Pre-Med Junior Fieldwork Reflection Writing:  

 
Name​: 
Karen Cabral  
 
A/B Day:  
A Day  
 
Advisory Teacher:  
Vinson 
 
Fieldwork Location:  
Healdsburg Senior Living  
 
 
PREPARING FOR YOUR VISIT:  
Complete this section b
​efore​you go on your fieldwork trip. If you do not know about the 
organization, please research and include your research findings below. 
 
 
1. What do you know of the location you will be visiting? What services does the 
organization provide?  
It is where the elderly live. This organization provides homes for the elderly who are not 
able to take care of themselves as they age. Also they provide memory care, assisted 
living, skilled nursing.  
 
2. If you are visiting a specific department within the agency, what is that department's 
primary focus?  
 
We are mainly visiting the memory care department and it’s basically to help the elderly 
remember certain memories with different music that they enjoy to bring back the music.  
 
3. What is the public health function the organization/agency addresses?  
(Assessment, Policy Development, Assurance) 
That just because they’re elderly doesn’t mean that they still don’t have needs. They all 
have loved ones and want to be treated as any other person would be treated.  
 
 4. What preconceived ideas (personal bias) do you have about the location you will be 
visiting? 
 
All the elderly have no filter so they will say anything that will come to mind. Not all of 
them can hear clearly so you have to speak loudly. Some are shy at first but they open up 
afterwards.  
  
 
 
 
​DURING YOUR VISIT - OBSERVATION: 
Review the prompts i​n advance​and take a small notebook on your fieldwork visit. You should 
be taking notes on each of these topics so you will be able to add your observations a
​fter you 
return.  
Close Read your Surroundings:  
Observe the physical space and "read" them as if close reading a text. Pay attention to: 
● sensory details 
● signs posted 
● languages you hear 
● colors of the offices and uniforms.  
● does the location have a certain smell? 
● what sounds do you hear?  
Observations: 
The colors of all the walls and paintings are not super complicated. It almost seems like 
someone’s actual house. The walls are painted a brownish paint and it’s hardwood floor 
possibly to be easier for cleaning. The location des have a certain smell to it but it just 
smells like your grandparents house. Everyone uses a positive language no one ever yells 
and it’s relatively chill and quiet.  
 
 
Observe your Emotional Response: T ​ ake notice of your reactions (emotional and physical) 
to different things and reflect on why you might be reacting this way.  
 
Observations:: When talking to my elderly person I got happier because they were happy 
to see me. It was like giving a young kid candy, My person would always try to smile and 
compliment me and my partner.  
 
Ask questions of the person you’re shadowing and/or the industry people you encounter:  
- general questions of interest 
- relating to your potential career choices 
- public health-related issues and challenges they see as important to consider.  
 
Record your questions and answers here. 
 
Observations: Speaking to my person I just ask her ‘simple’ questions because it is hard for 
her to remember things and actually form an answer regarding the question I asked.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Summary Reflection   
After your return from your fieldwork experience address each prompt below to capture your 
thoughts on your experience.  
 
Reflect on specific highlights or observations from the day. What was a lesson (big or small) 
you took away from your experience? Consider lessons that presented themselves in both 
positive and negative ways.  
Reflection: I learned that the music did help my elderly person remember memories to 
the point where she started tearing up because a song brought up a memory she hadn’t 
been able to remember in a long time.  
 
How did the experience meet, exceed, or fall short of your expectations? Explain and 
include specific details from your fieldwork notes to help support your answer 
Reflection: My person speaks very quietly which makes it hard at times to speak to her 
because we can’t hear and she almost never repeats herself. But she likes listening to 
music because it’s specifically designed for her. She reacts to our reactions to 
something that happened that was funny.  
 
What connection can be made between what you ​saw​ on your fieldwork experience and 
the functions of Public Health?  
Some suggestions 
- the role of public health within this career path 
- public health needs or challenges within the field you observed 
- thoughts on how to address these needs 
 
Reflection: That every patient/person has different needs. Some elderly people you 
don’t have to speak loudly and some you have to speak loudly. But just getting to 
know the person to figure out their needs and all that.