S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 | 17
David Bielick
marches into
the hospital
The Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center,
pictured below in 1978, has served hundreds of
thousands of veterans since opening more than
50 years ago.
room, cracking a
smile as he greets his
first patient of the
morning: an 86-year-old Korean War
veteran admitted the previous night
due to chest pain.
“How do you feel today, Mr. Hodson?” Bielick
asks as he walks to the patient’s side and tilts his
head, hand leaning on the bed railing.
“I feel good,” Carl Hodson says. After all,
doctors found no sign of a heart attack and he can
likely go home today.
After a few minutes of conversation about
everything from military memories to family
life, Bielick holds out his hand to help Hodson
sit up before placing his stethoscope gently on
the patient’s chest. He then peels back the covers
at the foot of the bed to reveal sunshine-colored
non-slip socks and inspects the patient’s ankles to
ensure any swelling has subsided.
Though he navigates the exam like a seasoned
professional, Bielick is not yet a full-fledged
physician; instead, the
fourth-year doctorin
training is one of
the many UF medical
and physician assistant
students who help care
for patients during their
clinical rotations at the
Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
More than 200 UF College of Medicine students
receive clinical training at the VA each year.
“When I was a student, everybody accepted
me, so that’s how I feel now,” says Hodson, who
spent 10 years in the U.S. Army and later became
a nurse. “I never worry here. I know they’re going
to take good care of me.”
For students, caring for veterans offers a chance
to serve those who have served.
“Being able to give back to veterans who have
served in unfathomable ways inspires me,” says
Bielick, who hopes to pursue a residency in
internal medicine. “It gives me a different feeling
of gratitude to come to work every day than I
would get anywhere else.”