News Release American Red Cross of Greater Columbus 995 E. Broad Street � Columbus, OH 43205 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lynn Householder (111) 111-1111 Laura English (222) 222-2222 OSU Med Students Learning Valuable Lessons Outside of Class January 12, 2006 � They may not be treating trauma patients or performing critical procedures, but OSU medical students are learning valuable lessons as volunteers for the First Aid Service Corps, a program run by the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus. Here, the students learn lessons from real-world experience, such as how to respond quickly in a situation and how to talk to and assess individuals in pain and discomfort. First Aid Service Corps is a group of volunteers who attend Columbus events to provide first aid to attendees and employees. From summer festivals and OSU sporting events to concerts at the Value City Arena, these volunteers are trained and prepared to handle a number of situations. Ben Hull, Keith Craig, and Wilawan Nopkhun are among the volunteers who are first year medical students at the Ohio State University. Ben and Keith have been volunteering since November of 2005 and Wilawan will begin as soon as she completes her training. As a requirement for the OSU medical program, students volunteer for an organization of their choosing. These students chose the American Red Cross because of the organization�s outstanding reputation and the training supplied. The basic training required to volunteer for First Aid Service Corps involves receiving certifications for adult CPR, standard first aid, and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) use. Keith points out, �We will be doing similar training later on for school. By then it will be like review, so the Red Cross training we are getting now is a big stepping stone.� He also points out that interviewing patients to asses their symptoms is important, and that this is excellent practice. Ben, who has an interest in emergency medicine, sees value from a different viewpoint. He says, �For me, it�s interesting to see what a patient goes through before they arrive in the E.R. It�s valuable to see the full spectrum of their experience.� Although Wilawan has yet to attend an event, she has been able to see the value of the knowledge she will be gaining. �I was impressed with the number and diversity of people wanting to get trained.� She has volunteered informally at Children�s Hospital in the past and she is excited about this hands-on -more- American Red Cross � Add One experience. With all the reading and studying these students have been doing, they find it refreshing to volunteer and gain field experiences in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. So far the focus has been basketball season and these students are eager to participate in the summer�s festivals and events. Although they are not sure how long they will volunteer, each plans to volunteer with the Red Cross beyond their required 12 service hours. �It feels good to contribute something positive,� says Ben. It looks like these three compassionate and eager volunteers are on the right path to becoming compassionate, eager, knowledgeable doctors. The American Red Cross needs more First Aid Service Corps volunteers. Visit http://columbus.redcross.org or call 253-2740 X2427 to learn how you can become part of the team. The American Red Cross of Greater Columbus is dedicated to helping make families and communities safer at home and around the world. Sustained by nearly 600 volunteers, the Red Cross provides assistance to more than 400 families each year after home fires and other disasters strike. Last year the organization trained and educated more than 63,000 area residents in vital lifesaving skills like first aid, CPR, and how to prepare for emergencies. The Red Cross also sent more than 900 emergency messages between members of the military and their families. The community transportation program provides rides to medical appointments for seniors and individuals with disabilities, logging more than 14,000 trips last year. All these programs and more are made possible by the donations of time and money from the greater Columbus community. ### |