Final Service Learning Blog

• As an educated, privileged citizen in our society, what is your role in creating a society rooted in equality and justice? Do you feel you have a responsibility and why or why not?
• What have you learned about yourself and what are your future plans? 

While working with the Lake Charles SRT Team as a medic, I feel that my service learning time was a great success. As a volunteer and commissioned officer I was able to provide medical support and participate in training with the SRT. It was an honor to be a part of this team in meeting my communities needs as well as providing medical attention and protection to this team as they protect and serve! I worked to provide medical support during training missions and during operational missions including serving arrest warrants and drug raids. It was exciting to be a part of the team and train along side them. I was exposed to an underserved population of community leaders and protectors as well as exposed to those people in society who take, steal, and rob and have no interest in just or equality. It is difficult to grasp the idea of serving the community and those around us, while realizing that some if these individuals are simply playing by their own rules. Many of those who are hurt or victimized by criminals are vulnerable and underserved, and as one may imagine quite diverse. From rich to poor and all races, we dealt with different cultures and beliefs on every operation and even within the team members.

I believe I have a large responsibility in the provision of good medical care to my patients, the SRT team and the community as I serve along side the SRT team members. More important than providing good care is in educating those persons on better health behaviors and helping them to understand their responsibility in their own care. Justice is created, not by giving free services and things to people, but rather in providing education and giving of oneself in a caring manner. This can create a society that is better educated and understands that consumption requires labor as well. If we are to make poor health choices (freely) then those around us should not have to pay for our choices. It is difficult but education and responsibility are the two main weapons in creating equality and justice. It will be difficult for everyone to understand these ideas but it can help to move in a direction of better health choices, better health outcomes, and decreased healthcare costs. It is funny how this mirrors many of the situations in society that I have been exposed to while working with the SRT team. Those who take and hurt others for their own selfish wants, create higher costs and problems for those who are trying to live in a manner that is respectful and considerate of others. It is the good people in society and those like the Lake Charles Police officers who are working hard to balance the scales of justice and equality.

In the future, it is my hope to continue to be a part of the SRT team as a medical provider and trainer. I believe it is a responsibility of mine to give back to society. I am blessed and privileged and understand the needs and problems that surround me. I do not take this obligation lightly, but I haven’t taken the 9 years of hard work in educating myself to be in this position lightly either! I will continue to press forward and educating patients and giving compassionate care to everyone I come in contact with in my professional role and my role as medic for the SRT Team!