Even before I had any sense of direction as to an academic or career interest, I knew I wanted to help people; I just did not know how. Joining the youth corps of my town’s volunteer ambulance corps in my junior year of high school was one of the most gratifying decisions I have ever made. Not only did I get to come to the aid of members in my community during emergencies, distracting them from some of the worst days of their lives, but I also learned a lot about myself and how to interact with other people. My second year in the corps, I was elected captain by my peers. My main responsibilities were to plan meetings, fundraisers, and training sessions, as well as enforcing policies about minimum commitment and member participation. I had to collaborate with my fellow executive board members, and figure out the location of the invisible line separating what was fair or too much to ask of members.
Toward the end of my time with the corps, it became less fun and interesting, and more difficult. Telling my friends and classmates that they were not fulfilling the requirements for membership, and having to remove a few of these members from the corps roster, did not exactly help me gain popularity. Fielding phone calls and reading applications for new members took more of my time than spending time out on the ambulance, in the community helping people. Even when I did get the chance here and there to get back on the ambulance and do what I enjoyed, it started taking a toll. Overdose calls, severe car accidents, and terminally ill patients hanging on by a thread were all emotionally draining, and I began to feel that no one appreciated when I did everything I could to help them. I spent about ten hours a week dedicating my time, attention, energy, and heart to the corps and community, and began to wonder if helping people was always so taxing.
As I pondered whether my work was worth the trouble, my advisor informed me that the senior corps, a mix of professional and volunteer paramedics and EMTs, had selected me as the Youth Corps of the year. The group recognized my dedication and hard work, as well as my genuine desire to serve my community.
The recognition I received from my corps was, of course, an honor. I received life saving commendation bars (pins for EMT dress uniform). More importantly, though, I realized that the appreciation I had been craving did not matter. I knew that I was helping people, literally supporting lives, and showing every patient I worked with that someone valued their life and health. As long as I knew that I was trying my best, putting forth my strongest effort to take care of people, it did not matter whether or not I was popular among my peers, or whether patients ever said “thank you.” My ambulance experience did teach me life saving skills and emergency medicine, but it also reaffirmed my desire to help people, encouraging my to remain on my current path.