Volunteering

It's hard to volunteer much as a resident. So much of our time is occupied by medicine that we hoard the free time we have. Even more than that, our schedules are so variable and irregular that we cannot commit to a regularly scheduled extracurricular activity. Perhaps we try to make up for it by donating to those causes we support. But overall, it is a segment of our lives where, understandably, we have little time to volunteer. Yet my fear is that once our lives open up, once we have more freedom and flexibility in our schedules, we will forget the importance of volunteering. In the same way that we are active participants in the medical community, we play a role in cultivating our local communities as well. As I reflect on how I parcel my time now, I wish I had more things I did out of the hospital. I love my work and I enjoy residency, but oh, what it's like to talk to friends who don't just have medical stories. What it's like to nurture a passion in the arts. What it's like to help someone out who is not a patient. What it's like to see more of the world.