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Bradley Tarter’s pathway to medicine began with his passion for giving back to the community in October 2019. A regular volunteer at the Health and Hope Clinic in Pensacola since that time, Brad has accumulated around 524 volunteer hours, loaning the charitable organization his time and talents, according to Executive Director Sally Bergosh.
“The traits that make Brad stand out is his willingness to roll his sleeves up and get things done at the clinic. He is always smiling, even if the task is enormous. He always stays positive, and he is always willing to learn new things,” she said.
This desire to learn catapulted him into a career in medicine, as he obtained his clinical experience while volunteering at Health and Hope, which paved the way to his current role as a professional Emergency Medical Technician. “At the clinic, Brad learned skills like compassionate care, how to support our 180 licensed health care professionals as a medical assistant and how to scribe for patients, as well.”
These volunteer activities prepared Tarter for certification through Health and Hope’s BLS CPR class, hosted at the clinic to ensure their volunteers get certified through an amazing partnership with Baptist Faith Health Network and the wonderful RN Holly Kelley, who teaches the certification course as a volunteer for the clinic.
Pensacola State College Associate Vice President, Institutional Research and Enterprise Solutions Michael Johnston met Brad at Health and Hope, where they both volunteered. At that time, Brad did not yet have his driver’s license, so Michael took it upon himself to teach the young man, allowing him to learn in Johnston’s Nissan truck.
“He was never apprehensive about doing anything, whether it was learning to drive, restocking shelves or going up in the attic to bring down supplies – he was always great about doing everything,” grinned Johnston. “He was still trying to find his path in life when he first started coming there; he had graduated high school and was still trying to figure life out. It was good for him to get that exposure into medicine.”
Brad started to attend Pensacola State the summer of 2019, completed the EMT program and graduated the summer of 2021. His outstanding work in Milton at the Lifeguard Ambulance Service with Captain Andrew Polendo-Perez first earned Tarter EMT of the Year in Santa Rosa County with their organization at a ceremony held Nov. 21, which both Bergosh and Johnston attended to celebrate the young man’s achievement, which came as no surprise to either of them.
Sally Bergosh affirmed, “Brad is a light and an example that attitude can separate you from the pack. He also has a strong faith and understands the power of collective giving for the greater good. He is disciplined and hardworking, and it is my honor to get to work with him at the Health and Hope Clinic.”
This hard work paid off and took Tarter to the next level of achievement: EMT of the Year 2024 by the Florida Department of Health. Brad was awarded this prestigious honor on Oct. 30, 2024 in Naples, Florida. According to their website, the Department of Health has recognized men and women who provide lifesaving services in crisis for over 30 years.
Brad commented, “My favorite thing about being an EMT is the ability to be there for the patients and their families on quite possibly the worst day of their lives.”
The state Department of Health has rigorous criteria for those earning the honor bestowed upon Brad, listing exceptional qualities such as “quality assurance and improvement, patient care, medical control, disaster preparedness, and public education and/or training. Candidates for this prestigious title have acted ‘above and beyond the call of duty’ in response to the EMS community and/or profession and have exceeded normal day-to-day functions while on duty.”
“Brad Tarter’s recognition as the 2024 EMT of the Year by the Florida Department of Health is a well-deserved honor that speaks to his exceptional skill, professionalism, and dedication to patient care,” Johnston said. “Selected from a competitive pool of EMTs across the state, Brad was recognized for his clinical excellence and leadership, commitment to continuing education and contributions to the community. His volunteer service with the Health and Hope Clinic further underscores his compassion and drive to improve lives beyond the call of duty.”
“Pensacola State College is proud to celebrate Brad’s outstanding achievements and the impact he continues to make in the healthcare field. We are even more proud to call Brad an alumnus of Pensacola State College.”