Medical-school hopeful has ‘fun experience’ volunteering at Meritus

Paul Agbashi said that, when it comes to hospital volunteer programs in the region, Meritus Medical Center’s is the best.

He’s checked out programs in Winchester, Virginia, and Martinsburg, West Virginia.

“It’s just a fun experience,” the 23-year-old Martinsburg resident said.

Agbashi, who is originally from Nigeria, is a nursing unit support volunteer in Meritus’ Emergency Department. The assignment entails performing miscellaneous tasks that allow nurses and other hospital staff more time to directly care for patients.

It’s one of more than a dozen areas where people can volunteer at the hospital. The Meritus Medical Center Auxiliary has about 200 volunteers ranging in age from 14 to 90.

Agbashi first started volunteering a few mornings a week in September.

He mostly floats around the Emergency Department waiting room, offering warm blankets to those who might need them. He also wipes down the chairs and performs other tasks as needed.

“I’m making sure the people here are doing OK while they wait to be seen, or for a patient back in the Emergency Room,” he said.

Has he seen any strange or interesting cases in his time volunteering?

“I see a lot of different people come in for a lot of different reasons,” he said. “I’ve seen a couple of injuries, but nothing too bad.”

Aside from the good feeling he gets from helping others, he’s also gaining experience in how a hospital operates. His goal is to apply to medical school to become a neurosurgeon.

When not at Meritus, he’s got another job to save money for school.

But the program has been enjoyable.

“This is a nice experience,” he said.

To learn more about volunteering at Meritus Health, visit www.meritushealth.com/volunteers, or call 301-790-8143.