April 2017 Volunteer of the Month: Dillon Richards
For the past 16 months Dillon Richards, ACORN Clinic’s April 2017 Volunteer of the Month, has been nothing short of a blessing. Richards continues to offer his time and talents toward anything the clinic asks of him, according to ACORN staff. This includes patient care and assisting with fundraising.
Richards wanted to give back to his community while on the road to medical school. In 2016, he received a biology degree from the University of Florida and is currently studying for his MCAT. His dream is to specialize in cardiology or orthopedics. The experience Richards has gained at ACORN has made him grow both personally and professionally.
Richards’s proudest accomplishments at ACORN involve spending time with health care providers and patients. In addition to being a volunteer medical assistant, he has learned a great deal from shadowing and scribing for health care providers like Dr. Dale Ryon.
“An important lesson I’ve learned is establishing a relationship with the patient. It helps the patient feel comfortable, can help with effective and efficient communication, and enhances the care received overall by the patient,” said Richards.
Along with patient interaction, Richards has found a great deal of knowledge by listening to Dr. Ryon recount stories of practicing medicine in his early years. Richards is amazed at how far the medical field has advanced, and he is excited for the future discoveries that lie ahead.
Richards’s strong work ethic and thoughtful attitude has greatly impacted the ACORN community. He hopes to watch ACORN Clinic continue to succeed in offering low-cost primary healthcare to people in need.
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“After all of my schooling, it would be really neat to return back to ACORN Clinic as a doctor,” said Richards.
ACORN Clinic is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit serving 20 North Florida counties with full-service medical and dental clinics. ACORN Clinic provides high quality, affordable medical care, dental care, and social services by staff and volunteers. In partnership with educational institutions, ACORN Clinic also functions as an exemplary service-learning site for health professionals.
Written by Allison Jones
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