Student EMTs: Skill Development in Under-Pressure Situations
Written by Jessica Kidwell
For students planning to attend medical school following their graduation, working as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is an excellent way to gain real-world experience. Danny, Logan, Franklin, and Lauren describe the boots-on-the-ground, adrenaline-filled work of an EMT.
Danny Molter, ’25
Danny works as an EMT at the Reading Emergency Unit in Hillsdale, just down the road from the College. He is a biochemistry major planning to become a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). Still in training, Danny works with two people during his shift, one of them being the field training officer who helps guide and advise him while on calls. One of Danny’s favorite parts of working as an EMT are his connections with co-workers. “You get close to your co-workers when you’re making calls,” he said.
Looking for opportunities to gain experience for his future career in medicine, Danny became interested in becoming an EMT. “This is a boots-on-the-ground kind of job. You have to think on your feet, and that’s one of the things I want to improve on before I get to residency,” Danny said. He was also inspired to become an EMT through the mentorship of upperclassmen in Alpha Tau Omega. “They put this on the radar,” Danny said. “It’s an opportunity to get a good experience in medicine and to work directly with people in need.”
Logan Vayder, ’25:
Logan is a biochemistry major, planning to become a neurosurgeon. Logan took night classes at his local community college for six months during his senior year of high school to become an EMT. “As soon as I turned 18, I got my EMT license, moved to Hillsdale a week after graduating from high school, and started working,” Logan said.
Beginning his third year of working as an EMT, Logan feels more confident being on call and handling situations. “Everyone goes in nervous about every call, but the more experience you have, the more it comes naturally.”
Students must work 24 hours each month to maintain their EMT status. Reading Emergency Unit offers this special employment to help sustain the work-student balance, which Danny and Logan find manageable.
Franklin Watkins, ’24
Franklin is a biology major, working at LifeCare Ambulance Services in Coldwater as an EMT with another Hillsdale student, Dan Gilbert, ’24. Franklin has received early acceptance into Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, and he will attend its campus in Bradenton, Florida, following his graduation in May.
Over the summer, Franklin worked shifts in Coldwater and conducted research for his senior thesis at the College. “Working as an EMT has been a good stepping stone to prepare me for the medical field,” Franklin said. “It really teaches you how to interact with people when they are at their worst and most vulnerable, and that’s not something you can learn in a class. Some people tried to dissuade me from working as an EMT during the school year out of fear I might get sidetracked from my studies, but if you can manage your time well, it’s a great experience.”
One of Franklin’s most memorable experiences was his first traumatic call on the job. “Jane shot John Doe in the leg, and I could see everything. My heart was racing a thousand miles an hour. We got there and quickly put a tourniquet on him and rushed him to an airfield where a helicopter picked him up. The team gave me a goody bag afterward because it was my first air field event,” Franklin said.
To deal with the stress and trauma of the job, Franklin and his team talk about their experiences. “I ask what I can do better next time, and that’s really all I can do,” he said. “You can’t prepare yourself for seeing something like that. You need to learn to think on your feet under pressure.”
Lauren Wetzstein, ’26
Lauren is a biochemistry major planning to attend medical school after her graduation. Lauren’s interest in medicine was sparked in her high school anatomy class. “For me, that’s all it took to get me fascinated with medicine,” Lauren said.
With an itch to get more involved, Lauren’s family friend, who works as a paramedic, let her know she could volunteer with their local fire and rescue team. “I have learned so much about pre-hospital emergency medicine and just how important EMTs are. Their service inspired me to go a step further and take a course to become an EMT.”
As Franklin recounted the vulnerability that comes with being an EMT, Lauren agreed. She also said it’s through these moments that genuine human connection is made. Lauren recalled helping an elderly woman with low blood pressure. “There was nothing we could do for her besides take her vitals and comfortably transport her to the hospital, but on the ride there, she just wanted to hold my hand. She chose me to give her that small comfort in her time of anxiety.”
For Lauren, being an EMT is an act of service and preservation of life. “There will be patients that treat you with kindness and others who don’t, but we are here to serve and give the best possible care we can. As for dealing with the stressful, gruesome injuries, you cannot let this distract you, because at the end of the day, preservation of life is the most important goal. I’ve never felt like I had a true purpose until I had the ability to help others as an EMT,” Lauren concluded. “It brings me real joy to have been blessed with this opportunity, and I know that this is what the Lord has called me to do.”
Student EMTs are admirable in their service to others as they juggle the work-student life. Their experiences and connections with people like you and me have propelled them deeper into their admiration of medicine as they continue their education in the medical field.
Images courtesy of Kyle Johns, ’25.
Jessie Kidwell, ’24, hails from St. Louis, MO, and studies politics. Outside of the classroom, she loves to workout, watch the St. Louis Cardinals, and be with her Pi Phi sisters!
Published in September 2023