A CareFlite helicopter lands on the Main Quad. (Sarah Pottharst/The Daily Campus )

Students gathered around the main quad fountain on Friday to witness how medical emergencies take place.

A CareFlite helicopter arrived around 3 p.m. directly in front of Dallas Hall, splashing the fountain water and stirring the fallen spring leaves in front of a multitude of students. The event gave pre-med and other students the chance to learn about emergency airlifts and speak with the helicopter staff.

“A lot of students are interested in emergency medicine [and] this is the front lines of medical emergencies,” said Christine Buchanan, professor of biology and advisor of Alpha Epsilon Delta, SMU’s pre-health honors society.

Students were allowed to examine the helicopter and speak with the pilot, flight-nurse and medic and also got to look inside. Then an ambulance arrived on the scene to answer any further questions about emergency care.

“Everyone was really impressed with the equipment used to keep people alive and transported,” Buchanan said.

Pre-med student Elizabeth Chung worked for CareFlite and initiated the idea of having an emergency demonstration on campus, according to Merril Raju, senior pre-med student and vice president of AED.

Raju said this was a first for SMU’s campus, but that it turned out to be a great experience.

“It was very informative and gave good, first-hand experience about what you can pursue in the medical profession,” Raju said. “It showed that there’s more options available than what comes immediately to mind.”

The event was useful not just for pre-health majors, but also for any student who is about to graduate and looking for a job, Buchanan said.

“You don’t have to have a medical degree to be a medic on a helicopter. There are job opportunities for students if…they get proper training,” Buchanan said.

For more information about CareFlite, visit careflite.org.