“When I started working as a para- “吀栀e di昀昀erence in working in EMS and medic, I realized how much I enjoyed some of the other allied health sciences the personal connections I made with is that if you go far enough in EMS, you patients while I was in the ambulance. are the decision maker on the ambu- I enjoyed how much I was able to help lance, and there is no faster way to get them so that solidi昀椀ed how much I to that point than EMS,” stated Masters. wanted to do medicine,” Masters said. “To be able to do a yearlong certi昀椀cate program or even a two-year associate “From a professional standpoint, when program and then to be able to be in an I went to interviews and could talk independent decision-making role and about the things that I was able to do in a leadership role, I think it’s a pretty saving patients – starting IVs, making expedited path.” diagnostic decisions on the ambulance, coming up with quick treatment plans Before entering medical school, Mas- down to become a psychiatrist.” – when I was able to talk about that in ters also gained experience teaching interviews, it was extremely helpful for EMT Basic at Robeson Community Residency he says is a lot of work, but me.” College to students at Lumberton High he’s enjoying it. School and UNC Pembroke. It was an 吀栀e experience from being a paramed- opportunity for Masters to develop “It’s an accumulation of my experienc- ic also gave him a competitive edge in relationships and serve through EMS in es,” Masters says. “I’m doing some good getting into medical school, which as a greater capacity. and engaging with interesting people Masters says, wasn’t an easy process. and interesting material and I feel that I “I liked all the folks that I interacted am able to make a di昀昀erence.” “Having worked in medicine, when with in the EMS system throughout people are interviewing for medical Robeson County, it is really a great 吀栀e ability to make a di昀昀erence is the school, they say ‘吀栀is is what I think community of people who are really reason he started on this journey to I would like about medicine,’ but they sharp and know what they are doing,” begin with. hadn’t had as thorough an experience Masters said. “I think that in and of as I had had, so I wasn’t speaking in hy- itself makes it worth it, the community Masters and his wife plan to move back potheticals, I was speaking in concrete you build and the skills you learn and to North Carolina near Charlotte once terms,” Masters stated. “And I think that how fun the job is… it’s very high- they both complete their residency was helpful for me too, being able to paced.” at Vanderbilt. His wife is currently a give concrete examples from working resident OBGYN, they met while in as a paramedic.” As a student at RCC, Masters says, “I medical school. loved my instructors, I felt like they had Serving on the ambulance and working the practical experience and the theo- “My experience as a student and then as a paramedic also gave Masters con昀椀- retical knowledge that taught me ev- later working at Robeson Community dence as the decision maker, a preview erything I needed to know while I was College was excellent,” Masters said. “I to what being a doctor would be like there… your preceptors are all really think Robeson County is a really great one day. outstanding folks too, I think that’s im- place to learn EMS and all the a昀케liates portant to say… you do like 500 hours of Robeson County are great… just a “A lot of people who become EMT ba- on the ambulance and in the emergen- good environment for learning.” sics will work as nursing assistants, but cy department, everyone I worked with to work in that paramedic role where was very knowledgeable… they were Seats are still available in the EMS you are the decision maker, you know great to learn from.” degree program at Robeson Commu- how to read EKGs and you know how nity College, as well as in the upcoming to do a lot of di昀昀erent things already, it Currently, in residency with 2 years EMT continuing education course. kind of puts you in a step above the rest and 11 months le昀琀 to go, Masters says Classes begin January 8. If you would of the competition getting into med that although he pivoted to psychiatry, like to learn more, please contact Ken- school, which is a really di昀케cult thing “there are still links to EMS and things ny Locklear at [email protected] to do otherwise,” Masters said. that make sense to me, and being a or 910-272-3404. You can also visit our paramedic helped me to narrow that website at www.robeson.edu/ems. 9