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In the Classroom
During the Summer of 2022 I took an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class. An EMT is a first responder that cares for the ill while on the way to the hospital in an ambulance. As a pre-med student with a desire to serve, I felt that becoming an EMT would add depth to my medical background and ensure that I am on the right career path. In the same way as EMTs, doctors need to be calm under pressure, have good bedside manner, and consider the patients survival and quality of life. EMTs work alongside paramedics to manage life threatening injuries and illness such as cardiac arrest, broken bones, respiratory failuure, allergic reactions, and trauma.
In Engineering
One example of the relationship between practicing medicine as an EMT and biomedical engineering is the traction splint. The traction splint works well when someone has an isolated femur fracture. The muscles in the leg are really strong so when the bone breaks the ends can get pulled together, causing excessive bleeding and pain. The traction splint realigns the bone, by pulling on the lower leg while securing the hip to minimize bleeding and pain relief.
In the Field
In December of 2022 I began a job as an Emergency Medical Technician with Transcare. In this position, my partner and I provide medical transport to patients. This means that our patients are stabilized when we pick them up from home, the nursing home, or the hospital, but they have potential to become unstable due to illness or injury. Therefore it is important that medical professionals transport them so that they can get to the hospital or home safely. If the patient's condition worsens, we are capable of providing thorough life-saving care. Examples of patient conditions I have managed include respiratory distress, psychiatric distress, and chronic pain. So far I have spent over 400 hours working as an EMT.
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