This summer, from July 22, 2023 to July 25, 2023, I attended and presented at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Annual Meeting. During the conference, I had the opportunity to host a Special Interest Group Session describing my work investigating the equitable impacts of metacognitive coaching reports on Pre-PharmD students self-directed learning and exam performance, as well as present a poster through the organization’s Trainee Poster Competition. 

During this signature project, I learned a great deal about myself and the world. Specifically, I gained a deeper understanding of how higher education, from syllabus writing to curriculum planning to improving assessment markers to fostering student engagement, works from the professor and faculty perspective. As a student, I do not understand the inner complexities of being a professor. What I see is that the syllabus is too long or the test was confusing or that office hours are always too full or at inconvenient times. However, after attending this conference, geared towards pharmacy educators, I see all the behind the scenes work that goes into teaching and educating. I understand that it’s not just writing a syllabus before class opens or making a seemingly random assortment of test questions. Research over several years and independent studies all shape how a professor chooses to convey their material. Through this conference, I realized with greater understanding how teachers prepare their courses. I came to this realization from attending various workshops and sessions, as well as networking with fellow conference attendees. 

Throughout the conference, I had the opportunity to attend various sessions, such as “Promoting Adaptive Expertise in the Experiential Environment”, “How Can Pharmacy School Faculty Get Research from the FDA”, “Transforming the Curricular Culture of Medication Safety through Faculty Modeling”, and “Interventions to Improve Student Performance on NAPLEX and MPJE”. Through these sessions and many more, I realized with better clarity the amount of work, research, and planning faculty and staff puts into teaching each new generation of students. It was incredible to participate and interact with professors and faculty from around the country and see the passion they have for teaching and their desire to implement new and better pedagogical techniques in their classroom. And, as I usually view things from the student perspective, it was eye-opening to see how professors discussed their students and brainstormed what to do better in the coming years. For example, I attended a session that discussed how older teaching practices and strategies  are not always compatible with how newer students are learning material in schools today. Professors who have taught the same content the same way for 30 years might encounter students who have a completely different background than the students they first taught earlier in their career. This might lead them to the assumption that the quality of students has gone down, when, in reality, students are just learning material differently. These sessions all transformed the way I thought about the teaching profession and higher education. In addition, by presenting my own research and interacting with interested participants after, I once again gained a new perspective on the world of higher education. 

During the conference, I had the honor to present a poster and host a session titled “Equitable Impacts of Metacognitive Coaching Reports on Pre-PharmD Students’ Self-directed Learning and Pharmaceutical Science Exam Performance”. After this presentation and later during my poster session, I spoke to many faculty and staff that were incredibly interested in the research. They spoke highly of the data collected and how they planned to implement similar methods in their home institutions. Talking directly with faculty about the problems they face at their institutions and the great effort they put into overcoming those challenges, I once again realized the amount of behind the scenes work professors and professionals put into their work. Specifically, I spoke with a faculty member from Campbell University and she spoke so animatedly about how she wants to improve student outcomes, especially being a first generation college student herself and understanding the challenges she faced and many other students today continue to face. I realized the passion that goes in education and teaching the next generation of students. And, with these new revelations I realized I gained a new understanding of myself as well. 

Before attending the conference, I had come to the decision that academia and pursuing a PhD was not for me. I was unsure of the long schooling that accompanied the degree and I felt unimpassioned about research as a career. However, after seeing and speaking to educators and the different areas of research they worked in, I believe that notion changed. I have an incredible interest in improving systems to be more equitable and inclusive. For most of my high school and undergraduate degree, I planned to improve healthcare systems from the provider side, working as a pharmacist or other healthcare policy agent to help the patients in my community, ensuring equal and uninterrupted access to healthcare. However, this conference and my general research experience this year has illuminated the idea that equity can be driven from all points, including starting with how we teach students, the next generation of workers and changers. I am beginning to consider the idea of working long term in the pharmacy education field, exploring how we can best teach students and equip them to pursue their passions and ideals. 

