What It’s Like Being a Medical Volunteer at the TCS New York City Marathon

Last month New York Road Runners hosted its first-ever TCS New York City Marathon medical volunteer panel and networking event, where panelists discussed what it’s like to be a medical volunteer at one of the largest marathons in the world. The event was co-hosted by Dr. Matt Friedman, NYRR and CrowdRx medical director and Alba Howard, NYRR medical volunteer operations coordinator and New York State EMT. They were joined by longtime medical volunteers who shared their marathon race-day stories and advice for those interested in becoming a medical volunteer for the race.

The panel included the following volunteers:

• Michelle Sachet, MD has volunteered at the marathon for four years as an emergency medicine resident physician, and subsequently as an attending physician and team captain.
• Julia Lo Cascio is a third-year medical student at the NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine and a lifelong New Yorker from Staten Island.
• Matt Melamed, MD is a dual board-certified EM and EMS physician who has been practicing emergency medicine for the past 10 years. He’s volunteered at the New York City Marathon for nearly 10 years.
• Chana Frommer, PT is a clinical physical therapist and an adjunct associate professor in the department of physical therapy at Long Island University in Brooklyn. She has been volunteering for the New York City marathon for 24 years and is a volunteer captain.
• Arturo “Roy” Flores has been an athletic trainer in New York for over 20 years and oversees sports medicine needs for student athletes. He’s volunteered at the New York City Marathon finish line for many years.

Memorable Moments

Michelle: “Two years ago, I was able to stay until the very end of the race at the finish line tent and welcome the very last runner. It's something that I think not a lot of people get to see. And it's very powerful, very special.”

Julia: “I saw this person on the side up against the barricade in distress and immediately I said to [the other medical volunteers], 'Okay, someone talk to the person with her to get the history. Someone else get the blood pressure, and someone else [examine them].' We sort of all split up and we looked at each other at the end and said, ‘Together we equal one doctor.’”

Matt: “You get to meet runners from every part of this country and internationally. And you get to meet some awesome people that you work with. I look forward to seeing all and every other teammate. It's really amazing how you make these lifelong friendships [with volunteers] that you get to see every year.”

Chana: “I was at the finish line and I heard my name from across the tent and I turn around [and see] one of my former patients was there with her husband, whose stress fractures hit [him] at mile 26, so she was so happy to have somebody who she knew, and she trusted there.”

Race-Day Experiences

Michelle: "I think just coming together as a group of people from different specialties—physical therapists, athletic trainers, nurses, mental health specialists—taking care of all these patients is really special.”

Julia: “Being able to interact with people from around the city, country, and world has improved my interpersonal skills and my language skills. It’s been this guiding light that I keep coming back to, not just for the improvement in myself, but also for fun."

Encouragement and Advice

Michelle: “I cannot tell you enough how much I love the marathon. It's my favorite day of the year, and I think it's probably my favorite thing I do as a physician."

Julia: “When you volunteer for the marathon, you will be challenged. You will be inspired, and you will never, ever experience anything like that anywhere else in the world.”

Chana: “You have your knowledge base, and then you are faced with something that you're not comfortable [with], and there are people around that know more than you, somebody that can help and take over. There’s no shame in that, right? You have to know your limits."

Roy: “Have fun, have an open mind. talk with other people, learn about what they're doing, especially for the students that are going to be out there and helping for the day."

Learn more about NYRR’s medical volunteer program