Sophomore Henry Lunger won’t officially declare his major until the spring, but he’s already gained experience and earned certifications that will set him apart as he pursues a career in medicine.

Lunger spent part of his summer completing a 200-hour EMT and Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Course through the National Outdoor Leadership School at Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus in Lander, Wyo.

The combined program allowed him to earn two certifications in a short span of time while getting hands-on experience in a medical setting—and encountering a brand-new landscape. 

“I had never been as far west as Wyoming, and exploring and immersing myself in the outdoors was a great experience,” Lunger said. 

Read more about his experience below.

Lunger spent the month of May completing a 200-hour EMT and Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course through the National Outdoor Leadership School at the Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus in Lander, Wyo. Photo provided by Henry Lunger.

In addition to gaining hands-on experience, Lunger said one of the most fascinating aspects of his experience was exploring the landscape of rural Wyoming. Photo provided by Henry Lunger

Each week, students would simulate a mass casualty incident: some students would volunteer to act as patients, and others would plan and execute a backcountry rescue mission. Photo provided by Henry Lunger.

In addition to preparing him to succeed in an accelerated class, Lunger said F&M's tight-knit community prepared him to make friends with classmates from across the country during the course. Photo provided by Henry Lunger.

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Describe your summer experience. What was a typical day like?

Over the course of May, I did a monthlong, 200-hour EMT and Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course through the National Outdoor Leadership School. I studied and lived at the Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus in Lander, Wyo. The course took us through the regular topics covered to gain a National Registry EMT certification and the skills of a WFR, and gave us both urban and backcountry context. 

A typical day was made up of breakfast at 7 a.m. and class from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During class, we would listen to lectures as well as participate in live demonstrations and scenarios. Several times throughout the course, we ran a mass casualty incident in which students were divided into different roles, including victims, and sent out into the nearby wilderness to treat victims and escort them to safety. On the weekends, we took time to practice skills such as backboarding and splinting.

How has your F&M journey so far prepared you for this experience?

F&M helped prepare me for the intensive course load that came with this accelerated class. Classes were extremely involved and quick note-taking was important in understanding difficult content. F&M’s rigorous and academically challenging classes kept me from being swept off my feet with the large amount of work that was asked of me in a small amount of time.

I would also like to mention that F&M’s tight-knit community aided in making friends and fitting into a group of people with many different backgrounds and personalities. It brings me comfort knowing I am connected with people in every corner of the country.

What was the most fascinating aspect of your experience?

There were two extremely fascinating parts of this experience for me. The first was the mass casualty incidents (MCIs) that we did. Once or twice a week, all the students in the class would come together and plan out a rescue team that would go in and save patients in the backcountry. All the ‘patients’ were student volunteers from our class, and each of them was decorated with special effects according to their injury. The rest of the class would divide themselves into different roles. 

To me, the most fascinating aspect of these MCIs were the twists that were thrown at us, such as having to rescue someone in the dark while being hosed down with freezing cold water. With each MCI, there was a new surprise that kept us on our toes and allowed us to practice thinking critically in the moment.

The second fascinating aspect of this summer experience was the setting. As I had never been as far west as Wyoming, the sheer size of the state and its low population density was eye-opening, and exploring and immersing myself in the outdoors was a great experience. Being able to see my first real mountain range was also a plus.

How is this experience helping you along your intended career path?

As someone who hopes to pursue a career in the medical field, taking an EMT course seemed like a no-brainer. It would help introduce me into the operations of the medical field, as well as gain clinical hours for medical school. Part of any EMT course is a clinical shift at an emergency room, and during my clinical at a local ER in Riverton, Wyo., I was able to work alongside ER nurses and doctors. Overall, the ER shift was a perfect way to gain some experience working firsthand with patients.

Also, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course in general appealed to me due to the potential to even further my intended career path. This is because I believe the experience of living out in rural Wyoming for a month, among students with a similar interest in the medical field, and gaining two certifications within a short period of time will prove to pay off dividends in the future, as many people do not get an opportunity similar to this. In fact, doing the NOLS course seemed like a more challenging yet rewarding way of getting an EMT certification compared to a regular community college class.

Looking back on your college search, why did you choose F&M?

For me, I needed face-to-face interaction with my professors, and to be able to easily reach and talk to them about any questions or comments I had about their class. I also felt as if F&M's social scene fit me better than that of larger schools. F&M's exceptional pre-med advising program and biology department also were key parts of my decision as an aspiring doctor.