This change is transformational because I have discovered many different avenues I can take my professional career. Previously, I thought I had to choose between being a pharmacist and pursuing research. I was torn between my desire to work at the frontlines of healthcare and with my passion to improve healthcare through policy and other institutional change. However, after attending this first research conference and seeing the diverse and multi-faceted careers different people have chosen was truly eye-opening. I have realized that PharmD does not necessarily only equal pharmacists in a conventional setting, such as a community pharmacy or hospital. PharmD holders can pursue research in almost any field or subject matter. With this new revelation, I will pursue my professional goals with the understanding that my interests can be combined to work together and complement each other, as opposed to being stand-alone passions. And, I would say that this STEP project has also helped me develop and discover new academic goals. From attending AACP, I have a great interest in pursuing all the different ways to make higher education more equitable. While my current research project investigates how coaching reports can be used to close achievement gaps in STEM education, I heard about so many more initiatives to integrate and ensure equity and inclusion are included in undergraduate and graduate level programs. For example, I attended a session on how the workplace can be structured to ensure “non-promotable tasks” do not fall on vulnerable groups, such as women in the workplace. I have a great interest in continuing exploring this topic independently.

1. For my STEP Signature Project, I did training to become a nationally registered EMT-B. This involved participating in a 5-week long accelerated learning program with Cleveland Clinic Akron General’s EMS Education department. This course consisted of classroom lecturing, simulation labs, written weekly exams, ambulance ride-alongs, and in hospital triage experiences.

2. My experience training to become an EMT has given me insight into the type of healthcare provider I will one day be. My understanding of the pre-hospital care provided by EMS was shaped by my experiences in this program. Before, I made the assumption that every call an ambulance responds to is the same. Now I understand that there are many types of calls that require different approaches and varying levels of certifications to effectively manage emergencies. Prior to gaining field experience, I was nervous that I would freeze up when faced by a medical emergency and struggle to treat patients. Lab simulations and extra practice with my classmates helped me gain confidence in my abilities to care for the sick and injured. During my ride alongs I had opportunities to practice my skills such as administering intranasal Narcan and providing bag-valve mask ventilations on an unconscious overdose patient. My quick response time and eagerness to assist the paramedics reminded me why I chose to study healthcare and sparked an interest in emergency medicine. The supportive atmosphere of instructors, classmates, firefighters, paramedics and nurses that I encountered during this class has allowed me to feel confident treating and managing patients.

3. While on ride-alongs with Akron Fire, I practiced taking vitals, performed other skills, and familiarized myself with patient care reports. I gained a better understanding of pre-hospital care provided by EMS personnel and came to recognize my role in stabilizing patients before care is transferred to a higher-level provider. Spending time with the firemen and paramedics at the station, I recognized the team dynamic that goes into EMS. The idea of working alongside people who I can trust with my life to attain a common goal became more appealing to me. I felt confident in my abilities and didn’t fear judgement when asking questions. My experience at the fire stations taught me how to put my skills into practice while maintaining a calm demeanor and building a relationship with my coworkers.

Observing the nurses, assisting with taking patient vitals, and addressing patient concerns at Akron General and Akron Children’s hospitals allowed me to understand why accurate patient care reports are important. The information provided to the hospital determines how urgently a patient is treated and can save lives and time when interventions are prepared before arrival. Interacting with the nurses and learning how to talk to patients were two important skills I learned from this experience. I initially thought that there was a set standard for approaching all patients but after observing in both adult and child triage units, I realized I was incorrect. Having challenging patient situations is something that I will encounter and need to know how to approach for all age groups. Watching the triage nurses approach these situations in a professional and non-judgmental manner changed my perception of challenging patients.

Lastly, the relationships I built with my classmates and the instructors at Akron General have taught me about the kind of individual I am and where I belong on a healthcare team. As previously mentioned, I had doubts about my ability to put away my own anxiety and care for a patient in need. Talking with my now close friends from class, I understand my fear was shared. Thankfully, we had some incredible instructors to reassure us, answer questions, and offer extra help with any areas of struggle. Learning about team dynamics through lab simulations was probably my favorite part of class. By the end of the 5 weeks, we all knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses and had developed effective communication skills to ‘treat’ our simulated patients.

