Life-saving decisions: A lifeguard’s path to medical school

Tanner Movick has known since middle school that he wanted to become a doctor. His dream was born from a personal experience—his grandmother’s life-changing accident. As she spent countless hours in hospitals, he witnessed firsthand the vital roles of physicians and surgeons. What he didn’t expect, however, was that he would be called to save a life before ever stepping foot inside Kansas City University’s (KCU) College of Osteopathic Medicine.

In the years leading up to medical school, Movick worked at Joplin’s Cunningham Park, serving as a lifeguard and eventually becoming the aquatic supervisor. Just days before he was set to begin his studies at KCU-Joplin, his training was put to the test in an unexpected emergency. Faced with a critical situation, Movick made a life-saving decision.

“I was in the guardroom when someone rushed in and told me a man was lying unconscious on the bathroom floor,” Movick recalled. “I immediately ran to the scene with two other lifeguards. After checking his pulse, I was relieved to find that he was still breathing, so I placed him on his side in the recovery position. I kept monitoring him closely, and, thankfully, he slowly began to regain consciousness.”

After learning that the young man had a medical condition that caused him to fall and lose consciousness, Movick determined further medical attention was needed. He made sure his patient was stable while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

Movick’s ability to act swiftly and effectively in an emergency wasn't just instinct—it was the result of rigorous lifeguard training. “During our training, we’re taught exactly what to do in these situations, whether we’re saving someone from drowning or finding someone unconscious. The first step is always to assess the scene to ensure there are no immediate dangers. Once we determine that the scene is safe, we can perform our primary assessment--checking for a pulse and breathing. If both are present, we place them into the recovery position to keep their airway clear and prevent further injury,” he shared.

Knowing how to stay calm under pressure, quickly evaluate a situation and take the right action are skills every doctor needs. Thanks to his time working as a lifeguard, Movick has a head start. He’s already learned to trust his training—and his gut—in high-stress moments when faced with medical emergencies in the future. The experience also confirmed he is on the right path. “When I spoke to the young man’s mom, she told me I’m where I need to be,” he added. “Getting that confirmation from someone else felt good. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to help.”

When speaking of that day, Movick is quick to downplay his actions saying he simply did what he was trained to do. To him, his efforts don’t seem extraordinary. But to the young man he helped and his family, the future Dr. Movick did everything.