Ethan Tomlinson - University of Louisville - Brown Fellows Class of 2015Looking Ahead – Governor’s Scholars Program and Baptist Health

Past ExperiencesPrior to this summer, I spent approximately

seven weeks in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where I worked as a medical intern at a local hospital, clinic, and alongside EMTs of La Cruz Roja. Additionally, I spent much of my time taking Spanish classes with PACE MedSpanish in order to continue my work towards achieving fluency. In the midst of these experiences, I enjoyed the cultural wealth of San Miguel de Allende and was most fortunate to explore the city, meet new friends, and fall in love with the vitality and beauty of Mexico.

In the summer of 2012, I began my explorations of the Spanish language through my coursework at UofL and my first enrichment project in Panama and Costa Rica. In hopes of furthering my fluency and Spanish written and oral skills, I studied at local universities in both countries for a grand total of seven weeks. In that time, I not only learned the language but was able to appreciate the cultures of Panama and Costa Rica. Through weekend explorations of these Latin American countries, I saw great natural beauty, yet I also achieved a rudimentary awareness of the cultural differences that characterize our world.

Life as a GSP RATo begin my final enrichment project, I relocated to

Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, where I worked as a Resident Advisor for the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program. In the six weeks following my arrival, I experienced what I can only describe as endless, unadulterated fun. My time in Murray was absolutely incredible. From campus-wide water balloon fights, GSP Olympics, and sporting events to talent shows, dances, and field trips, GSP Murray offered engagement and excitement.

However, being a Resident Advisor entails more than simply having fun. As a first-year RA, I was graciously gifted the largest hall on campus, twenty-eight boisterous high school seniors. I was responsible for their well-being, punctuality to class and hall meetings, attendance of convocations, and success in the community. It was a difficult job to say the least. To be a leader of young people, it is necessary to be a role model, both behind the scenes and before the very people being led. As such, this summer served as an excellent opportunity to practice the leadership skills I have acquired through numerous development programs and mentoring relationships. Though I am seeking a career in medicine, I believe I would like to return to the classroom one day; this experience, which I shared with some of the brightest high school students in Kentucky, reaffirmed my desire to teach and share my love of learning.

Baptist Health Louisville

For the second part of my final project, I sought a position with Baptist Health Louisville as an orderly in Surgical Services. By definition, an orderly is a healthcare worker who is responsible for non-medical patient care. Within surgery, orderlies are responsible for transporting patients to and from the OR. In this task, they must be able to juggle several different jobs at once, all the while making sure that the patient is cared for and aware of what is transpiring. As such, orderlies much be:

• proficient communicators• self-starters• oriented to detail • unafraid to ask for help• knowledgeable about equipment and various medical

supplies • empathetic and friendly • willing to work in concert with technicians, nurses, and

physicians

Aside from transporting patients to and from surgery, orderlies stock supplies, refill medical gas tanks, make beds and stretchers, dispose of dirty linens, obtain medical instruments or equipment, and interface with members of radiology, pathology, the laboratory, the blood bank, the ER, and other sectors of the hospital. In a way, it would be accurate to say that orderlies are patient ambassadors. They are integral members in the chain of patient care within surgery and represent the front line for fielding patients’ questions and reporting on patient status prior to operation.

Leading a SeminarAside from supervising scholars, a GSP RA has many other

responsibilities. Some of these duties include participating in special committees to coordinate events throughout the program, performing rounds, writing in Talk Back Books, and most importantly, planning for seminar. Seminar is a highly unique aspect of GSP because it is one of the only programmatic features of the program in which the RA is entirely in charge. Each week of seminar has a theme, yet it is at the discretion of the RA to plan and direct the seminar as he or she sees fit. While the discussions in seminar begin with introductions, icebreakers, and other team-building activities, the conversation grows much deeper, and occasionally controversial, as scholars discuss values, morals, religion, culture, stereotypes, politics, college, and more. As a first year RA, I learned how to navigate such debates with tact but also appreciate and understand others’ opinions and ideologies. Additionally, I recognized the value of stepping back and practicing passivity as the scholars embarked on personal journeys of self-reflection and discovery.

Miscellaneous BenefitsAside from what has already been mentioned, working as

an RA at GSP Murray presented itself as a unique experience in a number of ways. As a result of my participation in GSP, I was able to:

So...why am I an orderly?My desire to become an orderly stemmed from one pivotal

motivation: to immerse myself in the clinical application of medicine in order to gain experience and gauge the authenticity of my interest. I have shadowed several physicians in the past, yet the process of truly immersing myself in medicine began with my second enrichment project in Mexico in the summer of 2013. I so thoroughly enjoyed my experiences with physicians and EMTs there that I knew I needed to continue my involvement in the medical field during my final project. Now, I find myself working in perhaps the best hospital system in the state of Kentucky, and I am enthralled by my work every day. I want to say thank you to the James Graham Brown Foundation as well as my mentors at the University of Louisville for their financial, moral, and emotional support, not only in this most recent project but also the three that preceded it. The Brown Fellows Program has framed my entire college experience, and I am deeply grateful for the wonderful lessons and experiences that were made possible by this truly unique and amazing program.

• Explore Paducah with my fellow RAs on our days off.• Network with teachers and RAs from all over Kentucky.• Volunteer at a nursing home with my seminar.• Understand Kentucky from a different cultural and geographic

perspective.• Make a positive impact on a future generation of Kentuckians.