By Cole Klassen
Volunteer service is a big part of Tempe Prep. In fact, you have to have at least 10 service hours every year in high school. That means that everyone is going to have to volunteer, but where? Maybe your interests do not lie at a soup kitchen or at Feed My Starving Children.
Well, if you’ve got a desire to get into medicine, Emma Moriarty might have the program for you. Emma has been volunteering at Chandler Regional Medical Center, a part of Dignity Health, for three years now as part of the VolunTeen Program, which focuses on getting teenagers involved in medical and hospice work.
Emma had to go through a rigorous application process, including an interview and an essay, but she was eventually accepted. She started off simple, helping the patients after surgery and trying to make them feel more welcome and happier, but by her third year she’s moved up into emergency room and more serious issues.
She described it as “a very structured experience with everyone needing to do their jobs. If anyone messed up or slacked off the staff would jump on them immediately because the patient might have been hurt or even killed. It’s a lot of thinking on your feet and learning on the job, as they just throw you in there and expect you to figure it out as you go.”
While this is a high-stress situation, it really allows people to develop skills and experience, especially if you want to pursue medicine. When asked why she did it, Emma responded “Helping people has always been something I have striven to do. Ever since I was young, I tried my best to make hurt people feel happy, usually with candy, and sick people feel comfortable. As I grew older, I realized that the best way to apply my passion is through medicine. At 14, I began volunteering at a local hospital.
“Every year I volunteer, I learn more about medical fields and how to interact with patients. Because of the smiles and joy that surround volunteers, it’s a very rewarding job.”
So, if you’re ever looking for more hours or want to get some experience in medicine and caregiving, talk to Emma Moriarty.