Jordan is a resident of Washington State and attends Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience. Jordan is a second-year medical student and the recipient of the A.V. Jackson DO Endowment Scholarship Award.
Jordan worked as a CNA for four years in both a skilled nursing facility and in a hospital setting. He writes, “One of the most important lessons that I learned from my experience as a CNA was the simple power of empathy in the treatment of patients”.
Jordan remembers a special patient he worked with, who had become depressed, isolating in their room. He decided, with permission of facility and family, to take this patient out to dinner with he and his wife for their birthday. This act of empathy not only brought this patient out of their shell, but other staff took notice and as a team, they all worked hard to find ways to engage patients. “I humbly believe that the first simple act of sincere empathy set in motion a cascade of events that led to the betterment of the facility’s quality of care”.
Jonathan J. Wisco Ph.D., had this to say about Jordan, “Jordan served as a volunteer Mentor to 5th-grade students over the course of a semester at an underserved elementary school in the Salt Lake City/Provo, Utah area as part of the Anatomy Academy, a program that I established in 2012. Volunteers in Anatomy Academy learn how to communicate complex information at a level appropriate for elementary school kids; prepare and deliver lessons on anatomy, physiology, and nutrition that help kids understand the importance of establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle; teach groups of children in didactic and active learning environments; serve as role models for pursuing higher education, and demonstrate the utmost professional demeanor. Jordon is a very good teacher and the children at the school where he volunteered loved his presence there. Recently, Jordan contacted me in hopes of bringing Anatomy Academy to Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience (KCUMB) as a way to increase the school’s community outreach in the Kansas City area. Jordan was instrumental in introducing an Anatomy Academy branch to KCUMB”.
Dr. Wisco went on to tell us, “Jordan shows a remarkable ability and desire to learn about the human body. I can attest to his ability to exude professionalism while maintaining friendliness and caring. These attributes, competence, compassion and approachability, embody the kind of physician in whose hands I would feel comfortable placing my health and the health of my family”.
Jordan writes, “I sincerely feel the first and fourth Tenets of osteopathic medicine demand that I build strong community ties to garner greater trust from my future patients, thus greatly improving their quality of care. Examples of potential programs that I could see myself creating and participating in include the spreading of additional Anatomy Academy branches to local elementary schools, participation in regular public health demonstrations and forums in local community spaces, taking part in, or helping to create, programs that introduce professions such as medicine to students in local middle and high schools in order to inspire a future generation of healthcare workers. The possibilities are endless, and I am excited to see what opportunities to serve present themselves within my future Northwest community”.
The Foundation is equally as excited, Jordan. We look forward to following your career in medicine. Job well done.