Volunteer Opportunities Inspire Career Choices
Trinitas Regional Medical Center offers teenagers with an interest in health care several opportunities to test-drive their dreams. Dimiana Ibrahim, Elizabeth resident, followed her dream of becoming a doctor to Princeton University to join the Class of 2025. What helped make the decision to study medicine were her experiences as a volunteer and a Medical Explorer at Trinitas.
As a high school sophomore, she entered the Teen Volunteer program, run by Lisa Liss, Director of Volunteer Services at Trinitas. "I wanted to be further exposed to the hospital setting to see if medicine was really the right path for me," Dimiana says. "Volunteering on the maternity floor allowed me to observe the ins and outs of how a hospital floor works. Helping different varieties of patients exposed me to how different and equally important each patient’s story is. I was exposed to real-world hardships, celebrations, and stories that I would’ve never been able to see otherwise. It taught me the great importance of patience and compassion in the field, which is something you really have to feel and not just read about in a book.”
Then Dimiana joined the Medical Explorers Club, for those interested in health care, nutrition, physical therapy, and nursing, among other careers. “Although short-lived due to COVID, it was an overall really fun and educational experience for my friends and me. I learned a lot about different specialties in the hospital, like anesthesia and dialysis. It showed me how truly excited I felt learning about medicine. It helped me realize that this is the excitement I aspire to have my entire life when it comes to my chosen field. These experiences, along with many others, helped me achieve the self-reflection and discovery needed to not only find my career path, but to recognize how I intend to get there. Attending Princeton University will be one of my first of many steps towards becoming a physician.”
Liss, who also oversees Nurse Camp for high school students and the Collegiate Medical Mentor program for college students, says, “I’m always thrilled to hear about students taking their experiences at Trinitas and running with them. Dimiana was a shining example of how enriching these programs can be for students who may either be on the fence about health care as a profession and figure out that they definitely want it, or know for sure they want to study medicine at some level and can’t wait until college to get started. Dimiana took advantage of what we have to offer and we hope to see her in our Collegiate Medical mentor program as she excels at Princeton.”
For more information about Volunteering at Trinitas or to get involved with one of the medical mentoring programs, call Lisa Liss, 908-994-5164.
Contact Information
Doug Harris
908-994-5138
dharris@trinitas.org
Yolanda Fleming
908-994-5139
Yfleming@trinitas.org