4. My understanding of EMS and my role in caring for others has been shaped by my experiences during my STEP Signature Project. I feel prepared to put the skills within my scope of practice to use in the real world and hope to do that in a paid position. Being a pre-Physician Assistant major at OSU, I feel a lot of pressure to make myself a ‘competitive applicant’ when applying to graduate programs. Becoming an EMT with the help of this fellowship has opened up numerous opportunities that will give me the experience I need to be a competent provider one day. Many PA schools require that applicants have a minimum number of hours working a paid position in direct patient care. Using my certification, I can work as an EMT and learn how to provide the best care for patients while proving that I would succeed as a PA student.

On a personal level, the confidence I have gained from my STEP Signature Project is something I have the people I worked alongside to thank for. Healthcare has always been the only career path I have consistently been interested in. I’ve gained some experience with minor first aid being a lifeguard the past 5 years but nothing like the lifesaving interventions I got to practice on real patients with Akron Fire. I came to understand that some of the patients we were dispatched to were experiencing the worst day of their lives. The trust that was placed in me by the paramedics, nurses, and patients I encountered was the most transformative part of my experience. I am grateful to have been able to participate due to the help of the STEP Fellowship.

For my STEP project, I was in a phlebotomy class with about 20 students total for the past three weeks who were all looking to better themselves. People of varying ages, backgrounds, and life stages. All working hard to learn proper procedures, such as order of draw, waste disposal, and proper drawing techniques in such a way as to cause a minimal amount of discomfort with the help of our instructor.

In a course dedicated to a role in the healthcare field, one would assume that it would be all men. The healthcare field, like many other stem professions, is often male-dominated. But there was only one man, and he was a man of color at that. This course was the stark opposite of what I was used to at Ohio State and it was refreshing to see. 

There was no air of competition, no need to prove oneself. It was almost like a sisterhood. Over the days of us knowing one another, we all lifted each other up and supported the growth of our classmates. And in the end, every single person passed. This shifted my perspective of what a learning experience could be. Far less competitive and stressful when we all felt comfortable and worked together to grow and learn a new skill.

An older woman was taking the course with me. She had been working as an aide at a nursing home for many years. She was in her late 50s with multiple grandchildren and was getting bored of doing the same job so decided to make a change. She would often work with her dog, who was a registered therapy animal. She would bring her to class every once in a while and she was a very calming presence to have in the class. She initially struggled with drawing techniques and lamented that she was having a harder time memorizing the order of draw at her older age. I let her practice on me often and she made great improvement with a lot of practice. I found it very inspiring that she was deciding to learn something new and make a career change at what would be considered very late in one’s life, even though she initially struggled. 

There was another woman in the class, closer to me in age, who I coincidentally had a lot in common with. It was all really random, mundane things, like favorite foods, movies, and shared life experiences. But I thought that it was cool to have someone in class so similar to me, that I otherwise wouldn’t have met. We were similar not only in the little ways but in our career goals and motivations for wanting to better ourselves. We both were women of color hoping to gain valuable skills that would benefit us for the rest of our lives. I was the only student that was a fall risk in the class, since I’m a bit anemic, and she was always looking out for me to make sure that I was okay. I appreciated the amount of care she showed to someone that, in the grand scheme of things, she barely knew. 

Coincidentally, there was another Ohio State student in the course with me as well. She was a fellow pre-health student looking to learn a relevant skill to help her gain valuable work experience. We talked a lot about our shared experiences at Ohio State, our goals for the rest of our school and work careers, and what we thought about phlebotomy and the course. I found that our prior backgrounds in stem made the course a bit more interesting. We both already knew terminology and information such as the composition of blood, and elemental symbols and formulas. That sort of knowledge wasn’t exactly necessary, but it made the experience of building off of what we already knew a lot more fun. Like putting the last piece in a puzzle, it was satisfying to work through the new material through group review together. 

These experiences that I received through my course taught me the value of community and support in whatever endeavors I may find myself pursuing. This also taught me new lab techniques, such as the conditions in which certain chemical compounds need to be kept to remain stable. In the future, I hope to use this certification to get relevant employment and earn a decent wage to help pay for expenses during my gap year while I apply to schools. I greatly enjoyed my time with my classmates and instructor and I hope to have more experiences like this throughout my academic career.

