Many people’s knowledge about emergency medicine comes from watching medical drama TV shows, such as The Pitt and Tacoma FD, but some students at Godwin experience emergency response firsthand. These students work alongside Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and look into the reality of high-stakes medicine.
To begin the job, students must take a class that teaches the basics of lifesaving medical aid. Some students, like Godwin seniors Tanish Singh and Atharva Ranbhare, take an accelerated program for three weeks from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then, they must take a taxing exam composed of 70-120 questions.
Many of these students volunteer at rescue squads throughout Richmond. Once they turn 18, they can get paid for their work at agencies like the Richmond Ambulance Authority.
Singh explained that an EMT’s top priority is stabilizing patients while they rush to the hospital. They aid a variety of patients who call 911 with chest pain, illnesses, trauma injuries, overdoses, and motor accidents. This means EMTs must have a wide range of knowledge to treat each unique patient properly.
The job is increasingly difficult because first responders must be available to the public 24/7 and work long shifts. Singh typically works 12-hour shifts from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Medical TV dramas have chaotic plots and are often acknowledged as being exaggerated and inaccurate, but EMT students have many authentic, unexpected experiences similar to these shows.
Godwin senior Aarushi Rao described working with EMTs as unpredictable and impossible to anticipate what kind of calls they will answer.
Singh recalled one of his first stress calls where a man drove his car into a tree, sustaining many injuries. In the ambulance, the victim “became combative and fought the first responders.” Later at the hospital, Singh was informed the victim was under the influence of several hard drugs.
Ranbhare said his scariest experience was when he had to give CPR to a child in cardiac arrest in front of their family. “It’s an experience that is very hard on the mind and is especially difficult to explain to others,” said Rhanbare.“[This] showed the nature of being an EMT [because] you are not only saving the patient but also saving their family from distress and trauma.
Godwin junior Gurpaij Tur shared that his most stressful moment working alongside EMTs was when he aided a man who was fatally wounded from a gunshot. He was assigned the task of taking the victim’s vitals, becoming nervous when “[his] gloves started getting covered in blood.” Thankfully, his colleagues quickly stepped in to assist, and together they stabilized the victim before transporting him to the hospital.
Despite their gritty experiences with EMTs, the students better understand their interest in the medical field and reasons to follow this career path.
“My motivation to pursue medicine stems from my belief that the field’s future lies in developing individualized approaches [for patients],” said Singh. “It has been a pleasure to get hands-on medical experience at a young age, learn to navigate difficult situations, and stay engaged with the community.”
“Some days it truly does feel like the show Tacoma FD because there is always a cool story to tell.”