Pikesville native Tzipora Korman, 22, is a frontline worker, in more ways than one.
She is a critical care technician in the Sinai Hospital emergency department, where she has been working for about six months. She is also an active volunteer with the Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company, which she’s been involved with for three years.
At a recent PVFC meeting, Korman was recognized as part of PVFC’s 500 Club for 2020, for responding to more than 500 fire and EMS calls during 2020. In addition, she was one of two members who earned a $1,000 PVFC educational scholarship.
Korman is married to Nadav Korman, a fellow PVFC volunteer and EMS lieutenant. She is a member of Pikesville Jewish Congregation. She also teaches gymnastics at Bas Melech Performing Arts Center and privately tutors piano.
Korman is a graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she studied biology and was a premed major. After she graduated high school, she started attending college in Chicago, then returned to Baltimore. She attended Community College of Baltimore County, where she met her husband, then switched to UMBC. She plans to eventually go to medical school.
Why did you pursue a role in Sinai Hospital’s emergency department?
There were several other EMTs at our fire house that worked, and currently work, at Sinai. We also have a member who used to be part of the management at Sinai ER. She put my name in and got me an interview because they had not hired in quite a while due to COVID. They finally decided to bring on more staff in September, and that’s when I started.
How did you get involved in the Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company?
I decided that I wanted to take an EMT class in my sophomore year, which was offered at CCBC for college credit. At that point, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my EMT certification. One of the adjunct EMT instructors was a member of PVFC, and the main instructor was friends with a couple of members, and they convinced me that, “PVFC is a great company, you live right there, they have a high call volume, you gotta join.” My husband, who I was not dating at the time, was also a member there for about a year, and he also told me, “You gotta join, it’s a great company, there’s so many great people, you’re going to get so much experience.” So I ended up applying.
What’s kept you involved the last three years?
I love EMS, I love fire. I get to help people in a way that not many people can. It’s become a privilege, it’s fun and we really just get to help our community.
What advice would you have for someone interested in joining PVFC?
Put 100% in, and you get at least 300% out. It’s amazing. It’s definitely not for everyone. … A lot of these things that we encounter are urgent, stressful and sometimes dangerous. But if you have the desire and drive to do it, go for it.
What would your ideal future profession be?
Right now, I’ve got my eyes on being an OB-GYN, but I’m going to give every field of medicine a chance.
What makes you interested in being an OB-GYN?
Women’s health is such a special area. It’s a good combination of practical and surgical skills that also require the ability to create a very trusting relationship with a patient.
