MEET THE MEDICS
Andrew Motz is a mechanical engineering major at Massachusetts Institute of Technology , where he ’ s also in Navy ROTC and works as an EMT with the MIT ambulance service . This summer he decided to put that training to good use with Team Rubicon .
Motz deployed to the Navajo Nation operation not once but twice — for 10 days each time — where he served as an EMT at the Alternate Care Site in Chinle , the ERs at Chinle and Kayenta , and with the EMS offices in Kayenta and at Inscription House Health Center .
What was the most important thing you learned during your time at the Navajo Nation ? This opportunity was very eye-opening in regards to what rural medicine looks like . I live in Seattle , where we have Harborview and Swedish Medical centers ; on top of that we have Seattle Children ' s Hospital . I also work and go to school in Boston where there are five Level 1 trauma centers in our service area . So , it was really eye-opening to see how rural clinic medicine worked , and to see how things change when your closest medical facility is an hour away . It has really been revealing to see how much harder it is to get good medical care when living in such rural areas .
How did your service at the Navajo Nation change you ? What this op made me realize was how much of an effect we can have on people just by being there . Even when we had slow shifts , the locals , especially on the EMS side , were grateful for us being there . Our presence allowed them to take days off and rest , something that they hadn ’ t had in months . And it showed them that they ’ re not alone . Specifically in the EMS system ; especially at Inscription House . They had a lot of individuals come down sick , or quit because they didn ' t want to have to worry about exposure . They were really short staffed .
I think what we did there actually made a difference , but to me the best takeaway was from my time at Inscription House : the positive effect we had on their morale ; that we were there to help and that they weren ' t in it alone .
16 E3CAMPING . COM