End of medic school

N

nbas2b

Forum Probie
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Im sorry for the bombardment of topics about medic school. But I have 2 classes left, my final is on the 23rd. I have been hanging around a 75% the whole class(barely passing) and now that I'm about to head into my clinicals, I'm pretty worried that I dont know what I need to know. Everytime I'm on this site reading and trying to learn something new, there are 5 other things that I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Which is another reason, I feel Im not ready to be out there.

I went straight from EMT school to medic school and I think i'm kickin myself for it now. Am I gonna be in for a shell-shock?
 
nbas2b said:
Im sorry for the bombardment of topics about medic school. But I have 2 classes left, my final is on the 23rd. I have been hanging around a 75% the whole class(barely passing) and now that I'm about to head into my clinicals, I'm pretty worried that I dont know what I need to know. Everytime I'm on this site reading and trying to learn something new, there are 5 other things that I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Which is another reason, I feel Im not ready to be out there.

I went straight from EMT school to medic school and I think i'm kickin myself for it now. Am I gonna be in for a shell-shock?
Click to expand...

Welcome to the club! I'm about to finish Medic school, the midterm is today, actually. The state practical exam is going to be done in class on the 18th of March, given by our medical director. (as of right now. It's changed about four times now.) and then two days after that, the class written final where all that will be left is to take the state written.

Do you have a good grasp on a&p? I THOUGHT I did, but floating around on this site made me realize I didn't, and it also made me realize it's nearly impossible to be a good medic with out a good grasp on a&p and pharm. Try studying up on that a little bit.

I was also stupid enough to attend a medic mill, but that's not the end of the world if you take the intiative on your own and start filling in the voids and expanding your knowledge base.

In my clinical experience, a good preceptor likes to teach and clinicals are a GREAT place to learn. You can go over something in a book a thousand times but until you do it, push it, see it, etc, it may not click, so don't get too discouraged about not knowing what you need to know.

Also, I've found out if you take the time to ask people here things you don't understand, they will gladly take the time to explain it to you or point you in the direction of where you can find the answer.
 
I had a 96% in one of the toughest programs nationwide and testing was tough. Make sure you get a study guide and a tutor or you may have trouble passing.
 
medic417 said:
I had a 96% in one of the toughest programs nationwide and testing was tough. Make sure you get a study guide and a tutor or you may have trouble passing.
Click to expand...

Cookie for you, then.
 
medic417 said:
I had a 96% in one of the toughest programs nationwide and testing was tough. Make sure you get a study guide and a tutor or you may have trouble passing.
Click to expand...

What set your program apart from the others as being one of the toughest?
 
You owe it to your patients to know more than 75% of the material you are supposed to be learning. Assuming that you are interested in learning the science of the body, you may find it easier to just sit and read for pleasure some of the things you were having a difficult time on. I find that I do not need to study all that much and retain a lot of what I read and highlight, however. Your milage may vary.

If you are struggling on the basic knowledge foundation required to be a paramedic, you may find it difficult to cope with that and the stress of having to preform on real patients. Clinical time is less stressful than the internship so use this opportunity to expand you knowledge base and practice your basic skills.

P.S. before now I laughed at people who highlighted in textbooks and lecture notes, now I am wishing I used that all along, it helps me. Studying and learning are highly individualized processes in my exercise however, so do what ever works for you.
 
nbas2b said:
I went straight from EMT school to medic school and I think i'm kickin myself for it now. Am I gonna be in for a shell-shock?
Click to expand...

As far as work experience, I doubt it is relevant that you went straight to Paramedic school. What you may or may not learn from working as an EMT will probably not help you academically.

Did you have any college level classes such as A&P or anything prior to EMT or Paramedic?

Is this a votech or college based program? Is it CoAEMSP accredited with additional resources available?

Edit:
I just saw now where you mentioned NCTI. Did you at least take the full college A&P option prior to entry and not this school's 2 week abbreviated "Everything you need to know" A&P class?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Experience is great but does NOT replace good study and practice habits. Old habits and bad traits are just as bad as having no experience.

Yes, it may take you few extra weeks or even months, but don't trade that in with good foundational knowledge.

As many will confirm; having a better than average science background with emphasis in anatomy and physiology is essential to be good medic.

R/r 911
 
Ridryder911 said:
Experience is great but does NOT replace good study and practice habits. Old habits and bad traits are just as bad as having no experience.

Yes, it may take you few extra weeks or even months, but don't trade that in with good foundational knowledge.

As many will confirm; having a better than average science background with emphasis in anatomy and physiology is essential to be good medic.

R/r 911
Click to expand...

My coursework in biology and chem, def a benefit.
 
How long are programs leading to EMT-P in the USA. Here in Canada EMT-P is also called ACP and they are around 2yrs minimum.
 
fortsmithman said:
How long are programs leading to EMT-P in the USA.
Click to expand...

That depends on which of the 50 states you want to know about. Paramedic education requirements vary state by state with some requiring as little as 500 hours to ONE state requiring a two year degree. The average HOURS for training is between 700 and 1200.
 
VentMedic said:
That depends on which of the 50 states you want to know about. Paramedic education requirements vary state by state with some requiring as little as 500 hours to ONE state requiring a two year degree. The average HOURS for training is between 700 and 1200.
Click to expand...

Hopefully NM will be requiring at least an AAS within the next few years. My college is leading a push to get it required. One school in the state offers a BS in EMS, and my school and another community college are implementing AAS in EMS w/in the next semester.
 
How long are programs leading to EMT-P in the USA.
Click to expand...

That depends on which of the 50 states you want to know about. Paramedic education requirements vary state by state with some requiring as little as 500 hours to ONE state requiring a two year degree. The average HOURS for training is between 700 and 1200.
Click to expand...

And SOME crappy, milly, dishonest, programs don't even meet their minimum amount required by the state in paramedic class and depend on gen-eds and a forced degree program to meet that hourly requirement, and don't inform their students of such.

Hmph.
 
I dont have a biological background. I've never took a college level class of A&P and took NCTI, 6 week A&P course. I wanted to go back to college and take the upper division A&P, microbiology and a few other biological classes, but I feel like I really couldnt apply it, since I would already be working as a medic.
 
nbas2b said:
I dont have a biological background. I've never took a college level class of A&P and took NCTI, 6 week A&P course. I wanted to go back to college and take the upper division A&P, microbiology and a few other biological classes, but I feel like I really couldnt apply it, since I would already be working as a medic.
Click to expand...

So you think your education ends with a Paramedic cert from a trade school like NCTI?
 
No, that is not how I meant it to come across. I want to be the best medic I can be and I will do whatever I can to do that. But as of now, I am in a world of disarray(sp?). I guess I was hoping for reassurance to see where you guys were feeling when you guys were just going into clinicals.

Now if I thought my education ended after this program. I'd be scared for other peoples lives. That is exactly why I want to take science classes after I am done.
 
deleted remarks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top