Meet Vani Ganesh
Vani is a first-year Osteopathic Medicine student on the Downers Grove, IL campus. After her family immigrated to the United States, Vani discovered that, as a Midwestern University student, she found fulfillment and joy by volunteering with migrant populations in the Chicagoland area.
"It's easy to find your passion and to get involved with the community around us. You just have to know where to look."
Community Involvement (IL) at Midwestern University
Midwestern University gives students many opportunities to take what they have learned and use it to help people in the community. Whether it is through volunteer work for underserved communities or by offering patient care in the University’s Clinics, you will always have the chance to see first-hand how your skills and learning benefit those who need healthcare.
Transcript
Let's meet first-year Osteopathic Medicine student, Vani. With medicine ingrained in her DNA, Vani's journey began early, shaped by her family's involvement in healthcare. Alongside her dedication to studies, she also finds time to volunteer at two clinics in her community. Vani, tell us more.
Thanks for that intro, Alex. So, thanks to my parents, giving back to the community has always been a core value. They immigrated to the United States, and they couldn't have done it without having a strong community supporting them. So for me, finding ways to engage with the community, especially with immigrant populations, became a really big part of my decision on where to go to medical school. Throughout undergrad, I spent my time volunteering with groups that aligned with my values. My favorite experience was when I got to volunteer and travel to the Dominican Republic to work with physicians in free healthcare clinics for people living in rural communities. This really hit home for me, and I knew that I would find opportunities like this.
When I went to medical school, I instantly fell in love with Midwestern University, when I learned that first-year students had the opportunity to volunteer at a free clinic in Chicago that served primarily migrant populations whose first language was not English. I'm a volunteer at the Chicago Community Health Clinic through Midwestern, but the University also offers many other clinical community service opportunities to first-year students, such as the Siva Health Clinic, which also primarily serves South Asian and migrant populations. It's easy to find your passion and to get involved with the community around us. You just have to know where to look. I absolutely know that getting this early clinical exposure through Midwestern will help me as I continue in my career in medicine. Well, that's it for me. Back to you, Alex.
Wow, Vani. It sounds like the clinical volunteer opportunities at Midwestern University are endless. Students have the chance to become an integral part of a medical team and get valuable hands-on experience, while leaving a positive impact on their patients and their community. Thanks, Vani.