Tryphina Mikhail, MS-2

Our January student highlight features second year medical student Tryphina Mikhail. Tryphina is a member of the KNIGHTS Clinic Electronic Medical Records team. She is a vital aspect to KNIGHTS Clinic and we are lucky to have medical students like her devoted to the care of underserved neighbors in our community. We caught up with her to ask her to share her experience with KNIGHTS.

Tell us about your favorite experience at KNIGHTS Clinic.

My favorite experience at KNIGHTs clinic is when I was given the opportunity to be in a patient pair, and we went in to see a patient who had not had a good initial experience at Grace Medical, due to misunderstandings with paperwork and appointment timing. I was nervous, and our patient had a health problem that had been frustrating her for over a month already. She seemed like she had given up all hope, having tried multiple OTCs and herbal supplements, and having cut out many things in her life to attempt to ameliorate this seemingly cause-less rash. Somehow, in some miraculous way, just listening to the patient and letting her express her frustration truly made a difference in the encounter. We were able to establish rapport with her, and when we sincerely expressed that we would do the best we could to get to the bottom of this…she believed us. She joked with us, she laughed with us, and the “difficult” patient we were all afraid of? She was the best patient I ever met, and one of the most amazing ladies I had ever encountered. By the end of the night, she was walking out with a very specific targeted treatment, a hopeful prognosis, and a smile on her face. I felt so privileged…to be a part of that. I didn’t know what she had, or how to fix it yet, the doctor very much carried the burden of that success story. But I was a part of it. And I carry a bit of that with me every day because it helps me push past any sleepless nights or doubts I have when things get rough during medical school, or the deadlines start to loom closer.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering at KNIGHTS Clinic?

I love KNIGHTS Clinic because it is a reminder, constantly, of why we ever signed up to have more stress than we ever imagined possible, why we postpone plans for marriage and family expansion, why we have our noses stuck in textbooks while most 24 and 25 year-olds are exploring Europe or starting their own businesses. If making one patient feel safe and cared for and important can feel this good? How much more amazing will it feel to help 5, 10, 20 patients every day? To impact that many lives. Maybe KNIGHT’s Clinic means less time for myself in the week…but it gives me the motivation and energy that is necessary to prevent the rest of our medical education from feeling like a burden. KNIGHTS clinic transforms my perception of all of my daily obligations into what they truly are. Necessary, important, life-changing tools, for a job that will one day give me ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment.

Thank you for all that you do Tryphina! Stay tuned for future updates.