Wed, Aug 17, 2022 at 02:09 AM

Youthful volunteers contribute alongside medical professionals during summer

Many new faces – very young ones – were seen working throughout Marshall Medical Centers this summer.

Mark Buettner, a pre-med student at The University of Alabama, volunteered at Marshall Therapy & Sports Rehab during the summer while he was in Albertville coaching a travel ball team.

“The main thing I got out of observing and volunteering at the therapy clinic was that being kind to the patient is the key to providing great care,” he said. “The way the therapists treated the patients on a day in and day out basis is what seemed to bring them back, despite the pain coming from their injuries. This is how I will hope to treat my patients when that day comes.”

He returned to Tuscaloosa in August to complete his undergraduate degree. After graduation, he plans to attend medical school, complete a Fellowship in Sports Medicine and then go into a career of family medicine that would also allow him to work with athletes.

Kye Capolupo, a Guntersville High School graduate and Huntingdon College student, wanted to gain experience and volunteer hours under a physical therapist and/or occupational therapist before applying to physical therapy school. He worked alongside therapists during the summer at Marshall Therapy & Sports Rehab at Marshall North.

“Volunteering has allowed me to gain the experience I need for physical therapy school,” he said. “This experience will carry throughout school and my career as a physical therapist. I’m very thankful for this opportunity and everyone that helped me throughout it.”

Boaz High School senior Brandon Nguyen started out volunteering after school and Saturdays at the Wellness Center at Marshall South. During the summer, he also helped out at Therapy & Sports Rehab in Albertville. He even got the rare opportunity to shadow an anesthesiologist during a day of cataract surgeries. Brandon’s goal is to become an anesthesiologist. He hopes to land a job in one of Marshall Medical’s facilities during his senior year.

“I’ve had a bunch of meaningful experiences with patients, gym members and all types of staff,” he said of his volunteer work. “I’ve learned how to work well around people, operate in a clinical type setting, and I’ve made a ton of great friends that I’ll talk to in the coming years. I expect my volunteering to assist me in adapting to a clinic or hospital faster when I become an anesthesiologist.”

Paige Grammer of Altoona started volunteering in June at Marshall South in the respiratory department. She is in nursing school and hopes working in a Marshall Medical facility while in college will put her a step ahead in her future career path.

Her supervisor, Tonya Dean, director of respiratory therapy at South, couldn’t say enough good things about Paige’s work.

“Paige is off the chart smart and caught on to everything so quickly. She has exceeded my expectations in every way. I feel very lucky to have gotten her.”

Paige is starting her second year at Snead State Community College to earn her associates degree in science and then plans to attend Jacksonville State University to get her nursing degree next fall.

“I want to be able to work in a hospital setting and take care of people when they need it the most,” she said. “I want to be their sunshine when they need it. I’ve absolutely loved volunteering this summer. I met so many amazing people in different departments and it has made my love for the healthcare field even stronger.”

Haleigh Crump of Crossville wanted to volunteer while finishing her remaining credits of high school. On schedule to graduate early thanks to the dual enrollment program, Haleigh plans to enter nursing school in February. She requested to volunteer in Labor & Delivery to see if she enjoyed obstetrics enough to make it her career path. She started in August.

“I love it,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot.”

Joseph Jackson, a junior at Marshall Christian Academy, worked after school and during the summer at Marshall South’s Wellness Center before returning to school in the fall. He plans to become a nurse.

“I loved volunteering at Marshall Medical Centers,” he said.

Marshall Medical Centers is proud to have had these ambitious young adults giving their time and talents to help patients. We wish them success in the medical field and encourage them to return to Marshall County when they begin seeking employment.