If you’re in an allied health program or thinking of applying, you probably have done your research on which programs require traveling for clinical rotations. This semester requires me to drive from Fort Mohave, to Kingman 4 days a week for 16 weeks. Traveling long distance 4 days a week puts wear and tear on vehicles. There are 2 classmates in the radiology program with me who will be traveling to Kingman for the same amount of time as me. We decided to carpool this semester as a group to save money, wretched driving, our spot in the program, and the environment.
Students with vehicles that can’t travel long distances can also save money by carpooling and chipping in for gas, rather than trying to pay for a better vehicle right away. Students without vehicles can also pitch in for gas, which helps the pocketbooks of students everyone in the program. For those with working vehicles, sharing the drive with others and alternating vehicles every few days or weeks saves gas and prolongs the car’s lifespan.
Traveling long distances back and forth causes delays that every student wants to reduce. Being a full-time student with or without kids, and a job, is exhausting. When you’re expected to be at a clinical site early in the morning, stress can cause you to fall asleep at the wheel, and increase irritability (think “Road Rage”).
Driving to Kingman from Fort Mohave and Bullhead City takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Then, we drop everyone off at the hospital and imaging center, use the restroom before clinicals, and the list goes on – depending what needs to be done that day. We all arrive home between 6:30 pm 7:30 pm. Since carpooling can require a little extra time, we have to be in bed earlier just to function the next day. If you were to ask most students traveling for clinicals, a majority (same as us) would say we do not get enough sleep. Taking turns driving gives everyone a small break – one person can sleep on the way one week ,as the other takes over the driving. If one student does all the driving, there is a risk of road rage. Road rage leads to the following: Tailgating, frequent or quick lane changes without signal, running red lights and stop lights, passing stopped school buses, failure to stay in the correct lane, etc.
Dismissal or withdrawal from an allied health program will result if you can’t make it to your clinicals because of car troubles. So carpooling could save your future career. Everyone who carpools is reducing accidents and helping with the environment.
Fuel Up 1,
Antonina Martorano
Student Blogger (Bullhead City Campus)
Amartorano@mohave.edu
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