Aanika P reflects on her experience with the Center for Patient Partnership’s Community Resource Navigator Program, learning more about the social detriments of health, gaining leadership and interpersonal skills invaluable to her future physician career, and more!
In CPP’s Community Resource Navigator Program, students get hands-on experience working with clients and learning important health advocacy skills.
Why did you join the Community Resource Navigator Program?
I had completed most of my Health Policy certificate coursework the semester before I joined the Resource Navigator Program. This coursework introduced me to challenges in health equity, ranging from lack of health literacy to systematic challenges in health insurance provision.
However, I still craved an opportunity to implement the tools and knowledge from my courses in my own community. I wanted to participate to learn about socioeconomic trends in my community, build relationships with fellow Dane County residents, and work with my peers to break down barriers to healthcare access.
What are some important lessons you learned from the program?
The navigator program taught me that the social determinants of health – conditions such as education and living environment that are not directly related to but just as influential on health – often work in a “domino effect” of socioeconomic issues that lead into one another.
During my shifts as a resource navigator, for example, I saw how immigration and language barriers could lead to unemployment and legal troubles. This results in an array of issues in access to healthcare and childcare.
This program altered my viewpoint by showing me that patients’ needs exist in an interconnected web. It demonstrated to me what the social determinants of health truly encompassed. Working with clients and other resource providers of Dane County taught me the power of teamwork in community work.
What is the significance of the Navigator program to your future?
The range of experiences that I have had with clients prepares me for my career goal of becoming a physician.
In the future, I’m sure to be dealing with patients experiencing needs similar to those of Dane County residents, such as immigration, healthcare access, and housing. I am now empowered with the ability to forge connections within my community fearlessly, which is especially important for a physician.
I hope to treat not only medical diagnoses, but also the root cause of health issues that often stem from health-harming social determinants I have seen as a Navigator. For example, a client struggling to pay rent will not have the capacity to seek regular primary care; someone without transportation will be disconnected from health until their situation becomes life-threatening. The Navigator program has given me an introduction to the importance of continuity of care and of addressing the root causes of patient needs, which I aim to do as a provider.
I imagine the communication skills I have developed over the past year as a Navigator will also be invaluable as a physician. I have learned to educate myself about patients’ situations holistically and beyond what they are initially ready to open up about.
What are some things you were nervous about coming into the program and how have you overcome these challenges?
I was initially worried about whether my knowledge and capabilities would be enough to meet my community members’ needs. After all, I do not have any specific education catered towards navigator work.
However, I was able to overcome these challenges by working alongside clients in building community relationships and learning about various safety net programs. I think this aspect of our work empowers us to get creative as we pursue unconventional methods and build relationships with community organizations for the benefit of our clients.
I was also initially worried about discussing extremely personal matters with clients. However, with each patient interaction, I learned how to provide emotional comfort along with community resources. Now, I have formed relationships with several clients that I communicate with on a regular basis.
How has the program impacted your leadership skills?
This program has provided me with immense leadership skills. In my second semester with the program, I became a lead navigator for MEDiC* on the second week of shifts! Through these experiences, I have learned how to lead entire teams of Navigators who I have never met before and also coordinate with the clinic coordinator. In the past, I found following others’ instructions to be more comfortable, but I found my voice as a leader when I began to volunteer regularly and guide my team at MEDiC.
*MEDiC is a free clinic that is run by UW Madison students every Saturday from 8-2pm. The Resource Navigator Team works alongside a medical team of UW students to inform patients about CPP and its services, inquire about patients’ needs and how they can best meet them, and provide as many resources as possible on the spot.