What comes to mind when thinking about emergency medical technicians(EMTs)? Television paints the picture of red and white lights flashing and the shrill sound of sirens coming in and out of earshot as an ambulance speeds by, arriving on scene to find a seriously injured patient covered in blood. When I found out that Virginia Tech had its own collegiate rescue squad, I was captivated by the idea of college students sitting in that ambulance, given the responsibility of saving somebody’s life when called upon at a moment’s notice. The thought of joining the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad was intimidating at first because this all-student-run organization takes on a duty that is typically associated with medical professionals with years of experience. However, I was eager to learn and apply priceless life-saving skills to serving the Virginia Tech community in order to directly apply Virginia Tech’s motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). I was accepted onto …show more content…
When transporting patients to the hospital emergency department, I often wonder how patients fare. Was their condition fixed? What were they diagnosed with? These are questions that physicians get to answer through in depth patient contact and medical testing done at hospitals and clinics. After becoming a nationally registered EMT, I began training towards becoming a team leader, the person conducting patient assessments and making decisions regarding care and transport. I quickly learned that emergency medical calls require more than just medical knowledge; patient interaction and leadership skills are just as important as knowledge about the human body. While learning how to lead calls is challenging, knowing that I am having a greater impact on the improvement of another person’s life makes the hard work