Reflection on RMED

During this past year, I have learned a lot about Sullivan County's healthcare system as well as a greater appreciation of rural medicine in general. There were some outstanding lecturers as well as some good readings and posts. I have discovered some of the breadth of programs available in Sullivan County that aid in keeping the population healthy and happy. Also, I had learned that practicing rural medicine would not be without its challenge but that the reward is great. No matter where I end up in the future, I need to keep these lessons in mind and aim to make a positive change in the health of my patients.
I have learned of programs ranging from therapy dogs for the elderly to early intervention for children with developmental disabilities and many in between. These programs are all aimed at improving the health of the residents of the county. As we learned during the post on health measures of the counties, Sullivan County is very poorly ranked amongst the counties in the state. Programs like those I had read about can help to start improving the health of the residents and provide better health outcomes.
One particular program I thoroughly enjoyed reading about was the Early Intervention Program. Since 'children are our future', I feel it is our duty to ensure that they get the help they need to succeed early and often. The sooner children with developmental delays are identified the sooner they can get the help they need to catch up to their peers and find future success.
There would be some challenges associated with living and practicing in Sullivan County. One such challenge would be the distances I would have to travel to get places such as the grocery store, any kind of larger shopping area, or to get to a city. Also as a future practitioner, I would have to deal with some of the health problems that are more endemic to a rural population. On the other hand, there would be many benefits to living in a rural area. For one thing, I enjoy being out in the fresh air away from all the noise, clamor, crowds, and traffic associated with cities. With that, the rural lifestyle also just seems more relaxed and easy going than that of the city. Also, as a practitioner, I would be able to establish lasting relationships with the community and provide a much needed service to the residents and feel personally rewarded.
In my future career, I can make a difference by providing the best healthcare I can. I would try to focus on preventing disease before it happens through creating healthy habits and stopping the unhealthy ones when possible. I will then treat disease when prevention is not possible. Also, I would try and establish a solid reputation with my patients to help achieve this goal. I could make use of some of the variety of programs available in my county to help further this aim. No matter where I end up following my time in the Navy, I will aim to provide solid healthcare to my patients