Emma Kauffman – EMT Certification Internship

Hi, I am Emma Kauffman, and I have my internship with the New Holland Ambulance. It is actually for the EMT class there. I had my first internship shadowing the EMTs on the ambulance three days a week, and they, as well as my best friend, inspired me to take the class. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the medical field, loves helping people, and wants to volunteer in our community!

The class is on Monday and Thursday nights at the EMS station. We learn about a new topic nearly every night. So far we have gone over the basics of being in the Emergency Medical Service, lots of anatomy and physiology, patient assessment, a variety of medical issues people may call us for, and much more. It is a fairly vigorous class that requires lots of studying, but it is fully worth it. I have also made many friends in the class that I would not have met in any other way.

Each night we take a quiz on the topics we have recently gone over or medications that we will be using in the field. Then we have lectures, and sometimes skill labs. My favorite lab so far was when we got pig hearts and lungs from a local butcher and learned about their anatomy. We also intubated the pig and got oxygen back into its lungs, turning them from purple to pink again. It showed the impact we can have on the human body, as our organs are similar to a pig’s. We have also had skills labs to learn different techniques to transport patients and how to assess patients. This class is preparing me to be an EMT in the future, which I believe will help me to be a better physician assistant, as I plan to be after college. I am very excited to be a part of the medical field because of this internship.

I am extremely excited to see where this class leads me in life. I believe I will love being an EMT and physician assistant. I have also enjoyed making new friends from my class and learning the people and “adulting” skills that have come with my internship. The New Holland Ambulance Association is a great place to learn and grow in an encouraging community, as I have found throughout this school year. My education will serve me well in years to come.