“Ambulance 1622 dispatched to an illness call.” It was the first call of my tenth shift as a released EMT-B. I was with a new partner and we were rushing to switch out with the day crew. We were playing music and getting to know each other on the way to our first call of the night when the dispatcher came over the radio to inform us that our patient was a deceased five-month-old. The mood instantly dampened in the truck. We were about five minutes away from the case location and panic began to set in. This is the call that every provider dreads. This was the first call that I realized that the medical field is unpredictable, which can either be encouraging or extremely difficult. Although this call was the hardest call I have been on to this day, it was the call that made me realize that emergency medicine is what I want to dedicate my life to. Trying with everything in me to help someone and their families is what made me fall in love with emergency medicine. 

            I decided I wanted to be a doctor when I realized how much of an impact they have on both their patients and the patient’s families. Even at a young age when I would spend almost every day in the hospital with my grandfather, I noticed how much of a difference a caring physician made. The feeling of comfort when they would walk into the room made an undeniable difference in the treatment process. I still remember Dr. Joe, my grandfather’s brain surgeon at Norfolk General Hospital. He would come in almost every day with a warm demeanor and would take the time to talk to us about what was going on with my grandfather as well as how we all felt about it. He also brought smiles to our faces with his jokes and stories about his tattoos. I knew in that moment that I wanted to do what Dr. Joe does. 

            During my time as an undergraduate student, I have had the opportunity to participate in many different extracurricular activities. Being involved in the prehealth club at Old Dominion University has given me the opportunity to speak with admissions personnel at many different schools as well as k with current medical students to understand what a “day in the life” looks like. I also had the opportunity to work with the Lambert Group at Old Dominion to participate in one of their thiol research projects. This project gave me the opportunity to enhance my laboratory skills as well as understanding the medical applications of thiols, particularly in insulin. 

            The most impactful extracurricular activity I have been involved in is volunteering as an EMT with Virginia Beach EMS. I have had the opportunity to interact with patients from all different backgrounds in the city. I have seen incidents from stubbed toes to cardiac arrests to multiple vehicle collisions. My time spent on the ambulance is what I look forward to the most during the week. The incident that impacted my decision to pursue medicine most strongly was a very unexpected cardiac arrest. When we arrived, it was about one in the morning and the patient was relaxing in a recliner. He had called because he felt strange after using the bathroom. My partner and I were both EMT basics and did not believe this was going to be anything serious. We followed protocol and were beginning to obtain an EKG on this patient when he became unresponsive. My partner and I worked together to get the patient on the ground and begin compressions. While we were waiting for other resources, we continued compressions and I shocked the patient which caused him to gain consciousness again. This experience was very unlikely because a paramedic is usually present to make the calls and shock the patient. In this experience, I learned that even under extreme pressure, I am able to make critical decisions. I was also able to keep my composure in front of the family member that was present. 

            In conclusion, many experiences in my life have led to the decision to go into medicine. Incidents I have been to wile volunteering in EMS, whether tragic or extremely rewarding, have taught me so much about myself and the field of medicine. No other field excites me as much as medicine does. It is such a versatile area of study and I am eager to continue practicing.