My STEP signature project was a phlebotomy certification course. I engaged in 40 hours of class where I learned about the guidelines for a phlebotomy career as well as lab work where I practiced drawing blood on classmates. Following the 40 hours of coursework, I took a national certification exam and demonstrated my ability to draw blood on my mother and brother.

            This signature project allowed me to realize that I have the capability to face any experience that scares me. I entered into this project unsure of whether I would be able to draw blood when the time came. I was so terrified that I could seriously injure someone else and did not wish to cause unnecessary harm. I know that blood drawing is quite essential for many aspects of biological sciences and medicine, however, I did not believe that I would be able to complete this task. I made some really great friends through this class and we were able to support each other through the learning process.

            I feel really lucky that I was able to connect with other students who were also learning phlebotomy because I would have been horrified practicing this without their support. Their words of support and my instructors guidance allowed me to feel more confident in my abilities to draw blood. I was also able to learn proper bedside manner, which is essential in any healthcare setting. Although I still do not know if I could make a career out of drawing blood or if I would even be comfortable drawing blood on an expecting patient, I feel quite proud of myself for being able to complete a course that stretched me to my limits. This project has given me the confidence to face other activities that I may have feared before.

             On the first day of class, we started the morning by learning of some basic phlebotomy rules and the different tools that were essential to draw blood. After we took a break for lunch, we returned to the classroom and our instructor demonstrated how to properly draw. Then, she instructed us to try. On that first day, I was shaking horribly, which is obviously not something that one wishes to see when someone is about to poke your arm with a needle, but the sensation was shared amongst everyone in the class.

I watched about 5 different classmates miss a vein. Honestly, I had never had blood drawn before I entered this class and I did not know how I would react to this process. As I watched other classmates miss the vein and then practice on me, I almost passed out. The shock of this experience coupled with the fact that it was this person’s first time drawing blood scared me. After reorienting myself, I decided that I would be able to practice on one of my new friends. When it was finally my turn to go, I managed to draw blood and followed most of the proper steps, which I later perfected. I was so proud of myself for facing my fears even if I had not done everything perfectly.

 In the following weeks, I became more comfortable with the process of drawing blood. I managed to find the vein on most every try I took and tried to make the experience as minimally painful for my classmates. I also minimized my shakiness, which is quite essential in the phlebotomy field. I also made important connections with many of the members of the class. Most were in similar scenarios as me, which allowed me to feel even more comfortable in sharing my fears and plans. Connecting through shared experiences and future plans allowed me to feel less alone in my path. I have been feeling somewhat behind as I looked at my friends’ lives, however, I feel more secure in my goals after meeting people in all stages of life in this class. Although we were all different ages and doing this class for a wide variety of reasons, we all found some common ground. I feel like I now have a better understanding of what it means to all work at our own pace. I am thankful that my relationship with my classmates allowed me to become a better more confident phlebotomist.

 I wanted to complete this program because it would give me new skills and opportunities within the job market, but I think that the transformation that actually occurred was much more important. I have spent so much time recently fearing that I was not doing enough for my future and that I was behind when comparing myself to others. I was even unsure as to whether I could do this class because of my fears. This class has transformed me through allowing me to meet people who shared similar fears and have done many different things in their lives. Although I am still unsure as to what my future holds for me, I am certain that I will be able to figure it out. I have conquered at least one of my fears through this class and made unlikely discoveries about myself as well. I feel secure in the fact that I can conquer any fears that I may have and am sure that I will find what I am supposed to be doing no matter the stage in my life. This class has taught me a lot in terms of material as well as my own capacities.

1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project.

This summer I had the opportunity to take a five week phlebotomy certification class. I learned proper patient care, blood collection techniques as well as non-blood specimen collection and processing.

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project?

This project changed my assumptions and views on healthcare. I now have a grasp of the sheer knowledge it takes to be a healthcare worker. I also know about all the moving parts and each person’s role in making sure that patients receive quality healthcare. To be a healthcare worker is an extremely hard job and they truly deserve all the flowers!

