My Experience in
MDA Be’er Sheva
Participating in the Professional Internship Program with
Magen David Adom was the experience of a lifetime. I was placed as an ambulance
medic in the Magen David Adom station in Beersheva during the fall/winter of
2000. Since I had no previous ambulance experience I had no idea what to expect
from this placement.
On my very
first shift I realized that the station in Beersheva is the central dispatch
for the entire Negev, so in addition to my shifts in Beersheva, I had opportunities
to participate as an ambulance medic in Arad, the Dead Sea, Dimona, and Mitzpe Ramon. At times the work shocked
me, but I appreciated the chance to get hands on experience in emergency
medical situations. Since my shifts were on the Emergency Intensive Care Unit,
I had opportunities to provide aid in a wide range of medical emergencies. As I
hope to attend medical school shortly, these experiences were not only an asset
to my career, but they will also help me make critical choices about my own future.
Also, having just finished a 4-year science undergraduate degree, I really
appreciated the chance to get involved in the practical application of the
material that I have studied.
Of course,
my experience in Israel was more than just my work in Magen David Adom. At
first I was very nervous about going to Israel. Having no friends or family over there, I thought it
would be difficult to meet people and adjust to the lifestyle. To my surprise,
when I got there, the people made me feel right at home. In Hebrew school, when
I was much younger, I learned about Israel. I had been taught that Israel is my home and I was exposed to a very idealized view
of what it meant to be a Jew in Israel. When I arrived it was as though all the idealism had
become true. The medics and paramedics at Magen David Adom were not only my
co-workers, they also became my friends. Many invited me into their homes and
made me feel truly welcome in Israel. Also, the Absorption Center in which I was staying found me an adoptive family.
This family regularly invited me for Shabbat Dinners and brought me out with
them. With so many kind people who wanted to help me adjust to life in Israel, I never felt like an outsider.
So now my
internship is over and I am back in Canada. The experience has left me with valuable work
experience, great memories, and friends that I hope to see again. In fact, the
experience I gained was so valuable that I have just been offered a position as
an ambulance medic here in Toronto.
David
Lipson
Toronto, Canada
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