From Flight Paramedic to Physician
by Lauren Lamberson
Growing up in Maine, Jillian Sheltra saw the impact LifeFlight has on people across the state. When she had the opportunity to become a flight paramedic, she knew it was a job she had to take.
Jillian grew up in Biddeford and attended Bates College in Lewiston where in 2019 she earned her degree in Neuroscience and Chemistry. As a college student with two majors, she also attended paramedic school through United Ambulance Service, earned her license, and then worked as a paramedic in her junior and senior years. During her time with United, she assisted with LifeFlight ground transports in the Lewiston area, which meant Jillian worked closely with LifeFlight crew members. In 2022, she applied to become a flight paramedic. “I was ready to take the next step in my career and be back in an environment of learning and challenging myself to think critically,” she said.
Jillian jumped into the orientation process at LifeFlight, learning the skills and competencies necessary to be a flight paramedic. Finally, after completing months of training, she cleared LifeFlight’s intense clinical orientation. She worked mostly from LifeFlight’s Lewiston base, occasionally taking shifts at the Sanford base as well.
When asked about the best parts of being a flight paramedic, Jillian mentioned working with “incredibly intelligent, funny, amazing people” and the expanded scope of practice for LifeFlight clinicians. “I love the types of medicine we get to do,” she said. “We get to see patient populations of all ages with all different types of diagnoses, so it’s a lot of thinking on your feet and thinking four steps ahead, and I really love that.”
Jillian feels a personal connection to LifeFlight’s mission. She emphasized the importance of everyone in her home state having equal access to healthcare no matter where they are. Outside of work, Jillian enjoys taking advantage of the beautiful Maine outdoors by skiing, hiking, and spending time on the lake on which she grew up. Given that Maine is the most rural state in the country, it is imperative that every Mainer has access to high-quality health care regardless of where they live.
Jillian was recently accepted into Tufts University School of Medicine on the Maine Track, which focuses on the shortage of doctors in the state, especially in rural areas. Jillian left her position at LifeFlight in the beginning of July 2024 to begin the program at Tufts. She is now in a new environment of learning and critical thinking, which she loves. She will be in Boston for her first year of school. Then, for the next three years, she will work and study at clinical sites across Maine. She believes that she will work in an emergency department in Maine after medical school, but for now, she is excited for this next step in her career.
Lauren Lamberson is a recent graduate of Clemson University and a Summer 2024 intern with The LifeFlight Foundation. Lauren is also a former LifeFlight of Maine patient.
