Students receive unique lessons during emergency medicine rotation

Students gain a lot of practical knowledge through clerkships. They get hands-on training in a variety of fields, hone their clinical skills and see the concepts learned in classrooms put into action.

Some even learn how to put out house fires.

That was the experience of third-year medicine students Michaela Stamper and Dean Snelson during Doctor’s Day with the Cleveland Division of Fire.

“Dean and I were invited to participate as M3s as we are currently doing our emergency medicine rotations at MetroHealth Main Campus,” Stamper explained. “We were incredibly grateful to be included!”

According to Lt. Michael Norman, public information officer, Cleveland Division of Fire, Doctor’s Day is held annually for residents in emergency medicine. “They come to the Fire Training Academy to get a feel for the work that happens before patients arrive at the ER,” he said. “They experience the weight of the gear, they lift ladders and deploy hose lines, use the tools and techniques for removing people from motor vehicle accidents, perform a search and rescue drill, etc.”

A transformed perspective

So what was the best part for the students?

“For me the best part was hearing stories and advice from the various fire fighters training us,” said Stamper. “Listening to their experiences was both educational and entertaining and I have such great respect for them and what they do.”

She added, “I also feel I have a transformed perspective of what patients’ experience in the field. It gives new meaning to descriptors like ‘prolonged extrication’ that often come attached to a patient arriving in the ED.”

For Snelson, the best part was “seeing behind the scenes what our EMS providers go through to get patients sent over to us, and how failure to obtain the correct labs or proper documentation during transport can be due to a variety of factors outside of their control,” he said.

Emergency medicine is currently at the top of Snelson’s list of career choices. Stamper is still considering it among other areas.

“This type of experience was really second to none for both of us as it not only gave us hands on training and experience, but highlighted how emergency medicine works with various aspects of the community first responder team to provide excellent care for patients on some of the worst days of their llves,” she noted.

That takeaway is one of the reasons why the fire department hosts Doctor’s Day.

“The fire instructors enjoy working with the young doctors and we hope the experience is memorable and valuable for them in their careers,” said Lt. Norman.