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you?

In just five weeks, I had to amass so much knowledge in order to pass my certification exam. I had to learn proper patient identification, the proper way to perform a venipuncture, how to process specimens prior to sending them off to the lab and many more things. I realized that there are a lot of things that healthcare workers must know and they all must be done right as people’s lives are on the line.

I also came to the realization that no one is small in healthcare. I as a phlebotomist will collect specimens and process them. A lab technician will receive these specimens and perform tests and then produce results. A physician will then receive these results, interpret them, and determine a course of treatment. A pharmacist will provide medicine for treatment. My point is, everyone has their role and their part in healthcare. One thing going wrong in the process can mess up a patient getting the proper treatment. Everyone must work together for the good of the patient! Healthcare in general is an absolute machine.

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life?

This change is valuable for me because I plan on going to medical school to become a physician. I think it is better to learn these lessons early on rather than later. I also think that this program in general has grown my appreciation for healthcare workers even more. In addition, I think that knowing about the processes just gives me more perspective from a patient standpoint and will make me more willing to do my part as a patient.

For my step project, I got to travel to Joshua Tree, California, for two weeks to study yoga and get my 200hr YTT certification. Each day was filled with classes, lectures, workshops, and all-vegan meals. 

This program helped change my perspective on yoga, mindfulness, and wellness in general. Practicing yoga at a gym versus learning the history, philosophy, science, and lifestyle firsthand was an eye-opening experience. It changed my outlook on life, taking care of myself, and treating all life with respect. It allowed me to challenge my beliefs and trust my own body and opinions. It grew my confidence as a leader/teacher, and it showed me I can have confidence in my own inner strength. 

The physical challenge I endured was the first catalyst of change for me. Each day was filled with hours and hours of practicing yoga. On top of this, I was simultaneously training for OSU’s triathlon team, which meant going on long runs in the desert in my free time. Enduring the physical challenge through it all helped me feel good in my body. I was fueled each day with vegan cooking, which was also a new experience for me. The ability to feel good in my body, treat my body as a temple, and take care of myself was the first and most important step for change. In yoga, we believe physical preparation is a necessity for mental change. 

The relationships formed on the trip will also last a lifetime. I was surrounded by 14 women for two weeks, me being the only male-identifying person on the retreat. This alone helped me be open to embracing a feminine side of myself and forming strong relationships with the people around me. I learned so much from the strong and empowering women from all sorts of backgrounds on this trip. Together, complete strangers grew to become the best of friends in just 15 days. There were never conflicts, and we all learned that supporting one another along our journeys is such a beautiful form of love. 

Finally, the knowledge learned and put into use was invaluable. Learning from a complete export in yoga was beautiful. We studied philosophy, meditation, history, ethics, science, etc. It was a heavy course load that reminded me of the joy of being a student. It re-sparked a passion for learning in me. Additionally, learning how to teach others was a new and empowering experience. In my own way, I am a teacher now. 

All these aspects are so important to me from an educational, emotional, and professional aspect. I am studying computer science and psychology with a heavy interest in wellness. I will be able to apply this knowledge in my studies, and personal life, and hopefully carry it into my professional life. I have already had the chance to offer yoga classes at my summer job, and I hope to teach for a side job all throughout college. It has made me happier, healthier, grow as a leader, express myself, and all around grow in love. I am forever thankful and indebted to STEP for this unbelievable opportunity. 

My STEP Signature Project consisted of taking a State Tested Nursing Assistant class. This 13-day class taught me the correct way to interact with patients or residents through the lecture and skill portions of the class, as well as clinicals. I also learned useful skills that can be used in any healthcare setting and during the state test. 

 I am a Health Sciences major and am interested in a career in nursing, so this project gave me a glimpse into the nursing world. During my clinicals in a nursing home, I worked in the dementia/Alzheimer’s unit, so I got to see how these diseases impact daily living and their family members. This made me realize how short life is and how you never know what is going to happen to you or a loved one. Overall, this course confirmed my wish to help other people and pursue a healthcare career.  

