Lucas Milgrim, UPenn Chapter Member, Class of 2027

I practice active listening every day as a medical assistant. In a fast-paced office environment, it is easy to sometimes lose sight of the importance of patients as individuals and as people while focusing on their healthcare. However, I make a conscious effort to listen actively to each patient, and it has greatly impacted how I see care. By giving these patients space to explain their feelings, whether related to their health problems or not, they often feel much more at ease in what is usually a high-stress situation, and it allows me to form a real relationship with each patient I see. Simply validating the emotions these people are going through and offering them a space to vent out their feelings, while also being cared for, is enough to reduce the stress of a visit that can be a source of anxiety for many. It is definitely difficult and requires effort to listen actively in the medical field, with such an emphasis placed on diagnoses and treatment, and the need to care for as many patients as possible, but the improvement in care and the calming effect active listening has makes it worth these extra steps. I can see how the patients feel more supported and more acknowledged as people instead of just medical cases, which makes them trust more in the care provided and often leads to better outcomes. Practicing active listening is important in any relationship formed, but in the field of healthcare, these extra steps can go a long way in improving patient care.