Dr. Tara Gavcovich '10
We have been facing the fears and challenges everyone else has - going to work has been a bit scarier, more people calling out sick in an effort to avoid exposure just in case, and our work hours constantly adjusting/accommodating to help keep everything running as smoothly as possible.
1. Full Name: Tara Gavcovich
2. Class Year: 2010
3. Job title: Pediatrics Resident, PGY2
4. Employer: Jackson Memorial Hospital
5. Years worked in this industry (if applicable): 2018-Present
6. How has your role and your day to day responsibilities changed since the COVID-19 Pandemic?
For the most part, my role and responsibilities have remained the same throughout this time. As a pediatrics resident, we still have pediatric patients being admitted to the hospital along with patients coming in for outpatient visits. Some things have changed such as turning non-essential visits into telehealth visits, but our day-to-day roles have remained the same as both COVID and non-COVID patients get admitted. Luckily, the pandemic is not affecting kids at the same magnitude as adults, so we have been trying to keep any sense of normalcy for the pediatric patients that get admitted.
7. What are some of the challenges you and your colleagues are facing due to the pandemic?
While we have been supplied with adequate PPE at Jackson, one of the challenges we have faced is forming relationships with our patients who can no longer, easily see who we are – which is something that’s really important for kids!
Our child-life staff has helped tremendously in this area. They took pictures of us (without PPE) to wear on our lanyards so that the patients can still put a (full, non-mask, non-eye shield) face to the voice. But all of this extra gear has definitely added an extra scare-factor for our patients which we’re navigating through on a daily basis.
Beyond this, we have been facing the fears and challenges everyone else has - going to work has been a bit scarier, more people calling out sick in an effort to avoid exposure just in case, and our work hours constantly adjusting/accommodating to help keep everything running as smoothly as possible.
8. With this shift in your personal and professional life, how are you practicing self-care?
Sleep, eating, exercise...but mostly eating! I have definitely had more of a sweet tooth/desire for comfort food - which has been fulfilled by the many food donations/discounts people around the community have offered to healthcare workers and the hospital. More than anything though, staying in a routine has been helpful - setting aside a certain time every day for exercise, chatting with family, and playing with my dog (she is pretty ready for us to leave her alone at this point)!
9. What advice or words of wisdom would you like to give to our Spartan community?
Stay inside and learn something new - or just relax and watch Netflix!
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