ON THE FRONTLINES:
Life as a New York City EMT During COVID-19 By Lindsey Derrick
W
hen the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading across the country, it brought along numerous changes within the world of medical education. Beyond having much of their regular learning moved online, medical students of all ages found themselves eventually on the frontlines fighting the virus—from administering vaccines and tests to working in PPE during their rotations, they got a hands-on, unprecedented learning experience. For one second-year student at the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, facing the pandemic head-on was a reality before she even entered medical school. Prior to March of 2020, Maddy Wetterhall was working as an EMT running 911 calls in Dekalb County. When the pandemic hit, the Office of Emergency Management asked for volunteers who were able to be deployed with FEMA. Wetterhall signed up and learned she would be deployed to New York City. “We had no idea what to expect,” said Wetterhall. “We didn’t know if we would have to fly or drive up, if we would be living out of our ambulances, and didn’t know what our role would look like up there. We knew we were going into the hot zone of an incredibly contagious virus. We knew it was dangerous and something that we could possibly die from, but as emergency medical care providers, that is what we do. We overlook that fear and go into emergency situations and try to help in any way that we possibly can.”
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The PARTNERSHIP PULSE — 2021 Issue
