Catie Richardson-Hodsdon was a JSC corps member from 2017-2018
I had already discerned what my professional vocation was to be by the time I entered JSC in 2017: physician assistant. I had applied to several schools and was awaiting interview dates when I arrived for my year; just a few weeks in, I was accepted to PA school, which would start in August of the following year. Eight years later, I have been serving in this role for almost five years, first as a hospitalist PA and now specializing in behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment. As I reflect on what prepared me the most for my career, JSC stands resolutely in my mind. Don’t get me wrong, the anatomy, physiology, learning modules, and clinical rotations prepared me to do the work of being a healthcare provider. But, JSC significantly impacted how I interact with myself, with others, and with the world around me. My time in JSC allowed me to take a step back and discern what kind of person and healthcare provider I was going to be. While the details of diagnosing and treating disease are crucial to my success as a PA, all of that means nothing without a strong foundation. For me, that foundation is largely grounded in the three main pillars of servant leadership: communion, compassion, and collaboration.
Communion (in particular with God) was perhaps the only pillar that I had not given serious thought to before my time in JSC. Doesn’t it seem selfish to focus on oneself when we were all there to focus on others? And yet, as I experimented with spiritual disciplines and began to nurture my soul daily, I noticed a distinct change in how I interacted with the world around me. Nurturing my own spiritual health and relationship with God was and is liberating. In a line of work that requires so much from me and often makes the claim that time for oneself is selfish and unnecessary, this pillar is one that I revisit often. I must remind myself that rest and spiritual discipline are necessary pieces of being a servant leader and an effective provider for others.
My lessons in compassion came largely from living in intentional community with my housemates. Compassion is so much more than kindness and “being nice”; it is about true relationship, respect, and accountability which all stem first and foremost from love. As I’ve moved on from my year in JSC and into the realm of medicine, this is perhaps the pillar I rely on the most. Medicine requires that we meet a wide range of individuals, from a wide range of backgrounds, with a wide range of needs. Compassionate medicine asks first and foremost what a person’s needs are: physically, mentally, and spiritually. Compassionate medicine provides an individual, needs-based care approach rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. When I have felt particularly lost or inadequate in my practice, I have found that focusing on providing compassionate care has never steered me in the wrong direction.
Collaboration was perhaps best reflected in my experience with my partner organization: Club Nova, a psychosocial rehabilitation program for adults with severe mental illness. The clubhouse model required a collaborative approach among its members and staff every single day. We constantly worked together to prepare meals, sort and sell merchandise in the thrift store, plan events, and manage membership and finances. None of this would have been possible if an individual approach was taken; we needed each other to create a safe, enriching, and welcoming space for all. I had never been a part of something that required so much collaboration between all of its parts, including those being served. And then I entered healthcare. True, individuals can provide excellent care, but effective, sustainable healthcare requires collaboration on the part of every single member of the healthcare team, including the patient.
I’ve always thought of the pillars of servant leadership as building upon and strengthening each other. Without communion in God, it is difficult to manifest true compassion not only for yourself, but for others. And without a strong foundation in either communion or compassion, collaboration can be an elusive pillar to find; if you’re ungrounded and unable to establish compassionate relationships, how can you collaborate effectively? These three pillars were instrumental during my time in JSC, and they have continued to build upon each other in the years I have been away. I am a better professional, partner, and now, mother, because of the lessons I learned.
