Medical student assists at accident scene
On Saturday morning, Feb. 1, Carson Schaefer and his girlfriend, Julia DeMotte, were driving north on I-57 near Whittington in Franklin County when a car ahead of them drifted into the median and flipped several times. The couple and a semi pulled off the road. Schaefer and the truck driver rushed to the wreckage, and together removed the driver from the car.
Schaefer then used the physical exam skills he’d learned as a first-year medical student at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine to check the driver’s heart rate and conduct a brief neurological assessment.
When the EMTs arrived, he shared the information he’d gathered. The accident victim was transported to an area hospital and is recovering from her injuries.
In retrospect, the experience left Schaefer shaken but bolstered.
“I’m especially grateful that halfway through the first year of training, I felt confident and calm enough to apply what I’ve learned in the real world,” he said. “I’d definitely attribute that to the patient exposure and opportunities we’ve had to practice techniques with standardized patients.”
Schaefer, a native of Downs, Ill., also credits the collective response from the others on the scene. In addition to the trucker who helped extricate the driver, a second truck driver called 911. A teenager turned off the wrecked car’s engine, and another man brought a fire extinguisher. DeMotte brought a blanket from her car’s survival kit and gathered the driver’s scattered belongings.
“It was pretty special to be able to be part of a team coming together without hesitation to help someone in immediate need,” Schaefer said. “I didn't get anyone's names in the moment, but I'll never forget their faces and selfless acts.”
The spontaneous heroism likely helped ease the trauma for everyone involved. And for Schaefer, the accident reinforced that he has chosen a valuable career path.
