Medical Careers plays vital role in Great Shakeout drill

The annual Great Shakeout earthquake drill occurred on Thursday, Oct. 19. Most students participated in the drill by hiding under their desks and then evacuating to the field, but students in the Medical Career class helped with the simulation by using their medical experiences to make the drill more realistic.

“The class gives you many skills to use all over campus,” said student Tiffany Lau.

The Medical Career course is run by Sue Anderson, and the students learn emergency training, basic first aid, medical terminology, and pharmacology.

“The class is very multi-faceted. It is a very vigourous class because in the medical field you need to know many things,” said Anderson.

The students would also get an opportunity to listen to guest speakers and go on field trips. Lau has gotten several of these chances, including a trip to Stanford.

“I wouldn’t have done Stanford if I wasn’t medically inclined,” said Lau.

Both former and current students relay positive experiences with the course, but don’t recommend the class for anyone not ready for its immense workload.

“It is an amazing class. The advice I give to anyone is don’t take the class if you aren’t interested in medicine. There’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it if you enjoy it,” said former Medical Careers student Cheyenne Marques.

With the materials and lessons the students have taken away from the class, they have found that they have become better prepared for their adult life and understand more about themselves. Both Marques and Lau recounted how they had begun to use medical terminology during doctor appointments.

“It gives you a privilege of advocating yourself to your doctors,” said Lau.

One of the recent events the class has helped out with was the Great Shakeout earthquake drill.

“This year, there were three Medical Career classes. We were in charge of search and rescue and running the first aid station,” said Lau.

Students look at the drill with a positive attitude. They liked the experience of putting their medical training to the test in a simulation.

“I really like the class, especially the drill. It was really good practice,” said student Joy Pihanna.

With bright gazes pointed to the future, both the students and Anderson are proud of the progress being made.

“We are more prepared than most schools for an actual disaster. Not only do we have the teachers, but also many able students,” said Anderson.