Muhlenberg athletes are spending the summer of 2026 enjoying fantastic experiences on campus, in their hometowns, across the country, and even around the world.

Sophomore football player Ryan Harden had a transformative experience as a patient care technician at Riverview Medical Center in his hometown of Red Bank, New Jersey.

I entered the summer looking for experience, but I didn't expect it to reshape the way I saw medicine — or myself.

As a sophomore biology/pre-health sciences major and football player at Muhlenberg, I was used to early lifts, long practices, and late-night studying. But Riverview Medical Center introduced me to a different kind of intensity, one rooted not in competition or grades, but in human vulnerability. The hospital became a place where every moment mattered, and where I began to understand what it truly means to care for someone in their most fragile state.

Working in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit gave me a close look at patients during some of their most vulnerable moments — those first disoriented, unsteady minutes after surgery when comfort, vigilance, and calm communication matter most. As a patient care technician I supported nurses as patients woke from anesthesia. Earning my EKG and phlebotomy certifications allowed me to take on more responsibility, from performing blood draws to assisting with cardiac monitoring.

The PACU taught me how to anticipate needs before they were spoken, how to stay composed when patients were frightened or confused, and how meaningful even small acts of care can be when someone is emerging from a procedure.

Shadowing physicians in the emergency department brought me even closer to the heart of medicine. The ED had its own pulse, a constant undercurrent of urgency. I watched teams move with practiced coordination, each person anticipating the next step before it was spoken. I wanted to understand that rhythm, to be part of it.

One trauma case will stay with me for the rest of my life. The patient arrived in critical condition, and the room erupted into motion. I was asked to assist in CPR. I also found myself manually squeezing blood into an IV line to help maintain circulation. My hands worked steadily, but my mind absorbed everything — the rapid commands, the teamwork, the unwavering focus. In that moment, I wasn't thinking about being a student or an athlete. I was part of a team fighting for someone's life. It was the most intense and humbling experience I've ever had.

Not all moments were dramatic. Some were quiet, almost delicate. I remember watching a physician examine a patient's eye under a Wood's lamp. The room was dim, and when the lamp illuminated the corneal abrasion, it appeared as a thin, glowing line — small, but unmistakable. That simple image taught me how much precision and attention to detail matter in patient care. Medicine isn't only about emergencies; it's also about noticing what others might miss.

These experiences didn't just confirm my desire to become a physician assistant — they shaped it. I want to be part of a profession where I can combine knowledge with compassion, urgency with steadiness, and teamwork with individual responsibility. The discipline I've built as a football player, the curiosity that drives my studies, and the humility I learned at the bedside all point me toward this path.

I'm still early in my journey, but I know the direction I'm meant to follow. I want to be the kind of PA who shows up fully for patients — whether in the chaos of a trauma room or the quiet of a routine exam. Riverview gave me a glimpse of the impact I hope to make, and I'm ready to continue growing into the provider I aspire to become.