My Rotation at Culmore Clinic (Personal Essay by Laura Smarsh, PA-S)

Laura Smarsh, PA-S

Laura shares with us her experience during her rotation with Culmore Clinic, part of a new partnership with Shenandoah University’s Physician Assistant program.

As a second-year Physician Assistant student going into my first-ever clinical rotation, it’s safe to say that I was nervous. On top of that, Culmore Clinic is a new site for my program meaning I was the first student to go there—which heightened my nerves even more. However, when my first day came, I quickly realized I was somewhere special. My first impression of Culmore Clinic was that of a close-knit community; the staff and volunteers don’t just function as a team, but as a family—even extending that to the patients. 

“...the staff and volunteers don’t just function as a team, but as a family...”

My time at Culmore Clinic has shown me both the tough and rewarding sides of healthcare. I was exposed to the struggles of working against social determinants of health, and learned how to work with the patients who are affected by these barriers. I have never before worked with the patient population Culmore Clinic serves (mainly recent immigrants from Latin America), nor a nonprofit clinic, so there was a learning curve in navigating how to provide the best treatment with available resources. Additionally, many of the patients have never seen a healthcare provider and/or have a low health literacy, so I quickly learned how crucial patient education is during these encounters. At the same time, Culmore Clinic has also showed me just how rewarding it is to care for these patients. It is a privilege to get to work with this population and see their progress—not only in objective lab values, but also in their own health self-awareness. 

“It is a privilege to get to work with this population and see their progress...”

One of my most significant takeaways from working at Culmore Clinic is the importance of tailoring care to the patient’s circumstances. I have learned a lot about working with the patient and finding ways to provide care for them in ways that are achievable and convenient for them. Many of these patients don’t have access to sufficient finances for medication or specialists, so addressing their healthcare needs requires resourcefulness. The Clinic amazed me with their perseverance in getting specialist referrals and by having many different health services at the clinic itself, so patients were able to get multifaceted care in one place. These experiences instilled in me the importance of patient-centered care and adapting my healthcare approach to ensure accessibility. 

Throughout my didactic year of PA school, one thing that was often emphasized was the importance of treating patients as if they were our family members, and that is exactly what Culmore Clinic embodies. As I reflect on my time at The Clinic, I see it as the best example of treating each patient holistically. I have witnessed the positive impact they are making through improving community health and increasing health awareness. I plan to implement many of the things I have learned into my future practice and hope to return to the Culmore Clinic to give back to the community and to the people who helped shape me as a future provider.