CORVALLIS, Ore. – Shakira Bandolin went from racing around the cross country course and track at Eastern Oregon University to racing around the emergency department as an Emergency Department Physician.
Dr. Bandolin graduated from EOU in 2009 and went on to get her medical degree at the University of Washington, class of 2014. She spent her residency at UC Davis and attended the Global Emergency Medicine Fellowship at the University of Utah from 2017-18.
Now, she’s back at UC Davis Hospitals and Clinics in the Department of Emergency Medicine, this time on the other side of residency.
“I work as an Emergency Medicine Physician at tertiary care center in Sacramento, Calif.,” said Dr. Bandolin. “UC Davis is a Level 1 Trauma Care Center and my colleagues and I care for a variety of patients in need of emergency trauma and medical care. I care for patients in the Emergency Department and also supervise resident physicians and medical students during their training.”
While Dr. Bandolin has been treating others, she also had to get treated herself after contracting COVID-19.
“Personally, I contracted COVID-19 in the midst of the pandemic and thankfully recovered well,” said Dr. Bandolin. “My personal experience has shown me how serious the effects of this illness can be on an individual level as well as a national level.”
The virus has also impacted her work.
“My daily work and life has definitely been impacted by our current pandemic,” said Dr. Bandolin. “At work, my colleagues and I have been caring for patients with COVID-19 on a daily basis, while simultaneously witnessing the overall impact on the health care systems and care of our other vulnerable patients during this pandemic. Many emergency departments serve as a critical access point into the healthcare system for many patients without health insurance or access to care. Though I have seen many people directly affected by COVID-19 infections, I have also seen the impact that this pandemic has had on our patients who have had to struggle even harder to access mental health and healthcare services during this challenging time.”
While she has seen some negative impacts, Dr. Bandolin has also seen some positives coming from the pandemic.
“I have been awed and humbled by the work ethic and determination shown by my colleagues and friends who are also working long hours in stressful environments on the front lines,” said Dr. Bandolin. “Though everyone is working under enormous stress, I have felt an overwhelming amount of support during this time from my colleagues and friends.”
While at EOU, Dr. Bandolin was named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and believes her time as a student-athlete helped prepare her for life outside of sports.
“Participating in athletics has absolutely helped shaped the person I am today,” said Dr. Bandolin. “From learning how to deal with high-stress situations to learning about what it means to an effective member of a team, the qualities and lessons that I learned from athletics has positively affected my approach to every personal and professional challenge I have encountered. My experience participating in sports has helped me gain the tools needed to deal with the high stress environment and rapid pace of emergency medicine.”
During this pandemic, Dr. Bandolin wants people to know we’re all in this together, but everyone is also dealing with different challenges and being kind can be a big difference maker.
“Despite the current challenges that everyone is facing right now, I hope people can remember that everyone is dealing with their own challenges,” said Dr. Bandolin. “I feel privileged to work with people from all walks off life on a daily basis and I see examples every day that we are all more alike than we are different. In these challenging times, a little kindness and empathy can go a long way.”