Growing up in the Philly metro area, West Philly was one part of the city where I rarely spent time, aside from the occasional doctor’s visit at Penn where I now find myself serving. So, when I started my service term, I was eager to immerse myself in the community, get to know the people, and truly understand daily life.

As a Community Health Coordinator at Penn Medicine's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health (DFMCH), I help run the operations of our school-based clinics while also organizing off-site health events throughout our catchment area. From providing acute care at the Ethio-Philly festival in Bartram’s Garden to running a vaccine campaign at OURfest in the Gayborhood, our work spans the city. But every week, we are stationed at the Health and Wellness Center inside West Philadelphia High School. 

DFMCH has long supported School District of Philadelphia, from increasing health education to launching initiatives like Sayre Health Center, a Federally Qualified School-Based Health Center (SBHC) providing accessible, comprehensive primary care to local students and their families. In the same spirit, DFMCH partnered with West Philadelphia High School to create the Health and Wellness Center, offering students and staff preventive services like screenings, sports physicals, vaccinations, and dental care during and after school hours.

In addition to our work at West Philadelphia High School, we also run clinics at other schools, like Bartram High in Southwest Philadelphia. Southwest, often called "Little Africa," played a major role in my childhood, as many of my documented immigrant relatives settled there. The area is rich in culture, home to many West African, East African, Caribbean, and Southeast Asian legal immigrants. Connecting with students who share similar backgrounds has been incredibly rewarding, turning our brief interactions into moments of laughter and shared experiences.

Serving in such environments has also helped me develop skills essential for providing accessible care, such as using my Spanish language skills to communicate with non-English speakers. These encounters have pushed me to overcome my fear of making mistakes, allowing me to embrace my abilities to help those in need, just as I intended when I first started learning the language. 

I never imagined I'd be walking through a high school every week as an adult, but it has been an incredibly fulfilling experience. Beyond clinical care, our presence has fostered strong relationships with students who drop by just to chat, share about their day, or seek advice. We’re not just here for their health; we’re a support system, helping them navigate everything from social services to the chaos of last-minute sports physicals before a big game.

Some days are hectic, tracking down students for overdue vaccinations or handling a sudden rush of 6+ athletes needing clearances minutes before tip-off. But every day offers an opportunity to make a difference. No two days are the same, yet what remains constant is the impact of simply being present. Whether inside the clinic or in the hallways, we’re building trust, ensuring students and staff receive the care they need, and forming connections that make this work truly meaningful.