Beyond Medicine

I’ve always had a deep-seated sense of duty and compassion for others.

Since I was a child, helping and caring for people was what I wanted to do with my life. That all came from my mom. She worked as a translator with various non-governmental organizations to help our native war-torn country of Cambodia.
My mother helped those villagers live a better life and she helped me see what I wanted to do with mine. Part of her work was ensuring that villagers knew how to prevent disease outbreaks. She would teach sanitation techniques such as water purification, planning houses next to major rivers, pest control, and protection techniques against insect-borne diseases.

My mother helped those villagers live a better life and she helped me see what I wanted to do with mine.

My dream to help people began as a Healthcare Sergeant in the United States Army. What I understood about this dream and my career as a healthcare professional was shaped by my experience there.

While serving in the Army, I was responsible for the care and well-being of the soldiers. Many of these men and women were dealing with trauma, injuries, or illness. I helped mediate stressful situations for hurting soldiers. I coordinated healthcare resources to make sure everyone got the best care available.

Quickly, I understood that healthcare in the military environment was more than just medical treatment. It was empathy. Understanding. In moments of fear or uncertainty — comfort.

In the military, I saw through my everyday work that healthcare is not just a profession — it’s a calling.
...work here wasn’t just administering medicine or taking vitals, it was building relationships with patients and their families. After my service, I worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at a Good Samaritan Society Village. There, I interacted directly with patients and their daily lives. This was a whole different side of healthcare — the human side.

The work here wasn’t just administering medicine or taking vitals, it was building relationships with patients and their families. Especially when they felt most vulnerable. Of course, this line of work was mainly supporting elderly patients with tasks such as bathing, dressing, and mobility assistance. That’s stuff anyone can throw on a resumé with something like a CNA job.

But the emotional support, the care, the reassurance I was able to give to my patients? I could see what I was doing was making a profound difference in their lives. Where does that go on a resumé? be

Those personal connections I made as a CNA reinforced the notion that healthcare goes far beyond medicine. It’s about connecting with your fellow human being, building trust, and providing dignity to those in need.

These life experiences — the challenges, triumphs, and relationships — have inspired me to pursue a career where I can continue helping others. This isn’t just a job or a career choice. My experiences have shaped my understanding of it into something more.

This is a calling. My calling.

(This essay was submitted by Nitasa Freund. After taking five courses with Portage Learning, he continued his education at Southeast Technical College in South Dakota and has gone on to earn two master’s degrees.)