Finally,
after all the anxious buildup, I completed my first full day at Tafelsig. For
those who aren’t on the program, Tafelsig is a non-profit primary clinic that
averages 500 patient consultations per day. The clinic provides a myriad of
medical services including family planning, nurse and doctor appointments, an
emergency and bloodwork room, pediatrics, mental healthcare, etc. As a
non-profit, the clinic is able to maintain the overall wellbeing of Mitchell’s
Plain, an impoverished area that cannot afford to pay for medical insurance.
Tafelsig’s great value within the community can be seen by the high demand for
its services; the first patient we met had waited in line since 5:45am (the
clinic opens at 7:30).

Primarily,
today served as our adjustment period. By Sister Castle’s side we made rounds
to meet each of the staff members and observe the medical branch they were
located in. The versatility of the staff was astounding. In most practices
within the US I find that medical professionals will specialize in and stick to
a certain field; however, it seemed as though each nurse at Tafelsig rotated
stations according to a monthly schedule. Moreover, all were welcoming and
eager to teach new students. For the first day the 3 of us (Eric, Paige, and I)
were kept together to file charts, and observe patient consultations by Sister
Castle or Sister Nas. Once again my ‘exotic’ expectations were diminished; the
majority of appointments discussed typical ailments such as headaches, diarrhea
(it’s apparently “in season”), and minor trauma. Despite this, I found myself
somewhat uncomfortable with shadowing. I felt again like a tourist group that
forced its way into an overwhelmingly intimate conversation between provider
and patient. Not only did our presence force the patients to speak in English
(the native tongue of the area is Afrikaans) but I doubt they were overjoyed to
share their personal health habits or symptoms with us – the foreigners.
At
the end of the day, I felt as though I was placed in the ideal internship
(shout out to Vernon). Although uncomfortable at times, in just a day I was
able to see the impact that a single consultation could have on a patient. By
showing her patients about 30-45 minutes of undivided attention, Sister Castle
was not only able to advocate for improved healthcare habits but to leave the
patients in better spirits than they entered. The level of emotional support
Sister Castle was able to provide her patients reaffirmed and solidified my major
and career track – an issue I raised in my introductory post. I’ve never had a
class or job that has interested me enough to actively ask questions or to
personally further research the material. The fact that I feel this way already
for my internship amazes me and I cannot wait to become more hands on with the
patients.
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