KRISTI KOTENBERG
Kristi is a current B.I.S. student (Health Studies, Criminal Justice, and Child Psychology) who is currently engaged in research on the effects of digital photography on emergency room physicians. WHAT SHE'S WORKING ON…
I am working with emergency room physicians Jeffery Ho and Laura Bultman on research investigating the impact of on-scene digital photography on receiving emergency room physicians. I have the assistance of about forty-two undergraduate and medical school students interning at Hennepin County Medical Center as research associates (www.hcmced.org), and we ride along with the HCMC ambulances collecting pictures from scenes such as car accidents and falls. We then transfer the pictures to our computers in the emergency department, and after the physician in charge of the patient completes her/his initial evaluation, we show the physician the pictures and she/he completes a data sheet as to whether or not their care will change based on the additional photographic evidence of the pre-hospital scene. These pictures help relate the severity of the mechanism with which the patient was injured by, and also help the doctors to visualize the scene better to provide enhanced care. In addition to receiving an Undergradute Research Opportunities Program (UROP) grant for my study this summer, I have been given the rare opportunity to ride along with some of the country's finest paramedics to expand my knowledge base and relate my experiences to the classes I am taking to complete my BIS such as Anatomy, Killing, Domestic Violence, and Cognitive Development.
Currently, I am working as an EMT. In the future, I hope to teach and practice Emergency Room Medicine.
THOUGHTS ON BIS…
My work as an EMT is in an uncontrolled environment, so having a background in Criminal Justice is helpful, and there are often cases involving children (where Child Psychology is beneficial) which not only tug on the heartstrings but require a special sort of attention and detail. This off-campus experience draws on the knowledge I have gained taking classes such
as Killing, Domestic Violence, Medical Ethics and Cognitive Development within my BIS degree. Another class in the Center for Spirituality and Healing department, Health in the Developing World, focused on the incomprehensible hardships that plague most of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. I was able to apply this compassion and concern to some of our own communities in the Twin Cities area. Not only do I get to see the lessons taught in classes such as these in the "real world" I am able to apply those lessons and help people in life or death situations in the pre-hospital emergency medicine field.
ADVICE FOR STUDENTS…
I would highly encourage finding an area that interests you and research to find an internship or volunteer experience to help compliment your BIS degree. Not only will you be able to apply the lessons learned in the classroom to real life situations, but the experience you gain and the connections you make will be priceless for your future. Look into volunteering at your local hospital, church, or shelter. Most places are more then willing to receive volunteers of any nature, and are often very flexible about hours and commitment level. I know my internship at HCMC helped me to solidify what my true passion and interests are, and it also helped me to explore and delve further to discover if I was really "good at it." You will never know if you will succeed in a job or other placement, unless you try it out first and see if the shoe fits. Doing so will help you focus your further BIS studies more specifically and help to design a major that is perfect for you and your goals. What better time to do it then now?
