By Renae Brown

   “It makes me really happy to meet people from all walks of life and be able to support them and those who care for them,” said MinhThu Nguyen, a junior at Tempe Prep, who volunteers at the HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center.

   MinhThu wanted to volunteer in something she was passionate about, so she chose a hospital since medicine has always interested her. She loves helping and forming connections with people, she said, so, along with an interest in biology and chemistry, the work impacts her interest in the medical field. She picked HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center after a Google search for which hospitals accept volunteers at her age. 

   MinhThu has volunteered since the summer of sophomore year and continues to. Currently, she goes every Sunday for three hours, but during summer break she worked three days a week for four hours each day. 

   Her job is to make sure patients have a welcoming and comfortable experience at the hospital, while also assisting the nurses with whatever tasks need to be done. She volunteers in the infusion department, so while some days are so busy there is no time to even sit down, on others she finishes her tasks quickly and spends the rest of the time studying or doing homework.

   In the infusion department, many patients tend to be older, so getting to know them is a wonderful experience for MinhThu due to their many stories, she said. Additionally, infusion patients tend to repeatedly come, which allows MinhThu to develop relationships with them. “It’s really fulfilling to form genuine connections with the people you help,” she said. 

   Another benefit is that the nurses MinhThu works with give her advice about getting into the medical field. For MinhThu, it is inspiring to watch them work.