Massachusetts General Hospital / Stoeckle Health Decision Sciences Center
The Patient Advocacy Support Group is concerned with helping patients navigate their appointment, get answers to their questions, and become involved in their care while training students in the world of medical care.
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Patients may not remember to ask all of their questions and may forget important information the health care team shared.
To address these problems, we have started the Patient Support Corps to help patients navigate their appointment, get answers to their questions and become involved in their care. The Patient Support Corps is also helping to train the next generation of health care providers to make sure they are skilled at listening to and engaging patients.
We are a Harvard undergraduate organization partnered with the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Health Decision Science Center. The Harvard Undergraduate Patient Support Corps utilizes student volunteers who can help patients through the use of proven support strategies and by providing emotional support.
These services are provided to MGH patients and families free of charge.
The student intern will call the patient and help them come up with a comprehensive question list based on the prompts/guidelines. Patients are encouraged to bring their question outline to their appointment and a copy may be given to the doctor during their appointment.
Student interns will virtually support patients in accessing patient educational materials through their patient portal. A decision aid provides educational material regarding the clinical topic, allows the patient to explore their personal values and preferences for treatment, and helps outline this for conversation when completed prior to a patient’s visit.
We are piloting a program where volunteers can travel to MGH and help support the patient by taking notes during their appointments.
The Patient Support Corps interns are currently collaborating with several different groups across the hospital including Primary Care, Cancer Center, Orthopedics, and Cardiology.
Patients are selected by their physicians as someone who may benefit from the service as they prepare for their upcoming visit. This ranges from patients who are new to the clinician, have complex medical histories, or preparing to see a specialist.
We help patients list and organize their questions and concerns prior to the appointment and then we send them a summary which they can print or have on their phone as a tool for reference at their visit.
“Greeting patients, helping them gather their thoughts into concise QLs, and generally conversing with them has been really fun for me. It’s especially fulfilling to play a role in that patient’s journey.”Manya Gupta, Class of 2028
Students will complete an 18-hour online training in addition to interactive simulations to apply the learned concepts from the SLCT (Scribing, Laddering, Checking, and Triaging) model to question listing developed by Dr. Jeff Belkora of the University of California, San Francisco. Students will learn to synthesize patient concerns and priorities to create an organized Question List (QL) that patients can bring to the visit as a guide for their discussion with their clinician.
The MGH Patient Support Corps is based on the UCSF Patient Support Corps model. Interns are supervised by faculty and staff at the MGH Health Decision Sciences Center.
As Co-President of the Patient Support Corps, Nora Sun is spearheading an initiative to partner with psychiatrists to offer PSC services to patients navigating stigmatizing mental health diagnoses. She has served with the Corps for the past two years, providing decision counseling and psychosocial support to dozens of underserved patients and their families.
Nora is a senior in Quincy House at Harvard College concentrating in Statistics. Beyond her work with the Health Decision Sciences Center, she is a researcher at Harvard and Yale Medical School, where she studies the development of evidence-based interventions for individuals with psychiatric illnesses.
Yewon is co-president of the Patient Support Corp and an undergraduate Patient Advocate with Mass General. Yewon is interested in understanding complexities involved with healthcare, especially in how precise questions early in the clinical process can bring about meaningful conversation with patients.
Yewon is excited to expand the program, coordinating outreach with various departments and organizations around the region, in addition to working with new volunteers.
Felisha Marques is a project manager at the Health Decision Sciences Center. She oversees the Patient Support Corps program.
Brittney Mancini is a clinical research coordinator at the Health Decision Sciences Center. She supports the PSC program management including student training, patient scheduling, and developing tools to improve the program workflow.
Alyssa Ao is a volunteer at the Massachusetts General Hospital Patient Support Corp program. She grew up in the Boston area and hopes to learn more about the challenges that patients face in navigating healthcare decisions, especially in Boston. She is also interested in global health equity and in how disparities or barriers in the US healthcare system can reflect broader global health issues. Alyssa is a member of the Harvard College Class of 2029. She plans to study Neuroscience and Art, Film, & Visual Studies.
Meley Ghermay is a member of the Patient Support Corps passionate about helping patients feel informed, supported, and empowered as they navigate the healthcare system. Drawing from her experiences volunteering in clinical settings and providing multilingual support to patients and families, Meley hopes to help patients prepare for appointments, advocate for their needs, and make informed healthcare decisions. Meley is a member of the Harvard College Class of 2029, studying Medical Anthropology with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy and a citation in Spanish. She hopes to pursue a career as a physician-scientist dedicated to advancing patient-centered, equitable healthcare while also exploring interdisciplinary approaches to improving health systems through research, policy, and large-scale innovation.
Manya Gupta is a Patient Support Corps volunteer at the MGH Health Decision Sciences Center. She is passionate about public health, health economics, and providing quality, patient-centered care, especially for those affected by long-term illnesses. Through PSC, Manya helps patients create comprehensive question lists, access healthcare education resources, and navigate the complex healthcare system. Manya is a member of the Harvard College Class of 2028, where she is pursuing a concentration in Economics and secondary in Global Health and Health Policy.
