EMT Standout Students
Faith Berube
Not many people can say they completed the first, major step in their career before finishing high school. Faith Berube can. Faith graduated from the EMT Basic Certificate program at Massasoit Community College during her senior year of high school. That important step gave her a huge jump start in the career she is pursuing in emergency medicine.
Faith discovered her passion for health care as a patient in an ambulance. During her sophomore year in high school, she suffered from a breathing condition. While being transported in an ambulance, Faith was fascinated by the work being done by the EMTs and paramedics. Her brother-in-law had graduated from the Paramedic Program at Massasoit and introduced Faith to Scott Meagher, director of the Paramedic Program. Faith enrolled in the EMT Basic Certificate program as a jumping-off point for a career in the medical field. She excelled in the classroom and was identified as a stand out by instructor, Nastassia Swanson.
Faith will take the EMT national exam in July 2019, when she turns 18. She intends on enrolling in the Paramedic Program at Massasoit in the fall 2019 semester. From there, she will have a number of options. She could work as a paramedic or perhaps a fire fighter, or she may even enroll in Massasoit’s Nursing Program or another health care certificate program. Regardless, emergency medicine is her end goal. Faith encourages others to consider the EMT Basic Certificate program as a starting point for their career in health care. “Choosing Massasoit and this program to start my education as an EMT was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
Donald Simpreus
I have always felt my personal life’s mission was to serve others. While attending Providence College, studying biology, I worked part-time at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island. Working in the medical field exposed me to the EMS profession and a physician I worked with suggested I pursue a career as an EMT as it would be an invaluable experience toward my goal to become a Physician Assistant.
Exposure to the field would provide real-world medical scenarios, providing insight into patient care in high-pressure situations. This would build the foundation for understanding the patient’s perspective. I wanted to diversify my clinical experience, and EMS provided critical hands-on exposure with a wide range of medical situations and emergencies that I know will benefit my continued learning.
Financially, the course cost would be difficult to manage, so I called the Community Education department to seek out my options. Knowing my financial dilemma, the staff let me know about a grant-covered program that had opened up with available seats. I couldn’t believe it! The grant covered the tuition, plus provided a stipend, which allowed me to take the class and helped me to save money to buy a car, the same one that I am still driving today!
As I continue my undergraduate education, I am now working as an EMT. I have met some of the most honorable people who save lives every day. Each shift is a chance to learn and make a difference. My career in EMS pushes me forward with discipline and purpose and has been a wonderful opportunity that has fulfilled my personal mission to serve others. I continue training in all aspects of emergency care, becoming more comfortable with 911 calls, and managing my own patients during lights and sirens calls, as well as driving the ambulance in those situations. You name it, I’m working on mastering it!
The EMS profession demands the utmost respect. You need a strong balance of mental and physical endurance to handle the challenges you face. Once you adopt that mindset, everything else falls into place! The Basic EMT course at Massasoit Community College has not only provided me with the steppingstones I need to continue toward my educational goals to become a Physician Assistant, but it provided me with an instructor who actively worked in the field, bringing real-world experiences to our classroom. The instructor had a major impact on me and was always available for the class.
When asked what he would say to students who are thinking about taking this program, Donald responded: “I want to say to you, take it! It is an opportunity to discover what you are capable of and of possibility. This field teaches you resilience, and you won’t regret where it takes you!”