Hello! My name is Zachary Weaver and welcome to my E-Portfolio. As you explore it you will find details about my professional and educational experience, as well as what I will bring to your organization as a highly motivated individual. The buttons below will take you to pages covering the skills I have gained over the course of my studies and professional experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personal Narrative: From EMS to IT \u2013 Becoming a Medical Simulation Specialist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Zachary Weaver<\/p>\n\n\n\n Department of Cybersecurity, Old Dominion University<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interdisciplinary Studies 493: Electronic Portfolio Project<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Gordon-Phan<\/p>\n\n\n\n August 3, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This paper will tell my story of a career started in Emergency Medical Services and ending up as a Medical Simulation Specialist. It will cover details of my professional life and how one career sent me like a boomerang through another. This ended up with me combining both worlds into one. This will include successes and struggles in my personal life and professional life. It will also detail how my college experience pursuing IT affected my ability to apply research to achieve adequate competency in both fields. Because the role of a Medical Simulation Specialist is a very niche field that usually only requires strong technical skills or strong medical knowledge, but rarely both. I will also detail my recent successes resulting from knowledge and wisdom gained in previous positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personal Narrative: From EMS to IT \u2013 Becoming a Medical Simulation Specialist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is important to recognize where we come from as we progress through life. Writing my own narrative has helped me to achieve a new understanding about myself (Nguyen, 2013). My journey began over eight years ago. I had just left my difficult warehouse job, and I was looking for any employer who would have me. So, I called my best friend and asked for his help. He helped me secure an interview for a position as a transportation call taker for an Emergency Medical Services company. I studied an extensive list of medical abbreviations before I even had my interview. This would be so that I could demonstrate that I could meet their needs and expectations. I was offered the job and started right away. I was told during the hiring process that it would be a requirement to become certified to drive an ambulance, as well as become an Emergency Medical Technician Basic within one month and six months, respectively. I took them at their word and immediately pursued both certifications. Within both deadlines, I had obtained the \u201crequired\u201d certifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This was critical for the next phase of my time in EMS. It would secure me promotions to dispatcher and commensurate raises. I was quickly recognized for my personal tenacity for knowledge and advancement. I got promoted to the role of dispatcher level three and released as an EMT Basic and an ambulance operator. This came with a large bump in pay within just six months of being hired. Even during my EMT class, I volunteered to provide emergency medical support for the riots in Charlottesville, Virginia. My passion for EMS was growing rapidly. I felt a real desire to excel in this field. So, I worked hard to sharpen my medical knowledge during these exciting months. However, seeds of doubt began to creep in. I noticed that I had peers in supervisory positions without being EMT-certified. This directly contradicted their own interview process. It made me more skeptical of the integrity within the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I observed more and more the stench of nepotism. Employees got investigated regularly without any real consequences applied. Even with very tangible and credible proof. This made me lose the desire to remain in the office amongst such hypocritical practices. So, I made a transfer into the field full-time. At first, this seemed like exactly what I needed to feel revitalized. I enjoyed working with patients every day. I was feeling good again about my prospects. Once again, I noticed something off. I had seen how decisions were made, and they could frequently be made to spite a field crew. This made me very suspicious of the dispatcher\u2019s decisions when things seemed fishy. I had contacts inside the communications department that were confirming my suspicions on occasion. This really shook my faith in the organization even further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At some point, bouncing back and forth between being a field provider and a dispatcher, I felt the most disillusioned. I decided it was time to try my hand at college again. I had been successfully talked into pursuing a degree in cybersecurity. I was very cautious at first because I had made such a complete mess of college ten years prior. I paid for my first two classes out of pocket, and I made sure to get an A in each. This opened the door to being granted financial aid. I had to apply to be on a probationary program. This gave me the opportunity to meet certain standards and be exempted from my previous attendance mistakes. After securing financial aid, I was able to start my collegiate career in earnest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I decided early on that I would only take up to two classes in a semester. This would drag the process out, but I felt it was more attainable as a marathon and not a sprint. For five years now, I have pursued my bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. It was in the Fall of 2024 that I decided to start applying for Information Technology jobs in earnest. Between full-time jobs and internships, I believe I submitted over one hundred applications from that Fall of \u201924 to the Winter of 2025. Then, when I began to despair again, I got a message from an old coworker from my current employer. She told me to apply for this job as a Simulation Technician. She told me that the job would suit me well because of my EMS experience and my IT studies. So, I applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While I was on vacation with my family, I got a call from the Director of the Graduate Medical Education. She wanted to schedule an interview with me. I told her during that initial conversation that I had no experience in simulation, just confidence that I could learn it quickly. She said that was fine and wanted to interview me all the same. I studied. I researched companies listed as recommended knowledge for the job position description. I put together a printout to be given to the panel about some of my research. The day of the interview arrived, and I was anxious. I also felt well prepared. In the interview, we talked for over an hour. This included my research, but also my vision for how simulation could grow for the organization. I feel I have the vision to push their simulation capabilities to their maximum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was offered the job about two days later, and I was ecstatic. I put in my resignation with my current employer, worked the length of my notice until I could start my new role. I worked my way through the pre-hire process. I made myself available and followed every instruction to the letter. This ensured a smooth onboarding process. Then I got started. I was very nervous at first because I felt like I did not know enough. I felt overwhelmed by the idea that this organization was putting too much faith in someone who had not accomplished much in his life. However, I wasn\u2019t going to let my old mental demons hold me down. I rose up to meet the challenges that presented themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The early returns on my time in this role are very positive. I am consistently getting positive praise for my proactive nature and desire to help. I am successfully writing full medical scenarios to be performed by Medical Residents and Registered Nurses. I have just returned from a Medical Simulation Conference, where I attended vitally important lectures on how to build a better simulation program. I was also able to network with many veteran simulation experts. They have all been helpful and offered continual help in the future. I need only to reach out. This rapid success has made me feel significantly more confident. I am making every effort to grow our small simulation program exponentially. My current goal is to reach a level of integrity and competence that makes our simulation program competitive with the top programs in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This kind of competition brings in stronger candidates for residency programs and fellowships. It can also boost morale at organizations. Both of these things can lead to higher quality patient outcomes and a more generous public outlook. I know my goals sound optimistic, but I am tapping every resource to make strides quickly. Progress waits for no one, and only the bold stand a chance of competing after taking an early tail position in the race. I believe I am the one bold enough to achieve such goals within five years of joining the team. It has been such an interesting journey to get here. One that started with disenfranchisement in the medical system in the first place. I was determined to do something different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If I hadn\u2019t lost patience with my EMS organization, I would never have pursued an education in Information Technology. I was so desperate to get away from medicine, I went as far from humans as I could get for my course of study. Without medicine pushing me towards IT, I would never have landed a dream job that combined both disciplines. Even more importantly, if it wasn\u2019t for the friends I had made, I wouldn\u2019t have heard of the job at all. I have consistently said that I want to spend the next thirty years working and building this program. This is the best job I could have imagined, and for once in my life, I am giving myself credit for where my hard work has led me. I feel truly blessed to have found the rest of my professional life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n References:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ngyuen , C. F. (n.d.). The ePortfolio as a Living Portal: A Medium for Student Learning, Identity, and Assessment<\/em>. The International Journal of ePortfolio. https:\/\/www.theijep.com\/pdf\/IJEP116.pdf <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" About Me: Hello! My name is Zachary Weaver and welcome to my E-Portfolio. As you explore it you will find details about my professional and educational experience, as well as what I will bring to your organization as a highly motivated individual. The buttons below will take you to pages covering the skills I have… <\/p>\n