FORT WORTH, Texas — Medical students in Fort Worth are treating hospice patients through singing.
Katherine Nguyen is leading a group of medical students at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine every other week, where they go room to room at the Community Healthcare Hospice House.
“It’s something that’s been passed down from one year to another,” Nguyen said.
She’s a second-year medical student, but the tradition has been going on for more than five years now.
“I think these families remember us for a long time,” she said. “There’s another side of being a medical provider, it's just being there for the patient.”
They always ask families before singing or praying but almost always get a yes. Nguyen said some patients too frail to move or react can still hear.
“The patient is more than just a patient. They’re a beloved family member. They’re a friend,” Nguyen said. “Music has the ability to connect people.”
There are no treatments for what ails those in hospice care, but these students believe singing can be the perfect medicine to put families at ease.
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