Yahvi Suhalka
Second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine School of Medicine – Temple

Learn more about the Baylor School of Medicine Service Learning Program and volunteerism in Temple.

Question: How has the Service Learning Program contributed to your medical education so far? What lessons from volunteering will you carry over as a practicing physician?

Answer: SLP has been a great way to step outside of the classroom and volunteer for the community in a non-medical setting. I feel that being involved in the community helps me get in touch with what people need and exposes me to different resources that we may not necessarily learn about through school. The longitudinal aspect of the program also allows students to build communication skills and rapport with people, which I feel is important in keeping us down-to-earth and directly translates to being able to relate to patients as people. I hope I can give back to the community in a meaningful way when I am a physician, and my experience through the service-learning program is setting me up to do that.

Q: What has been your role as SLP co-chair?

A: Being an SLP co-chair has been one of my favorite aspects of medical school so far. Through this role, I work with my co-chair, Neha Philip, to establish volunteer sites in Temple that address a social determinant of health. We currently have 9 different sites and are hoping to establish more every year. We also facilitate students in selecting a volunteer site, troubleshoot any issues that may arise at a site throughout the year, and keep a record of every student’s volunteer hours. We lead reflection sessions in which students can share and discuss what they have seen or experienced at their particular site. The program culminates in the SLP symposium in which groups at a volunteer site work together to create a poster that summarizes what they took away from their volunteering experience; Neha and I organize this event.

Q: What organizations have you volunteered at through SLP?

A: I have volunteered with McLane’s Children’s Hospital during the two years I have been involved in SLP. I had the opportunity to do a wide range of activities at this site, including: reading to hospitalized children, fitting children for free bike helmets, assisting with the annual BSW 5K, and participating in a supplemental STEM program where we teach children STEM topics in their classrooms.

Q: What have you learned about the Temple community through the organizations where you have volunteered?

A: I did not know much about Temple prior to medical school. Since then, I have found that the Temple community is deceptively large and allows for exposure to people of various backgrounds and social situations. I was surprised by how kind the members of the community have been to us as medical students. They have shown a genuine interest in having us here and are always so grateful for anything we do. I feel very blessed to be able to dedicate time towards this population. 

Additionally, I have often found myself volunteering alongside physicians or other healthcare professionals. It is very impactful to see my educators so willing and able to get involved in the community themselves.

Q: For potential or future students, what would you say about medical school and living in Temple?

A: I have found that Temple is an amazing location to learn medicine. I feel that the small town feel in combination with the high acuity level of care here creates a unique learning environment, as everyone is so willing to accommodate students, including the patients. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to study medicine here!

By Dana Benson