what. It has also shown me, however, how stressful and dangerous it can be to be a healthcare professional in general, but especially in times of crisis. The sheer weight of this can pose a risk to mental, physical, and emotional health, and it is important to be cognizant of that."
-Caroline Pugh, Junior, Physiology and Neurobiology Major
"As a citizen COVID- 19 has affected my whole life. Being a college student, I was forced to move out of my dorm room and begin taking classes online and I had to move back home to Italy. Getting a flight was a struggle as most flights were being cancelled, but I eventually was able to get on a plane, which was empty. Everyone in the airport was wearing masks and gloves. The mood was low and people were even scared to look at each other. In Italy, the whole country is in lockdown, no one is in the streets and almost no businesses are open. I have not been able to leave my house, or even visit my grandparents. As a future healthcare professional, the COVID-19 situation has made me more aware of the dangers of viruses and how important it is to spread awareness to all people about how viruses work and spread."
-Francesca Pellegrino, Sophomore, Physiology and Neurobiology Major
"It [COVID-19 Pandemic] has taught me a lot about the importance of social distancing not only just for the sake of myself, my family, and immediate points of contact, but most importantly, for the overall group immunity of all the people within my community. The more you learn, the more you can understand and also, it makes the unknown seem a little less frightening. I have much respect and admiration for the front-line healthcare workers who are risking their lives to care for their patients."
-Grace Cho Sophomore, Physiology and Neurobiology Major
"COVID-19 has brought about many challenges for all of us as University of Maryland pre-medical students. For myself, being a junior, I have built up a certain routine over the past several years which has helped me to stay on top of my coursework while also working on other aspects of my pre-med journey. With the current pandemic, this routine has been completely rearranged. Each of us now has to work to maintain our efforts in school and beyond while also being sure to avoid risking our health and the health of those around us. As a result, I have had to make the necessary adjustments to ensure that I do not lose any progress as I continue to work to become a better future healthcare professional"
-Brett Sutton Senior, Physiology and Neurobiology Major
"COVID-19 has shown me how important my duty as a citizen is to do my part in social distancing, as this is the only thing we can do to minimize the risk of this virus spreading and reduce the cycle. Additionally, seeing the state of our healthcare system and how overworked our doctors currently are, I feel helpless sitting in my own house, where all I can do is quarantine myself and donate to charities. This helpless feeling has only further fueled my motivation to be able to make a difference in the system and save lives on the front lines of a public health crisis such as a pandemic, where every individual counts and works towards the greater good."
-Sahana Kundu Sophomore, Physiology and Neurobiology Major
"COVID-19 has made me much more aware of how vulnerable our society still is to disease even in a time of advanced modern medicine. It has motivated me further to become a doctor, because health care workers are vital at times like these. It has also motivated me to consider research in the future, because I want to help make sure nothing like this happens again."
-Jane Quackenbush Sophomore,
Biology Major
"With two parents who are in the risk group, I have taken the warnings seriously and am saddened by the families who lost older members due to this virus. For the future, it encourages me to play a role in this field by serving a variety of communities and do what I can to voice the issues that I would see as a healthcare worker."
-Rifka Herman Junior,
Physiology and Neurobiology Major
"As citizens, COVID-19 has placed an important responsibility on each one of us. Each of us has a responsibility to not only protect ourselves, but also those around us. By practicing social distancing measures, we are taking an important step towards protecting the most vulnerable populations."
-Aakriti Mahajan Sophomore,
General Biology Major
"COVID-19 has especially put into perspective just how important and essential healthcare workers are to society, and the level of dedication that is required to serve others in any crisis."
-Jad Kfouri Junior,
Biology Major
"COVID-19 has affected me as a future healthcare professional as my eyes have truly opened up towards the effect that this pandemic has on minority and underrepresented communities... [I]t must be so much harder for students coming from underrepresented communities to get access to adequate health care during such a difficult time. Families are probably dealing with a lot of financial hardships right now and some people might have to rely on working as an essential employ in order to earn money to put food on the table. This puts not only themselves at a greater risk, but their families as well."
-Priyal Sharma Sophomore,
General Biology Major