I chose BSVM because we had the opportunity to live within the community that we were serving, a quality that I think is rare among service programs. I also was interested in the healthcare aspect of this program, that once again I don't think many other service programs offer. I had the least medical related position of our year, but I liked the idea of being part of a greater healthcare system. I also liked the intimacy of this program over others, with Baltimore being the only location, and only 5-6 volunteers at a time I knew that all of the focus would be on us, and that we wouldn't get "lost in the shuffle" of a larger program.

BSVM was the only urban-based program to offer substantive opportunities in a hospital setting. And I was not let down.

BSVM exemplified a spirit of solidarity with both the community I was living with and the community I was working with. BSVM did a good job meshing these two components to really make the experience meaningful both professionally and personally.

BSVM was one of the only domestic programs I found that was more focused on healthcare and medicine with direct patient care. I also found that it was a good balance of religious and spiritual. Further, I enjoyed the heavier focus on living in community. I didn't want to live in a city and volunteer but otherwise live a life unchanged, I wanted to fully immerse myself in a new experience.