Utah Valley Regional Medical Center Emergency Department

Recently I was at a family gathering, and I was telling some of my cousins about all of the amazing experiences I’ve had while job shadowing a pharmacist in the Emergency Department at UVRMC. One of my cousins made a comment about how it was hard for her to believe that the girl sitting in front of her was the same girl who had passed out when she got her ears pierced. Looking back at who I was then and who I am now, I can easily see that she’s right.

When I started job shadowing in the ED, I was sixteen. Despite almost being through my Associates degree, I didn’t know which educational path I was going to pursue. I didn’t know where I was going to be in a year—which college, which major—let alone what job I was going to be doing in ten years. I was terrified of the future and everything that it held. I was mortified to make decisions about my future because I knew it would make me feel tied down and stuck in one career. I was scared I was going to have to settle into a profession or field that I hated.

Now, I know exactly what I want. I know who I am and where I’m going. Instead of looming uncertainty about my future, I see endless possibilities in a field I’ve fallen completely in love with. I know where I’ll be in a year, and while I don’t know exactly what job I’ll be working at in ten years, I know it’ll be one I love and am well trained to do.

It would be a lie if I said all the changes I’ve experienced are because I job shadowed. But a lot of them are because of the time I’ve spent in the Emergency Department. The ED was always something that I didn’t think I could do, and I definitely didn’t think I would like it, but since day one, I set out to prove to myself that I could thrive there, and I did. And pretty soon, existing in the ED wasn’t hard anymore—it was fun.

I’ve honestly never felt such a sense of belonging, outside the walls of my home, than I felt at the hospital. People there know and respect me. The ED staff would go out of their way to include me and make sure I had every learning experience possible. While I was there, I felt like a future medical professional, instead of a teenage girl who didn’t really know her place in the world.

Beyond that, I truly learned who I am as a person. I learned that I occasionally get queasy and dizzy in stressful situations. I learned that blood doesn’t bother me as much as the atmosphere in the room when a patient is fighting for their life. I learned that I don’t give up, and I fight for what I want, even if it’s hard or embarrassing or out of my comfort zone. I learned that I’m strong and smart and ready to enter the world as a professional.

Obsterics and Gynecology with Dr. Syndergaard

I have shadowed several physicians from different fields of medicine, but my time with Dr. Scott Syndergaard proved to be the most proactive and beneficial for me so far. I had never before followed a Physician who cared so much about me as an individual, and by individual I mean an undergraduate student who hasn’t earned his dues yet in the medical field. Dr. Syndergaard took every opportunity to teach me the "in and outs" of obstetrics and gynecology, as well as mentor me in choices I’m currently facing as I approach medical school.  The three things that helped me learn a great deal while with Dr. Syndergaard were: the honesty he showed his patients in clinic, the hands on experience he provided me in the operation room, and the time he took to sit down and mentor me in between.  

One aspect of how Dr. Syndergaard practices obsterics and gynecology really impressed me. This was how he was always very honest with his patients. Unlike many physicians that are stuck behind a clipboard of questions or resort to whatever their patient is demanding in order to please them, Dr. Syndergaard for a lack of better words was very “real” with every one of his patients. I think that this honesty is a very important attribute in the field of medicine and especially OBGYN, because the majority of the time his patients weren’t just making decisions concerning their own health, but also the health of their prenatal children. Despite his frequent honesty and sometimes blunt responses to middle aged, pregnant, and even adolescent women, Dr. Syndergaard always showed a great care for his patients and would take whatever time was needed to council with them over what path would be best for their health.  I learned a great deal from how he interacted with his patients in the clinic.



I was also able to learn a great deal from Dr. Syndergaard in the operation room. I was privileged to see several types of surgery over the last few months. The two that I felt had the greatest impact on me where a tubal ligation (tying of a woman’s uterine tubes) and a cesarean section delivery. Dr. Syndergaard, while performing his surgeries, would explain to me every procedure and body part he was working on and would even allow me to participate as much as legally possible. For example he would have me hold the light above the table, tools he would use, and even help in the delivery process. These experiences didn’t just teach me more about the female reproductive system and delivery, but inspired me to continuing working hard until I am someday leading surgery on my own patients.   

What I appreciated most about my experience with Dr. Syndergaard, was the time that he took to talk with and mentor me during times outside the OR and clinic. Every day that I followed him, he offered to take me out to lunch. This not only helped my very low, student budget, but gave me the opportunity to ask him questions about things we had seen throughout the day and for advice in the paths I am currently trying to take.These were times that he could have used to catch up on other things, but instead would sit down with me to explain what was going on or answer my various, often naive questions. He didn’t just answer those questions, but would explain the “why” to their answers. He also didn’t just give me advice, but genuinely took the time to mentor me in the decisions I would soon be making. I was very grateful for these times and know they will make a difference over the next year while I’m making many critical decisions. 

Overall, my time with Dr. Syndergaard, including the visits I observed in the clinic, the hands on experience he gave me in the OR, and especially the time he took to sit down and mentor me, helped teach me, inspire me in medicine, and guide me in several of the decisions I will be making in the near future. I was very grateful for his time and sincerity. If anyone has the time or opportunity to be in Roosevelt, Utah, I would highly recommend contacting him or the office of Life Science in order to follow him and have the same experience that I did. 

 Dr. Synderaard is on the left with the other two OBGYN's at UINTAH Medical Basin

This is the front of Roosevelt's Hospital. Although smaller than most we see here in Utah County, it was a very state of the art facility with great people working in each department.