Inside the ER: EMRAP Round 2 (Overcoming Obstacles)

As I have talked about before, I struggle with approaching doctors and being more social in the ER. As long as I do my job, I think that I am doing great things with my internship. However, there are times when there is no one to be consented for my clinical research, and this is a great time to socialize with medical staff. Yet, I am always so scared and shy because I feel that I would just be hampering their time. So, over the past few weeks, I have been trying to change that. During downtime, I walk around and ask doctors if I can shadow them. Some would decline politely, others would say yes but forget, and some say yes and take me everywhere. By shadowing doctors, I am able to be more confident with myself and am able to pass the time more quickly during slow days in the ER. At home, I would think of potential questions that I can ask the doctors when I shadow them, and this has been a great help for me. Also, when I am feeling shy, I use one of the audits to walk around and observe the medical staff; by doing so, I am able to make myself present and more visible. Being more visible is key because eventually someone says hi! I have met new nurses and doctors this way, and I am more comfortable to approach them now. I also would go into the break room and chat with whoever is on break; I learned that this is a great way to talk to people without being a burden on their work or their time. During the summer, I used my downtime to study for my MCAT, when I should have used it to network and shadow the medical personnel. Now, I am learning how to communicate with the medical personnel, and I hope that I continue to develop my confidence and networking skills. 

Inside the ER: EMRAP Round 2 (Getting to Know Your Colleagues/Mentor)

Over the summer, I became very close to Nimra, one of the contingent chiefs. She served as my mentor that guided me through certain requirements for my job. However, she left EMRAP to work in the ER as a patient care technician, and I am so happy for her. A patient care technician is someone who helps nurses with daily tasks, such as taking blood and taking care of the patient’s needs. I have asked her for advice regarding the technician job because I have been considering getting a similar position for my gap year. She told me that I needed to get CPR/First Aid certified in order to apply for the job. Thanks to her, now I will be taking a course during winter so that I can apply for a patient care technician job in the ER.

Hiba is the best!

During these past few weeks though, I have become extremely close with Hiba, the other contingent chief. She has shared her experiences with me regarding her MCAT, her applications to med school, and EMRAP in general. She is always around during my shift, and we get coffee and chat about her med school application process and also about life in general. She has given me advice regarding my re-taking of my MCAT and also about my job at EMAP. She is pushing me to be more social with the doctors and nurses because I always see her greeting so many staff that I do not know. I would love to be a contingent for EMRAP during my gap year, and she has been showing me how to do that. She has taught me how to be more confident during my consent processes. She also has taught me how to engage others, and she has pushed me to take on more tasks at EMRAP. For instance, I am doing an extra audit that only Jake and I are doing because Hiba advised me to “make the most of the internship.”  Moreover, she has been a great friend as well! We have watched Boy Meets World during downtime during my shifts, and we bond over food and coffee! She has been a great mentor, and I hope that she gets into medical school! I admire her humbleness, intelligence, and perseverance. She is often quiet, but that is because she thinks about what she wants to say before saying anything. She is so much fun to be around because she talks about social justice and she also talks about movies that I would really love to watch. Hiba also is willing to try new experiences, and I am glad to help her out regarding certain situations. Thank you Hiba!

Hiba and I coming up with fun names for the EMRAPers