ACTOMS on campus: Sharing our MS stories with tomorrow’s healthcare pros

One of the greatest joys Dan and I have found in living with Multiple Sclerosis is connecting with college students pursuing their careers in healthcare.

We’ve had several opportunities this fall to do just that, speaking virtually with College of Medicine students at The Ohio State University and in person with health science students at Baker College in Owosso and Doctor of Physical Therapy Students at Central Michigan University right here in Mt. Pleasant.

Each presentation was different, but they all carried the same message: living with MS is about so much more than symptoms or treatments. It’s about people. It’s about understanding that behind every diagnosis is a life, a family, and a story.

We leave encouraged every time we present to the students. They remind us that compassionate care isn’t just taught in textbooks. It’s learned through stories and experiences like ours. A married couple. Both living with entirely different forms of the same chronic illness. Dealing with and living our best life in spite of this disease.

If these students are any indication, the future of healthcare truly is in good hands. And the feedback we’ve received makes us feel as though our stories are making a difference.

Within an hour of speaking with the Ohio State students, we received an email from undergraduate Brayden Kritzell, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree and intends to continue her education in medical school.

“I just wanted to send you both a sincere thank you for coming to talk with us today. I truly can’t express how much of a lasting impact your story has made on me,” she wrote. “I can say with confidence that I will carry your words and perspective with me moving forward. Thank you again for your kindness and the impact you’ve made.”

Such humbling words for Dan and me. We are grateful for the opportunities to share our experiences as two people living with MS with students studying to become healthcare professionals. We hope that our real-life examples will help them better understand what they are learning in the classroom and, one day, remember to see their patients not as conditions to treat but as people who need their care.

Virtually at The Ohio State University

For the fifth year, we once again virtually joined Dr. Sara Gombash Lampe’s class at Ohio State to discuss the human side of neurological disease. It’s always inspiring to see future doctors listening, learning, and truly caring about the patient experience.

Road trip to Baker College in Owosso

We were honored to help kick off Physical Therapy Month with a “Lunch and Learn” event at Baker College. It was our first time speaking there, and the students’ curiosity and compassion reminded us why empathy is such a powerful tool in healthcare.

Next door to Central Michigan University

At Central Michigan University, our alma mater and where we’ve spoken nearly every year since we were married 20 years ago, we shared our MS journey with the next generation of physical therapists. Their thoughtful questions and that signature Chippewa enthusiasm (Fire up, Chips!) left us hopeful for the future.

Source: acoupletakesonms.com