Putting Fear Aside: The Boston Bombing

Dr. Michael Emery is a cardiologist who serves on the clinical faculty of the USC School of Medicine Greenville. In May, he was working as a volunteer physician at the Boston Marathon, tending to the needs of runners. When the bomb blasts went off, a colleague remarked it must be thunder. Dr. Emery thought otherwise.

In his blog post, When Tragedy Strikes My Boston Marathon Experience, Dr. Emery recounts the carnage and the chaos and how he and other medical professionals put fear aside run to the aid of the wounded. He admits to not being an emergency medicine specialist, but his medical training instinctively kicked in, allowing him to overcome his own emotions to stabilize and evacuate patients, and ultimately, to save lives.

Medical school is intense. There is so much to learn and know. It’s not about memorization; one is transformed into a medical professional, a physician, an individual committed to the care of others. We commend Dr. Emery for illustrating this notion so well.