Just started Medic School

[AnthonyTheEmt]

Hey everybody,

Ive been for a little while but never posted before. I jsut started Medic School at Foothill College in Palo Alto, CA last week. Ive been studying pretty hard, but have trouble retaining everything that I am reading. For those who have been through, what worked for you and what didnt? I really want to be a good, comptetant medic.

Anthony

 

[Shishkabob]

All depends on how you learn best: Auditory, visual, or hands on.

I'm an auditory learner. I can read something a thousand times and be confused by it, but once it's explained to me in class it clicks and stay there.



I hardly ever study and am at the top of my medic class (knock on wood), while others have studied their butts off and have failed out of class. You just have to find what works, and keep at it.



We'll see how well I keep it up once clinicals start in 2 weeks...

 

[AnthonyTheEmt]

Cool. Thanks alot. Like you. I think I'm able to learn better when something is explained to me. I'm trying to study harder and understand it, but lab day seems be more helpful than lecture day

 

[cm4short]

Recite Rewrite and Recite again. Because once you get into field time you'll be doing a lot of this. Also, study group with your class mates is great. Because you'll get to test how much you really know prior to actually being tested. But, watch out for the alcohol as a study session can make a wrong turn very quickly.

 

[tlkennedy5]

I'm a current medic student and a current biology major in college...I've found that in all of my classes, including medic, I learn the best by first reading the selection, then I skim through it and pick out key terms and vocab and define them and write (or type) them up...then I go through and take notes on the selection as I read through it again. As I'm reading, I try and tie it all together.

I, unlike the auditory learners, don't learn as well by hearing it. I need to see it in front of me (in the form of text and reading it or if it is a skill that I can physically perform, then by doing it).

Just my .02

 

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

Read and highlight what you considered are important.
Read it again and make a study guide, IE type up all the highlighted key points and terms into Microsoft word.

Study and review, check with other student in your class.
My usual study guide would go be from 15-20 pages max every test.
Hasn't failed me so far, pretty much just as long you read, understand, and are able to attain you'll be good. I find that highlighting really helps me.

BTW, we might be bumping into each other during our clinicals
I'm taking my medic school at National University of Westmed College.

 

[i5adam8]

For the first 3 months of medic class I found it pretty difficult.It wasn't until after we finished ACLS that all the random facts,numbers,meds and info started to make sense.Toward the middle of the program,everything started to come together.

 

[sgoemt]

So far we have lost 2/3 of our class. What I found common among those who failed out was trying to memorize the material. I know it requires a fair amount of memorization for certain things (mnemonics, etc.), however, understanding WHY is the biggest factor for me. Reference your A&P in everything. For example, don't just remember that Cushing's triad is a clinical finding of ICP. Understand why.

Just my 2 cents, but it helped me out. And I am in no way trying to say that all students just try to memorize, but being able to visualize what is going on in the body will make great strides towards remembering.

 

[AnthonyTheEmt]

This makes HUGE sense. We just went through Pharmacology this week and it has just been a breakthrough. Really starting to understand what it means if something is a Sympathomimetic or an Anticholinergic. Thanks for the tip

So far we have lost 2/3 of our class. What I found common among those who failed out was trying to memorize the material. I know it requires a fair amount of memorization for certain things (mnemonics, etc.), however, understanding WHY is the biggest factor for me. Reference your A&P in everything. For example, don't just remember that Cushing's triad is a clinical finding of ICP. Understand why.

Just my 2 cents, but it helped me out. And I am in no way trying to say that all students just try to memorize, but being able to visualize what is going on in the body will make great strides towards remembering.

 

[kiff_hirst]

I am a kinesthetic learner. While I find that reading and memorization work to an extent, I agree that understanding WHY is a huge step toward making everything fall into place. Lab days are my most helpful as they provide an opportunity to apply what we've been learning in a hands on setting. I consistently learn and retain that information more easily this way.

 

[mikethemedic]

Medic school

The most fun I ever had, but I wouldn't ever want to do it again

 

[Zirux]

:wacko:good for u i just graduate from high school im looking for a emt school close 2 meriden to start at january.... any sugestions?

 

[AnthonyTheEmt]

Where is Meridian?