First Person: Hands-on service in the Richmond community
For the Patient, Physician and Society's community service requirement, Vandanaa Jayaprakash chose to volunteer with Peter Paul RVA, a nonprofit that supports the residents of Richmond’s East End and the education of its children.
Class of 2028’s Vandanaa Jayaprakash (Contributed photo)
This story was published in the spring 2025 issue of 12th & Marshall. You can find the current and past issues online.
Through the School of Medicine’s Patient, Physician and Society course, first-year medical students complete 20 hours of hands-on service in the Richmond community to better understand their new home — and the patients they will care for over the next four years. The Class of 2028’s Vandanaa Jayaprakash chose to volunteer with Peter Paul RVA, a nonprofit whose mission is to support the residents of Richmond’s East End and educate its children.
During my time at Peter Paul RVA, I assisted a classroom of fourth- and fifth-graders in learning English and math. I also tutored a third-grade girl in multiplication and division. As I patiently explained the times table or worked through multiplication strategies with her, I quickly came to realize how crucial individualized attention and tailored support was for students struggling with foundational concepts.
Just as I learned to adapt my teaching style to meet her needs, I will practice the same patience and flexibility in developing a plan of care for my future patients with unique circumstances.
Many of the students I met grew up in redlined neighborhoods and frequently faced food insecurity in their households. A moment I will never forget is when I asked a young boy what he was going to have for dinner when he got home. He revealed to me that he does not eat dinner and simply goes to bed because there is usually not enough food for him by the time he gets home.
After taking the appropriate steps to communicate the issue with his teacher and Peter Paul administration, I reflected on how external factors — such as hunger and unstable living conditions — can significantly affect a child’s ability to focus and thrive. I am aware that patients also may face food insecurity and other challenges, which can impact their health outcomes. I hope that my awareness and understanding of these obstacles will help me to consider patients as a whole person, and not just as their symptoms.
Volunteering at Peter Paul taught me the value of building trust and empathy. Witnessing some of the barriers the students faced, even at such a young age, has made me more passionate about advocating for the removal of structural inequities.