Even before being introduced to Emergency Medical Services, I have lived my life in service of others, with a strong sense of commitment to help people, and a passion for patient care excellence— a calling that would define my life. My pursuit of becoming a Paramedic began over twenty years ago when I completed the Emergency Medical Technician course from Ventura College in the Spring of 2002. I started my career in Ventura County working for Gold Coast Ambulance in Oxnard, gaining valuable experience in safe operations, equipment handling, and providing excellent patient care to members of our community. I was so inspired by the field of EMS that I began applying to Paramedic programs throughout Southern California. At that time, applying to Paramedic school was challenging, and acceptance was predicated upon having 9-1-1 experience. Although I worked for a company that provided emergency services, my role with the company was primarily Basic Life Support services and inter-facility transports, and I lacked the experience Paramedic schools were looking for. Dedicated to becoming a Paramedic, I went to work for American Medical Response in Los Angeles, providing emergency transport in a 9-1-1 system. At that time, I was working 48-hours a week in a busy emergency system while applying to Paramedic programs and attending school to complete the required preparatory coursework. This was around the time of Hurricane Katrina, and I felt a calling; I applied to volunteer alongside FEMA, and was set for deployment as part of mutual aid disaster relief, until I learned that I was pregnant. I was ecstatic to start a family, but it was clear to me in that moment that my pursuit of becoming a paramedic was going to have to wait. In 2006, my daughter was born at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura. Shortly after, I became critically ill, and was hospitalized for a week. I woke up on a ventilator in the ICU without knowing what had happened to me. While I was hospitalized, I had received excellent patient care from some provider’s, but I also received subpar care from others. I now know the difference and how to treat my patient’s exactly the way I would want to be treated. I know what it feels like to experience the worst days of ones life. I made a full recovery, and spent the next 15 years raising a family as a stay-at-home parent. In 2020, during the Covid-19 Pandemic, I experienced that same calling from years ago during the Katrina disaster. I decided to go back to school and renew my EMT certification. In 2021, I returned to the workforce after a fifteen-year absence, and I have spent the past four years providing excellent patient care and gaining valuable knowledge and skills to apply toward my career in Emergency Medical Services. In 2024 I applied to and was accepted into the Ventura College Paramedic program, and I am thrilled to be able to return to where my career in EMS started so many years ago. There is a real power in knowing that anyone can start over at any time, as long as there is a goal to be achieved. My calling to be part of my community as a Paramedic reaches beyond simply fulfilling the role, but also as a future educator. My passion for patient care extends into the aspect of teaching excellent patient care to future Paramedics. That would be my greatest honor, to leave behind a legacy of creating passionate providers who genuinely care about patients and patient outcomes. Thank you for the opportunity and your consideration.