For the three days, I had clinicals in a nursing home, one of my classmates and I were assigned a resident to care for. Ours was a woman with severe dementia who couldn’t ambulate or move on her own and had a catheter. She was a very sweet woman but every so often she would say things like, “Where am I?” and “I need to go home.” These comments made me sad and realize that she was most likely going to be in this nursing home and not living with her family for the rest of her life. Inside her room I saw lots of letters and pictures of her and her family, making me think about her life before she got sick and how her loved ones feel. This experience made me feel closer to the residents and want to help them even more. I wanted to make sure they felt comfortable and got to have the most freedom possible.  

The relationships I formed with my classmates during the STNA course contributed to the transformation I experienced. All the people in my class come from very different backgrounds. Their ages ranged from 17-55 years old, some had kids, some had full-time jobs outside of the health industry, and everyone had different career paths and long-term goals. It was very interesting talking to all these people and learning from their past experiences and their advice.  

Lastly, hearing from the nurse instructors about their job experiences and interactions with patients and residents encouraged me to continue the nursing/health sciences track. They also opened my eyes to the wide range of opportunities you get as a nurse. I could go into long-term care, home care, hospitals, or even education. My personal experiences with residents during clinicals and practicing the various skills allowed me to get more experience and learn more about how to care for people the best way I can. 

This transformation is significant for my life because this course directly relates to my academic and professional goals and plans. I feel more confident and educated about interacting with patients or residents. I also have learned about the body systems, aging, diseases, and more, which has pushed me in my academics. Before taking the course, I had never interacted with a resident before and I didn’t know the right way to care for someone, especially someone with dementia. I put myself outside of my comfort zone when I didn’t feel super confident, and I learned more about myself and the direction I want to take my future career goals. Although I don’t see myself going into long-term care, I have lots of respect for caregivers and people who work in this field. With the STNA certificate, I can work in the hospital and see if I like this setting more.   

1. My STEP signature Project involved obtaining an open water certification for SCUBA diving. To get this certification, I had to attend classroom sessions, practice pool sessions, and final certification dives. All of these activities allowed me to obtain my certification.

2. My views and understanding of myself and the world changed as a result of my signature STEP project. My view on the world changed when I experienced my first open water dive. During this, I was able to see an entirely new world and landscape under the surface of the water. It was full of plant life, fish, and other things left by humans. This whole new world changed my view by helping me realize that although things may seem simple, like the surface of the water, there is often much more below. My view on myself changed when I began to understand that dangers of SCUBA diving and the self control it requires. As a young individual, it is hard to think of the bad things that could happen to me. I sometimes see myself as invincible, yet this is not the case. After learning about how easily one can lose their life SCUBA diving I gained a new perspective on myself. I realized that I am not even remotely close to invincible and I need to be cautious when SCUBA diving to keep both myself and my peers safe. Keeping a level; head is extremely important in maintaining this safety. With this safety I can enjoy diving along with my peers.

3. The major event that helped change my worldview was when I fed a fish on one of my certification dives. On our second certification diver, my class and I descended to a platform roughly twenty feet below the surface. Here we practiced safety skills we learned in the pool in a real environment where they might be used. On this platform, many fish swam around my class and I. After we had finished our safety skills assessment my instructor handed me zebra muscles I crushed them up in my hand and fish swam up and ate the crushed muscles out of my hand. This was very eye opening to me because I was able to see and entirely new ecosystem and food chain take place right in front of my eyes. This positively affected my worldview because it helped me to realize how much is unseen from our perspective. Until we can change our perspective, we may not be able to see everything.

Two major events occurred that allowed me to gain a new perspective upon myself. The first event was a diving difficulty I had during our deep water pool session. In the deep water pool session, we descended to roughly twelve feet in a diving well to practice our safety skills. During my descent, I experienced a sharp headache in my temples and sinuses. Not know what to do, I panicked and swam to the surface quickly. This did not help; it worsened my condition. My instructor followed me to the surface and explained that I experienced sinus squeeze and if I had ascended slower, I would not have a headache any more. Unfortunately, this event required me to reschedule my deep water pool session as it was not safe for me to return to the bottom. This even affected me by reminding me how easy it is to lose sight of your training and injure yourself further. It really showed me how dangerous SCUBA diving is and that is is extremely important to keep a level head to stay safe.

