REHPS 2020 Austin Venard

As a medical laboratory science student, and being from the area, my placement in Martin was an exceptional experience. The first week of the program at Bennett County Hospital the staff threw me right in the action. I felt like I was welcome, as the staff went out of their way to show me all aspects of rural healthcare. The majority of my time was spent inside the lab, but I was also able to meet with the emergency room staff and Emergency Medical Technicians. What surprised me the most was how busy the emergency room was for how rural of an area Martin is.

During my second week I decided to branch out and meet with as much staff as possible. I was able to shadow a Doctor of Nursing Practice working in a clinic, a Radiologic Technologist, a Registered Nurse, and a Doctor of Pharmacy. With the COVID-19 Pandemic it was informative to see how different health care staff must adapt to keep themselves and their patients safe.

Normally, during the REHPS program students are expected to go out and explore the community but unfortunately this year that was not the case and I spent the majority of my time with hospital staff and my fellow student Jacob.

While we were only able to participate for three weeks, the REHPS experience was exceptional. Going into the program I never expected how much fun I would have. The memories I made in Martin will continue to influence my career as a Medical Laboratory Scientist. I am truly grateful for this opportunity to experience rural health care.