As a little girl, I knew I always wanted to help people within the world of medicine, but I did not want to wait until I had a Master’s degree or a Phd to do so. At the age of 18, during the spring semester of my senior year of high school, I passed the Nationally Registered EMT exam. This is one of my greatest accomplishments that not only challenged me, but pushed me to succeed. I was one of the youngest students in my class. I passed the test the first time I took it, which believe me, was the most stressful test of my life. This certification allows me to help people the way I have always hoped and gives me perspective into the medical world.
I completed my EMT training in June 2018, but have been in the EMS world for about 4 years. I was a volunteer ride-along for quite some time before I realized it was something I wanted to do. My best outcome call was when I was able to help bring a little girl to safety after a family member physically assualted her. I understand that the events leading up to this safety were very stressful and scary for the little girl. I was happy to give her relief that she was safe and that this family member was not going to hurt her anymore. There are good calls and bad calls, and every call teaches me something new and contributes to building the experience that I have accumulated.
The question I get asked the most by my friends and peers is, “Was it worth it?” Yes – though you need to have the correct mindset and maturity. You need to compartmentalize and be ready to put your feelings aside to do your job and save the lives of innocent people when you are on duty. I understand that every call may not be life or death, but there is a reason that a person called 911. When I talk about maturity, I mean that you need to understand the task in front of you, process, and respond. Yes, you will see things, and some things will be upsetting and even disturbing. There may not always be good outcomes, but this is something you need to be prepared for and ready. Being an EMT is not something to flaunt around like a new pair of shoes. Yes, people will be amazed by what you do because it is a big deal to save lives, but do not let that go to your head. My biggest pet peeve is when I know that someone is thinking about becoming an EMT for the bragging rights. They think that they can walk around and fascinate everyone with the certification they have. If this is the case, it is not worth it for you. I became an EMT because of what I can do with the certification, learn about medicine and help those in need at their lowest or weakest points in their lives.
Becoming a first responder is my best accomplishment because it allows me to provide the proper care to people in need, which is something that drives my passion. If your life’s interest is to help people within the medical world, I truly recommend looking into it!