Takeaway
Offering free sports physical exams for high school students reconnected us to our purpose. Consider doing a community service project like this to remember why you chose a career in medicine.
Passion in the Medical Profession | September 24, 2024 | 1 min read
By Alexis Coslick, DO, MS, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Carey Roesler, PA-C, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Over two evenings in August the Johns Hopkins sports medicine division, together with providers and staff throughout the Hopkins system, offered free sports physicals to over 200 Baltimore City high school athletes.
A collaborative planning team championed by an orthopedic surgeon, two PM&R physicians, and a PA recognized that sports often keep teens in school. Providing free preparticipation physicals would remove a barrier to participation. A call for volunteers far exceeded expectations as people stepped up from multiple specialties and subspecialties throughout Hopkins.
As students poured in and our colleagues stepped up, we all saw that this need was real.
Then the work was over. We sat with the positive energy from parents, athletes, and colleagues. What was this afterglow?
The outreach effort solidified the common inclination of working together to fill a gap in care. It made us feel present for the members of our community. We did something we aspired to and trained to do—taking care of our patients. No RVUs. No insurance preauthorizations. Our colleagues we’d known previously only through EMR chat came together—pediatrics, cardiology, ortho, medicine, and physical medicine and rehabilitation working together in one place to help these athletes.
In the end we realized we were the ones being helped. It helped us to remember why we started this journey in medicine, and the glow was a reminder that that night, we were on the right path.
This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.