Jude Jamison is a Patient Support Corps volunteer at the MGH Health Decision Sciences Center. He is passionate about patient advocacy and helping patients navigate the healthcare system with compassion, clear communication, and access to high-quality, patient-centered care. His interest in this work is rooted in his family's experience with chronic illness, as well as his advocacy work, where he has seen firsthand the challenges many patients face in obtaining timely diagnosis, treatment, and support. In addition to his work with the Patient Support Corps, Jude conducts cardiovascular research at MGH and serves in leadership roles with Harvard's Deaf Awareness Coalition, the Undergraduate Research Association, and the Native American Program. Jude is an undergraduate at Harvard College in the Class of 2028, where he is pursuing a concentration in Molecular and Cellular Biology, a secondary in Economics, and a certificate in American Sign Language. He hopes to pursue a career in medicine dedicated to advancing patient-centered care, improving health equity, and partnering with patients to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Rojina is an incoming volunteer at the Patient Support Corps, where she hopes to dedicate time and care into helping patients navigate the healthcare system. She is motivated by witnessing the impact of socioeconomic status on patient experience in her time as a patient transport volunteer at MGH, especially for those who also face language barriers. Rojina is a member of the Harvard College Class of 2028 and studies neuroscience. Aside from volunteering, she is involved in cancer and computational biology research and mentors high school students.
Zinia Khattar is a Patient Support Corps volunteer at the MGH Health Decision Sciences Center. She is a firm believer of healthcare as a basic human right and wants to pay forward the help she and her family have received by selfless healthcare professionals to any and all patients seeking assistance in navigating an intricate system. Zinia finds it thoroughly rewarding to help patients prepare for their clinical visits; she hopes to dedicate her life to supporting the wellbeing of patients and strengthen equity in the symmetrical access of information for educated decision making. Zinia is a member of the Harvard College Class of 2029 and is pursuing a concentration in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology.
Vicki Lin is a volunteer with the Harvard Patient Support Corps. She looks forward to being a resource for patients and families, offering support both emotionally and in navigating the healthcare system. She's especially interested in building long-term relationships with patients, helping those with language barriers feel heard, and making medical jargon more accessible. Vicki is a member of the Harvard College Class of 2027, concentrating in Human Evolutionary Biology with a secondary in English.
Pearl Nguyen is a member of the Patient Support Corps at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she helps patients prepare for medical appointments and supports informed, patient-centered care. She is a member of the Harvard College Class of 2029, concentrating in Integrative Biology with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy. Outside of the Corps, Pearl is a student researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital studying platelet biology and the tumor microenvironment. She also tutors pediatric oncology patients through the Pediatric Hope Project, supporting children throughout their cancer journeys. Pearl hopes to pursue a career as a physician-scientist in oncology, advancing cancer research while delivering compassionate, equitable care for all patients.
Michaela Okundaye is a dedicated member of the Patient Support Corps. She aims to be a compassionate patient advocate who helps patients feel seen, heard, and supported. In her role, Michaela offers assistance to patients in their journey by guiding them through the intricacies of the healthcare system as she believes that empowering patients with information and clarity is foundational to ethical care. Michaela has a profound interest in addressing social determinants of health and ensuring ethics in medicine, especially in regard to eliminating barriers related to race, culture, religion, and language. At Harvard College, Michaela works as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) through CrimsonEMS, served as President of the Harvard Undergraduate Black Pre-Medical Society, and Co-President of the Harvard Undergraduate Black Health Advocates. She hopes to pursue a career in Pediatric Neurology. Michaela is a member of the Harvard Class of 2027 concentrating in Neurobiology with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy.
Olivia Pan is a passionate member of the Patient Support Corps. Olivia aims to assist in providing accessible healthcare to all patients, especially those who face barriers due to their background, identity, or language. Olivia has assisted with piloting the Question Listing service in various project including collaborations with the Asylum Clinic. Olivia is a member of the Harvard College Class of 2027. She is pursuing a concentration in Neuroscience on the Mind, Brain, and Behavior track with a secondary in East Asian Studies and language citation in Chinese.
Sarah Park is a dedicated volunteer with the Patient Support Corps at the MGH Health Decision Sciences Center. She is passionate about helping patients feel supported and empowered as they navigate complex healthcare decisions. Through the Patient Support Corps, she hopes to help patients prepare thoughtful questions, gain clarity and confidence to make informed decisions, and ensure they feel heard throughout their healthcare journey. Sarah is a member of the Harvard College Class of 2029 and plans to concentrate in Neuroscience with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy.
Tia is a volunteer with the Patient Support Corps. She is passionate about global health, particularly improving health literacy rates. Through family members, she has seen firsthand how difficult it can be for non-native speakers to navigate the healthcare system. Tia is excited to continue pursuing health advocacy through PSC.
Ellis Schroeder is a volunteer at the MGH Patient Support Corps passionate about reducing health disparities, namely those affecting LGBTQ+ communities. He hopes to create an affirming, non-stigmatizing environment as patients navigate the healthcare system. Outside of his work with the Health Decisions Center, Ellis leads research efforts at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School to understand trust and mistrust in healthcare and public health, as well as sociodemographic disparities in patterns of disease burden. An aspiring physician and public health leader, Ellis seeks to bridge both population- and individual-level care. Ellis, a member of the Harvard College Class of 2029, is a prospective concentrator in Anthropology and the History of Art & Architecture.
If you are a Harvard undergraduate interested in joining the Patient Support Corps, please note that the application process takes place every April. We prioritize individuals who can commit to this program for at least a year of service.
Sign up to be notified when applications open: bit.ly/psc-27. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at hupsc.01@gmail.com.
If you are a physician interested in collaborating with the Patient Support Corps, please contact pscprogram@mgb.org.
Stoeckle Health Decision Sciences Center
Massachusetts General Hospital
100 Cambridge St, Suite 1600
Boston, MA 02114
