CommunityHealth shines the Volunteer Spotlight on Ria Subramanian during Volunteer Appreciation Month!
Ria served as the student lead for a team of UIC medical students working as Resource Officers. She was great in coordinating the group, especially impressive given that it was a newly launched program with a large number of volunteers.
Ria also contributed thoughtful and impactful ideas to improve both the available resources and their overall effectiveness.
During the 2024 Volunteer of the Year Awards, Ria won the Education and Outreach Volunteer of the Year! You can watch the awards ceremony through the link below.
CommunityHealth sat down with Ria to learn more about what quality health care for all means to her…
In a few sentences, tell us more about yourself and your background.
“I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and then moved to the city to attend college at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). This is where my interest in public health work started, leading me to work for a local nonprofit in California after graduating. I am now back at UIC in my second year of medical school!”
Why and how did you begin volunteering at CommunityHealth?
“I began volunteering with CommunityHealth during my first year of medical school. From my prior experiences, I knew that I wanted to incorporate health disparity work into my medical career, and volunteering with CommunityHealth was a perfect opportunity to learn more as well as make a positive impact. Along with helping coordinate UIC’s weekly clinic, I worked with Daniela in patient education to figure out how fellow UIC students and I could get more involved. We ended up starting the Resource OOicer program, and I have loved seeing it come to fruition.”
What has kept you volunteering all this time?
“Working with the patients has kept me volunteering! While it can get challenging at times, I am always remotivated after talking to patients and seeing how much of an impact CH has on their lives.”
What is something you have learned from volunteering?
“Through volunteering at CommunityHealth with the Resource Officer program, I have gained a better understanding of just how complex the barriers to healthcare are. I have also realized how impactful it can be to hear out an individual’s concerns and connect them with different resources.”
What has been your biggest takeaway from CommunityHealth, and how does this impact your other life or career goals?
“Like I mentioned earlier, seeing how complex health disparities are is one of my biggest takeaways. This motivates me to become a physician who listens to my patients’ concerns, understands the barriers they face, and then integrates that knowledge into the care I provide. Along with this, working with CommunityHealth inspires me to continue volunteering at free health clinics throughout my career.”
How has working with CommunityHealth influenced your perception of health care?
Working at CommunityHealth shows me how hard it is to navigate the US healthcare system. There are so many obstacles individuals face, and while it is impossible to fully fix everything, I see the importance of understanding the system to the best of my ability and figuring out how I best can address certain issues.
What advice would you give to a new volunteer with CommunityHealth?
Volunteering at CommunityHealth is such a privilege, and I think one of the best ways to get the most out of the experience is really focusing on learning from everything around you. This can be from any interaction with a patient, CH staff, or fellow volunteer. CommunityHealth gives you such a unique opportunity to truly broaden your perspective and gain a better understanding of the complexities of our healthcare system.
Outside of volunteering with CommunityHealth, how do you like to spend your free time?
I love to find different coffeeshops and dessert places around the city!