The second event that helped me gain a new perspective on myself was a training exercise we performed in the deep water pool session. In this exercise, my instructor cut off my air supply completely. Once it was off, I had to find my SCUBA diving partner and ask them to help me breathe with their reserve air. This exercise required a lot of self control because it was extremely easy to panic and swim for the surface. However, I was able to maintain my composure, locate my partner, and breathe normally. Although this was terrifying, it showed me how keeping composed in dangerous situations can help keep you safe. Not only this, it also showed me the power in remaining calm in stressful situations. This is because it helps individuals to make good decisions. Overall, this affected me by showing how important self control and a calm head is in all situations.

4. These changes are extremely valuable to my life because they taught me two vital lessons. The first is the significance of a calm and composed demeanor. As an individual who struggles with anxiety, I have a hard time remaining calm and composed. However, my STEP project has shown me that by keeping calm I can make better decisions, even in stressful situations. The second in the value in changing my perspective. As a future engineer, I know I will encounter many problems throughout my career. Many of these problems will completely stump me. However, I know that if I can change my perspective, like looking beneath the waters surface, I will be able to see new was to tackle and solve these problems. These tools that I have gained from my signature STEP project are tools that I will use for the rest of my college career and life.

For my STEP project, I decided to attend a Wilderness First Responder course, taught by NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). During this course, we learned how to stabilize and treat patients in remote areas where we have no equipment or help. Given that the course was taught for very remote areas, we also learned how to distinguish between life-threatening and non-life-threatening conditions of patients. 

My understanding of medicine changed while completing my STEP Signature Project. In every scenario we practiced over the course, there were never oxygen bottles, Glutose, pain medicine, or IVs. It made me realize that, at its core, medicine is about comfort and fixing people. Currently, a lot of schools that teach medical professionals (nursing, PA, etc.) neglect to teach students how to bring comfort to the patient, and just how important comfort is. In this class, I realized comfort is sometimes all that we have to offer to patients, when the modern comforts of medicine are unavailable.

What mostly shaped my transformation were the medical scenarios that we practiced during my course. In each scenario, we only had what was in our daypacks to help the patient. Most of the time, it was a couple water bottles, a change of clothes, a headlamp, and a snack. There were several scenarios in which we could not help the patient further: head injuries, strokes, eye injuries. In those cases, we had to provide the patient with long-term patient care while “waiting for rescue to arrive”. Learning how to keep somebody comfortable for that long presented several difficulties: what about when they need to use the bathroom? How often are we really going to check their vitals? How are we going to keep them warm? It exposed me to a side of patient care that I rarely experience.

As previously mentioned, we had minimal “equipment” to work with. We cut patients’ extra clothes for cravats, and used cravats, branches, and extra (whole) clothing to improvise arm splints. We tied jackets to patients’ ankles to the nearest tree for traction splints. For a patient with a potential diabetic emergency, we had no Glucometer to check their blood sugar, so snacks were administered in case they were hypoglycemic. Working as an EMT, I’m used to improvising when it comes to equipment. But this was a new level, and it taught me a lot about what should go in my daypack and how valuable my skills are when there’s no equipment to work with.

In addition to this, it also taught me how to teach bystanders what to do. While there were no “real” bystanders in any scenarios, my peers played the part of bystander several times. In these situations, they acted clueless, messed up their tasks on purpose, and incorporated stress reactions into their performances. I learned quickly which tasks to give them, how to explain the next intervention to them, and how to prevent them from becoming another patient. 

Also, my peers and I worked together very well as a team. Most classmates worked EMS or were combat medics in the military, but there were several doctors, physician’s assistants, registered nurses, and clinical researchers. Listening to the sports medicine doctor’s input on splinting, the retired neurologist’s tips on head injuries/ strokes/ seizures, and the combat medics and paramedics tricks of the trade helped me to learn more about sicknesses and conditions that I see patients present with at my job. In addition to this, we recognized who excelled at which aspects of patient care, and assigned them those jobs. This helped the overall “flow” of patient care.

