While the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic sent most people into quarantine, doctor of medicine candidate Jessica Quintos Day was on the front lines, assisting in a California emergency room as a medical scribe while an undergraduate. It was that tenuous time that demanded multiple levels of collaboration, which ultimately inspired her to become a doctor.
"There was a lot of uncertainty, and it was very stressful. But I saw how the physicians really became leaders in that community and gave a lot of good, helpful medical information without creating panic and stress," the northern California native said. "I just thought that was such an amazing career-to be able to work with a team to take care of people. That's why I went to medical school."
COLLABORATIVE CARE
Collaborative care is at the heart of her work leading gynecological services at the Shade Tree Clinic, which provides free health care to Nashville's uninsured community and is run by Vanderbilt medical and nursing students.
Her work with the clinic expanded beyond direct patient care. She collaborated with technology experts at Vanderbilt to create an improved electronic record-keeping system, and she helped create an interpreter services best practice guide for the clinic.
"Jessica was awarded the clinical student of the year at Shade Tree Clinic for going above and beyond in her work, including caring for patients and teaching her peers through the students-as-teachers program," said Dr. Amy Fleming, senior associate dean of medical student and alumni affairs and professor of pediatrics.
FOCUS ON WOMEN'S HEALTH
Quintos Day's next step is residency as an OB/GYN so she can continue her mission of focusing special attention on the health care of women.
"Growing up I was surrounded by a lot of very strong women who really took care of everyone else's needs and kind of put themselves on the back burner," she said. "I saw how that really impacted their physical and emotional health. That's when I first developed this passion of wanting to care for women."
While working through her medical clerkships and in the emergency room, she was alarmed by the stigma around women's health issues.
"A lot of patients in this field feel … uncomfortable bringing up certain complaints or talking about things because they are ashamed or embarrassed. I just really felt a passion around reproductive education and empowering women to advocate for themselves and their health."
DARING TO GROW
Quintos Day said Vanderbilt's collaborative, friendly environment feels like a family. And like any good family, her teachers and fellow students have encouraged her to dare to grow.
"I love Vanderbilt's motto 'dare to grow.' One thing Vanderbilt has really taught me over these four years is to always question why we do things, whether that's in the clinical setting or personally. I always question why we do it and try and find a better way to do it if there is one," she said. "Really think about how you can make positive change."
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