She could be the person who helps the accident victim in a ditch. She could be the person who saves the elderly lady who fell down the stairs. She could be the person who helps the patient getting airlifted to another hospital. 

This is the life of an emergency medical technician, and senior Brooke Drabek has recently joined this task force.

While completing her senior year with a full academic schedule, Drabek completed her night class to become an EMT. 

Classes were held twice a week at Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta. Throughout the 18 week period, Drabek, along with the rest of her class, finished 39 chapters to successfully take her midterm and final. She completed her testing on Dec. 19.

On top of classes, 72 hours of clinical (experience) are required to complete the training. During clinical, Drabek worked 12-hour shifts with Dubuque Fire, Paramount Ambulance, Mercy Hospital and Finley Hospital, all out of Dubuque. 

Her final was an adaptive test with around 100 questions. “It was stressful because it was a lot of stuff that I felt we didn’t learn in class,” Drabek said.

Drabek aspires to one day become an emergency physician.

“My mom inspired me to go into the medical field,” Drabek said. “When I was little, she worked at St. Luke’s Hospital (as a nurse), and when she came home, the smell of her clothes was comforting.”

Drabek plans to attend the University of Iowa with hopes of earning a bachelor’s degree in biology and continuing into medical school.

“I’ve gained more friends throughout this class,” Drabek said. “We have all gotten to know each other really well. It’s like we’re family.”