This transformation was significant to my life because I am employed in the medical field, and plan to be until I retire. Anything that improves my patient care, my assessments, or my interventions is a valuable experience. This class encouraged me to think about long-term patient care, and how to recognize a lot of conditions I don’t see a lot. For example, most of what I see at work are diabetic emergencies, septic shock, overdoses, and difficulty breathing. This class exposed me to different presentations of heat exhaustion, cold injuries, altitude sicknesses, allergic reactions, carbon monoxide poisoning, and much more. And, it taught me how to incorporate more comfort into my patient care. This will distinguish me from other medical professionals in the future, because half of medicine is comfort.

Traction Splinting

Preparing for Scenarios

Extrication

This summer I took a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) course at the Ohio Medical Career College in Dayton, Ohio. After passing the course, I went on to take the exam to officially become a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA).
When I started my classes, I never imagined myself working at a nursing home. My goal is to be at a pediatric hospital, but I can now say that working at a nursing home has changed my perspective on many aspects of life. I assumed that I would hate my job, and always view it as just a steppingstone until I’m able to transfer to a hospital. However, when I started working full time I was exposed to life paths I had never seen before. I personally don’t have any family members that are in nursing homes and have always been surrounded by the mindset that elders eventually move back in with their children. Being exposed to people who have been separated from their families for years and living in a facility reminded me of how strong the elderly are, regardless of sickness. I think most people, or at least me personally, subconsciously separate ourselves from those who are elderly or disabled. Working at a nursing home helped me to truly understand what people mean when they say they are more than just their disease, condition, or ailment.
At the nursing home I am full time at, there are residents who are blind, amputees, don’t speak English, or have mental disorders. I believe that if people aren’t exposed to these demographics, false assumptions will be made about them. Working at the nursing home has exposed me to these demographics. I like to think that I have expanded my world view beyond myself, but I am constantly learning more about the negative subconscious opinions that I have formed. Because of this, I am happy that I am working where I am, a statement that would be very foreign sounding if I was the same person I was a couple of months ago.
Surprisingly, the most enjoyable part of my job is working on the behavioral health unit. This unit includes residents with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other mental disorders. As a society, we disenfranchise these populations, make assumptions about them, what they deserve, and what they are capable of. I aspire to be a pediatrician because I believe that we also make these negative assumptions about children. It takes a certain kind of person to be able to have the patience necessary for working with children. I believe I am one of those people. Something I did not believe was that the patience and care that children need, people with severe mental disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, need as well. One example is attention to detail; when working with both children and people with Alzheimer’s, there is no room to be halfhearted, as sometimes both of these demographics cannot always voice to you that something is wrong. My coworkers would often be baffled when I would tell them that I wanted to go into pediatrics. However, I count this all as good experience, as I have learned more about how to connect to someone who is different than you for reasons they cannot control.
I am someone who loves to learn, and will always want to learn more. Working with a set of residents with a wide array of conditions has taught me plenty of lessons. I often think that I have learned enough on a subject, but working at this nursing home has taught me that there is always more to learn. Of course I thought that I’ve learned enough to not make disabled people feel weaker than what they are. I thought I learned enough to not judge someone based off of first glance. But I didn’t. People often believe that the only way to learn is by sitting in a classroom or reading a textbook. I am glad that I got to learn and fill the gaps in my understanding through real life experiences. It is one thing to say that you’ve read up on treating people with disabilities, versus actually treating people with disabilities. I had never been surrounded by people who are blind; who was I to assume that I knew enough to not offend them during care?
One of my goals in life is to be a pediatrician. I want to be a community leader and do my best to provide equity in healthcare. At my current age, I want to focus on gaining the experience of working in healthcare. Before applying to medical school I want to be able to say that I have truly educated myself on different demographics. I want to feel confident in saying that I have put in effort to learn what has to be done to bring more equity into healthcare. I am thankful that with my STEP funds I was able to gain a certification to start working in the field of healthcare.