Hi, everyone! This Monday post is a bit different! I asked my friend and colleague, Lillian, to share how she became an EMT. Lillian has been an awesome colleague and taught me a lot about research and medicine in general. She kindly agreed to share a bit about her medical journey and how she got her position as an EMT. Here's her post!
1. Tell me about yourself. How do we know each other?
I graduated from the University of Maryland in May 2018 with a dual degree in Biochemistry and Physiology & Neurobiology. We work in the same lab!
2. What is a fun fact about you that many people don’t know?
I only enjoy cooking if I have a good recipe to go off of. Also, one thing on my bucket list is to learn how to meditate properly this year! (I love meditation!)
3. Why do you want to be a physician?
This is a tough question to find an original answer to, but ultimately my desire to become a physician grew from a gradual process. I knew going into undergrad that I wanted to study biochemistry because of the specific type of problem-solving involved in the natural sciences. After choosing that as a major I decided to get involved in experiences related to the medical field to determine if that was something I was truly interested in as well. I started volunteering at a hospital and as an EMT. These experiences certainly helped to solidify my interest in working in the healthcare field because I really enjoyed patient interactions and the direct gratification of helping someone in a medical capacity. I think the reason I want to be a physician in particular is because of the unique blend of social skills, problem-solving, scientific understanding, and decision-making that is involved.
4. So how did you become an EMT? What should students do to obtain this position?
I was looking through [local college]’s pre-health website for volunteer/clinical opportunities and came upon the volunteer fire department’s website! It sounded like an awesome opportunity for direct patient care experience, so I decided to attend orientation and then it kept rolling from there. All you have to do is look into your local volunteer fire departments, submit your interest in joining on their website, and then follow their new member process. I will say that the training process to become an EMT is quite long – typically taking at least a year. Make sure you have the time to both train and use your experience before leaving for medical school.
5. What’s your favorite part of being an EMT? Least favorite?
My favorite part about being an EMT is probably having the autonomy to perform my own patient assessments! I have to obtain patient history and determine what is going on with the patient to the best of my ability before getting to the hospital. I love being able to be independent in asking patients questions and performing patient assessments. My least favorite part is probably the anxiety that comes with overnight shifts and knowing that you will probably get woken up very abruptly and won’t get much sleep. Overall, I find it to be very fun!
6. What has been your most memorable moment as an EMT?
My most memorable moments as an EMT are probably all the mistakes I’ve made. I haven’t made any life-altering mistakes that have been detrimental to patients, but the moments I’ve remembered the most are the times when I maybe took a wrong turn while driving the ambulance to the hospital out of the ambulance, or suggested a suboptimal transport destination for example. The mistakes tend to stick in your memory the most. In the end though, this makes it harder to do the same thing twice.
7. Finally, what advice do you have to pre-med students?
As a pre-med student myself, my advice would be to make sure you truly enjoy all the activities that med schools require. Don’t participate in things just for the resume boost. It’s important to be in it for the long-haul, so make sure you enjoy it now. If you don’t enjoy it, there are many other career pathways that are still within the healthcare field!
Thanks for sharing, Lillian! I want to second something that she said. Make sure you love medicine before becoming involved in the pre-med process. It's a long, difficult process, and you really have to be committed. Since you're here, you must be interested! I hope the process is going well for you so far. Remember, you got this!
Thanks for visiting my blog! Be sure to check out my other posts. There is more to come soon! Until then be kind and remember tomorrow depends on what you do today. Hope you enjoyed reading! — Taylor ❤
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