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[00:00.64] Todd: So Meg, you are talking about being in the military, and you said you were a medic.

[00:04.89] Can you explain what that is?

[00:06.14] Meg: Yeah. So a medic, which now I believe is called health care specialist, is – I always say it's kind of similar to being like a paramedic where it's not a full nurse job.

[00:21.39] I think nurses have more training like in civilian side nurses, but similar to paramedic where you have certain, like,

[00:29.14] minor procedures that you're trained to do and high-level things than just an EMT like doing IVs and giving shots and stitches and things like that.

[00:37.89] And you're trained – because it's the military, you're especially trained for emergency situations, and how to treat someone who has maybe some serious life-threatening wounds.

[00:49.39] So that's a medic.

[00:53.64] Todd: Wow. That sounds like a really difficult job.

[00:54.64] I mean, it's not your typical, just soldier job. You must have had a lot of schooling and education.

[01:07.14] Meg: I had – well, everyone goes through the initial, about two and a half months like basic training.

[01:09.64] And that's more kind of basic combat skills and physical training that kind of thing.

[01:10.64] And then I had four months past that to train to be a medic.

[01:14.64] So we went through like emergency medical technician course just like civilian side.

[01:21.39] I got certified with that. And then we had additional training for the military skills like IVs and emergency procedures, that kind of thing.

[01:30.89] Todd: Right. Can you explain what IV is?

[01:31.89] Meg: IV is an intravenous – like getting fluids into your body.

[01:36.14] So if you've been injured and you've lost a lot of blood or maybe you're dehydrated and you need some fluid in your body quickly, then we stick a needle into your vein and then the fluids go in. And the needle comes back out but a little tube stays in.

[01:51.89] And then you can get fluids quickly that way.

[01:53.39] Todd: So anybody that's been to the doctor knows that's always kind of the anxious moment when the nurse or the person who's going to stick the needle in.

[02:04.39] Were you good at doing that?

[02:04.89] Meg: So once I learned how to do it, I think I was pretty good.

[02:08.39] And I actually enjoyed doing it, not in a creepy way but, you know, it was – I guess, because I was decent at it that it was a part of my job that I enjoyed.

[02:19.64] But for myself, before we went through that training, I actually became dehydrated and needed to get an IV myself.

[02:28.39] And I was terrified because I really hadn't had that before in my life.

[02:34.14] And so, the nurse was going to come, you know, put the needle in my arm and I was like, "No, isn't there another? I'll just drink a lot of water."

[02:44.64] And she was saying, "Aren't you going to be a medic." And I was like, "Oh, I haven't trained yet.

[02:45.89] Don't do it." So yeah.

[02:46.39] Todd: Oh, that's cool. Yeah. I was recently in the hospital and they had me strapped upfor both blood and for the water, the intravenous drip.

[02:55.14] And it's annoying because you can't really move, like if you want to get up and walk anywhere, you're strapped with all these tubes. And it's not very convenient.

[03:11.14] Meg: Yeah, yeah. Or at least you have to careful.

[03:12.14] When I was getting the IV, I didn't know that the needle doesn't stay in your arm. Now, for some things, it does.

[03:14.89] For blood, maybe it's different, I'm not sure.

[03:15.39] But yeah, so I was trying to be so careful too but you still want it to go well so you don't want to move very much.

[03:19.64] Todd: Right. So what percentage of people would you say freak out when they get the needle?

[03:21.64] Meg: Probably 90% or 95%.

[03:25.39] Todd: Oh really?

[03:26.39] Meg: Yeah. Even, you know, tough Army guys would come in and be – and　they'd be like, "Oh, I'm fine. I'm fine in a bit."

[03:33.39] "Well, we need to give you an IV." And they'd be like, "Oh…"

[03:37.14] Todd: Right. Yeah. Nobody likes that.

[03:38.64] Meg: No.

[03:39.14] Todd: So you transitioned. You were in the medical profession and then you moved to education.

[03:41.14] Why did you leave the medical profession for education?

[03:44.14] Meg: Yeah. That's interesting because I became a medic in the military because I thought after I – when I could continue college that I would be a nurse or a doctor.

[03:54.39] But my time serving as a medic helped me learn that that was not what I wanted to do for my career after all.

[04:01.39] So I definitely am glad that I had those skills and the things that I learned and was able to experience.

[04:08.14] But I had – English had kind of been on the back burner.

[04:13.64] And so then I said, "Okay, let me revisit this," and it led to English education.

[04:17.89] Todd: Wow. Have you ever thought about being like an English specialist for people in the medical fields like teaching doctors and nurses?

[04:22.89] Meg: I guess I haven't thought about that specifically.

[04:25.89] Sometimes I thought about going back to military.

[04:28.39] They do have something like English schools in the military. And so, I guess that would be related.

[04:32.39] Also it could be – yeah, so that would be interesting. Something to think about.

[04:37.39] Todd: All right. Great. Thanks, Meg.