Page 14 - SAM September 2019

PUBLIC HEALTH

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Her failing deep blue eyes were sunken into her face, highlighted by her dark,

weather-worn, leather-like skin. She held my hand with a gentle yet intent grasp,
looking into my heart, peering into my soul.

She began speaking to me, and, I couldn’t help but feeling that I was hearing from God.

“Never lose your sight” she told me.

The rest of her words seemed to flood over me – with one central message –
don’t stop seeing.

I squeezed her cold hands in assurance that I would not, and looked into

her sweet blue eyes before I got up from the pile of her blankets and belongings
and stepped out of her tent.

— Kaleigh Longcrier

details of our personal lives. I’m also learn- professionalism has been very rewarding. I believe we are all made in the Image of
ing about the importance of compassion As noted above, the impact has been real God and therefore should honor God by
and the impact that caring and believing in for our students. Matthew describes how caring for the least of these… this work is
someone can have on their health. This ex- asking our patients their story helps us, but ‘life-changing.’
perience is shaping me into the future more importantly this helps the patient
physician I hope to be and the type of stu- know we care when the rest of society Matthew Hennessey, Alvin Boyd Newman-
dent and person I want to be, now. It seems to have turned their backs on them. Caro & Kaleigh Longcrier are osteopathic medical
reaches beyond my experience as a medical As Boyd and Kaleigh mention, understand- students at the University of the Incarnate Word
student and influences my interactions with ing that caring for a patient holistically can School of Osteopathic Medicine, San Antonio,
people on a daily basis. It wouldn’t be exag- be ‘life-changing’, not just for the patient, Texas.
gerating to say that it is life-changing. but also for us, the providers.
When you actually hear the marginalized Dr. Hans Bruntmyer is an assistant professor
Hans Bruntmyer, DO patient’s stories you see the daily struggle at the University of the Incarnate Word School of
Most of us went into medicine to care of trying to climb out of the ‘crab bucket’ Osteopathic Medicine, the Director of Rural/Un-
for others; however, if you practice medi- and yet get pulled back down. You see first- derserved Medicine and a member of the Bexar
cine long enough, you’re likely to get hand the intense hold addiction and mental County Medical Society. His current medical prac-
burned-out due to many factors. The way I health issues have on a person’s life. tice consists of providing general health care at free
found to regain my zeal for medicine was mobile clinics for the marginalized in his community
to care for those who have been marginal- Is it worth going out on the street as well as street medicine for his homeless friends.
ized by society. Being able to take the class- and caring for the ‘throw-aways’
room to the streets and help future of our community?
physicians learn empathy, compassion, and

14 San Antonio Medicine • September 2019