CPaCE News

Charlenne Medina was finishing up her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training at CSULB and wanted to get ahead of her studies during the summer. At the time, she didn’t feel totally prepared to deal with emergencies, and figured that the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate Program sounded like a good opportunity to gain experience and build confidence. Charlenne enrolled in the program in 2017, thinking that it would just be a step on the way towards her career in athletics; little did she know that it would help her adapt to a changing world three years later.

“I liked that it was an accelerated program over summer,” Charlenne explained, “so it was faster than a regular one-semester class. Even though it was long days and I sacrificed my weekends, the fact that it was only about eight weeks long made it an easy decision to commit.”

While working Monday through Friday, Charlenne took EMT classes on Saturdays and Sundays. The program’s real-world applications soon became apparent, as the instructor would drive students around campus in a test ambulance, responding to mock 911 calls. While one student acted out a simulated injury or illness, the others would function as an EMT crew.

“I truly enjoyed the program!” said Charlenne. “Every instructor was so approachable and truly cared. They also had pretty cool stories to tell us about their own experiences on the field.”

Soon after completing the EMT program, Charlenne finished her undergraduate studies in Athletic Training, and began working in that field while she also pursued a master’s degree in CSULB’s Sport Management program. Just as she was getting ready to graduate and continue on that path, the COVID-19 pandemic put an abrupt halt to her plans. After being furloughed from most of her athletic training jobs, Charlenne made a quick pivot, falling back on her EMT certification and getting hired at a private ambulance company called Premier.

“I never actually thought about working as an EMT, it was more of a confidence and resume booster for me,” she said. “But I was able to have a job during the entire pandemic until my athletic training jobs came back. I am super grateful for that.”

Charlenne continued to grow as an EMT, learning how to drive an ambulance and respond to emergency calls at hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and emergency rooms. High-stress situations were often compounded by the pandemic, especially when EMTs started running out of personal protective equipment. Charlenne remembers that N95 masks had to be reused, and the ambulance dispatcher even started ironing garbage bags to wear as gowns.

“Working as an EMT during COVID was a little crazy and perhaps overwhelming,” Charlenne said. “It was scary at times.”

As if the pandemic wasn’t enough to handle, Charlenne was also deployed to help firefighters at the 2020 August Complex Fire in northern California—a once-in-a-lifetime experience where she slept in the ambulance while providing medical coverage.

With the skills she learned and a little luck, Charlenne persevered through these challenging situations. Now, she has plenty of experience to share as an instructor in the EMT program; and as some pandemic restrictions have lifted, she has finally been able to get back on her initial career path.

Charlenne is currently working nearly full-time as an Athletic Trainer at CSULB (aka Long Beach State), and the EMT classrooms are just a building away on campus. It’s a perfect scenario that keeps her up to date on the latest EMT methods, making her extra-qualified to help athletes as well as the next generation of EMTs.

“I love teaching in the EMT program!” she said. “I am always happy to help students learn and guide them towards their specific goals. It helps that I was in their shoes not too long ago, because I can tell them exactly what was going through my head when I was sitting in their chairs.”