medic school

[firefox29]

hello:

I wanted to say hello to everyone and ask for some advice.

I start medic school next month and was looking for some pointers from current medics or medic students on what they would have done different when they were starting school.

thanks to all that post

[emtcsmith]

Just basic college stuff...Go to every class, read every text that is assigned and pay attention in class. For medic classes in specific be sure you focus on the BLS review they do and be strong yourself on the BLS skills. Have fun and be ready for alot of work.

[thunderemr14]

Pay attention during class and study hard when you're out of class. I just graduated paramedic school in July...the biggest thing I saw while I was going through it was that you have to be pretty aggressive during your clinical time. From my experience, nobody will really ask you do anything (like start an IV, get vitals, etc), you need to ask them, 'Hey, can I start that IV for you?', especially until you show them you really want to help and also learn, then they'll start to take you under their wing and share some very valuable knowledge. When a full arrest comes in or something else big, jump right in and help, whether it be applying electrodes, changing the pt into a gown, performing chest compressions or starting an IV. Have fun, I had a blast, and good luck.

[einsteinareya]

Humm, the biggest thing I would do different is keep going to school once your in that mode just keep going, PA, BS either would have been done by now. It is harder o go back to school once you have been out of it for a while.

Good Luck

[edge33]

I've been a medic for six years and the one thing I wish I would've done differently was be more aggressive. If you want to eat you have to hunt I say. Study every given moment because without the baseline knowledge you'll never survive on the street. Good luck!

[911WACKER]

I've been a medic for six years and the one thing I wish I would've done differently was be more aggressive.

A wise old medic told me when I went to school that you only get out of class what you put into it! :cool: If you remember nothing else, remember to put forth 110% effort.

Pay attention in class, do what is required and don't wait till the last minute. But most importantly, pick the brains of every person who precepts you in clinicals. Take everything into consideration and form your own ways of performing skills and assessments within the guidelines. The people who will be supervising you during clinicals know life on the street and if you show interest they will help you out tremendously.

[ingkey]

Read all you can ahead of time. Im currently half way through and it feels like Im always playing catch up no matter how far in advance I read. The more you get done before the start, the easier it will be once class starts rolling. Good luck.

[aklontz]

I am currently in Paramedic School. We were supposed to be taking our final January 30th, however that has been postponed until we finish our preceptorship. My best advice is to be aggressive when you are on a clinical. Don't stand there looking at the pt when you could be getting the hx, meds, etc. A lot of medics expect you to take the lead and will tell you so up front. Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you see something that you are wondering about, ask!! It shows your preceptor that you are paying attention to what's going on and want to learn. This can make a big impact on how your preceptor evaluates you and their perception of you as a person and a student. Best of luck to you!!
~Amanda

[PFDTruck18]

Be confident in your knowledge and training. When its practice, do what you think is right. When you make a mistake, learn from it. When is real you will do what is right because you learned from mistakes. But above all have confidence in yourself. I remember about 1 year into my medic training our lead instuctor started one day walking into class and writing on the board "I am a Paramedic and I know what Im doing!". She was tired of the second guessing of treatments. She wanted to enforce the idea that you need to start making decisions. It worked, for many of the students that was a turning point in the class. For others, it was also a turning point just in the wrong direction. She was an amazing knowledgeable instructor, she passed away a few years ago. I will never forget her.

[ff120medic]

I was in medic school many years ago. I have been a medic for 13 years and a RN in a ED for 6 yrs. We get medic students every year. The one thing we tell them on the first day, is We wont come and get you to do something, you have to be aggressive and a go getter, even if its not something you would do as a medic, just help the staff on clinicals with everything and they will help you. Also study in advance, be prepared for all your classes, but especially your core medic classes. One last thing, remember to have fun and enjoy your exp.
Jon