My 1st week of paramedic school

[Cclearly3]

So I just started paramedic school last week, and I already feel close to emotionally drained. I was so stoked to finally start medic school and now it feels as if the information is just not sticking. I came to class today ready to learn and the next minute I just felt depressed (could've been the topic my instructor was talking about) My friends don't seem to understand the demands of school and work and are always wanting to hang out.
I understand that it's ok to go out every once in a while, but for just one day I would like to not feel needed. I'm the one driving us around and everyone is always needing ME for something and with my sister going away to college next week things are really not getting any easier. I'm not getting any hours at work and I don't want my personal life affecting how I treat my patients. When I'm not working I'm spending every waking moment studying.

Is this how it's supposed to feel in the beginning?

 

[Veneficus]

from your first day on you are forevermore a healthcare provider, the wants and needs will start and they will never end.

The information seems a bit overwhelming at first but it will become repetitious, don't try to learn it all at once, be methodical.

Welcome to the club.

Wait till you get into medical school, you will never be anything other than a doctor 24/7 forever.

 

[Cclearly3]

I didn't expect it to all come pouring in at once.

I guess I need to start accepting it.

 

[medicRob]

from your first day on you are forevermore a healthcare provider, the wants and needs will start and they will never end.

The information seems a bit overwhelming at first but it will become repetitious, don't try to learn it all at once, be methodical.

Welcome to the club.

Wait till you get into medical school, you will never be anything other than a doctor 24/7 forever.

I still have to deal with friends pulling me aside to the bathroom to ask me a question about "The rash on their ***" and other places against my will, it all
started during my first week of upper division in nursing school when we were taught to give physicals at the University clinic. Let's not forget the classic, "Does this look infected to you?".

 

[piranah]

i feel i have an idea what med school will be like seeing as i had no social life for 2 years straight during medic school...get ready for the start of the end of a social life... its a right of passage really..

 

[firetender]

Is this how it's supposed to feel in the beginning?

No, this is how it feels in the beginning, to you. others may be having the exact same experiences as you but "feel" completely different than you about them. You have the choice in how you interpret all this. It can feel like a drain or it can feel like an exploration. Your choice, moment to moment!

 

[mgr22]

We used to warn paramedic candidates during the interview process that their life outside of paramedic school would pretty much be put on hold for 10 months, and that they would need the support and understanding of family and friends. I don't have any statistics, but I'd estimate that more than half of the students who tried to get by without those things didn't make it.

It's not too late for you to "reboot" your approach to medic school. First you need to buy into a new set of priorities, then you need to advise others to do the same. It's temporary -- well, sort of (see the other remarks about being in a medical profession).

It's important to get squared away now; it's going to get harder before it gets easier.

 

[medicRob]

We used to warn paramedic candidates during the interview process that their life outside of paramedic school would pretty much be put on hold for 10 months, and that they would need the support and understanding of family and friends. I don't have any statistics, but I'd estimate that more than half of the students who tried to get by without those things didn't make it.

It's not too late for you to "reboot" your approach to medic school. First you need to buy into a new set of priorities, then you need to advise others to do the same. It's temporary -- well, sort of (see the other remarks about being in a medical profession).

It's important to get squared away now; it's going to get harder before it gets easier.

Yup.

 

[Phlipper]

It can feel like a drain or it can feel like an exploration.

+1

I started the A&P portion of the Para program yesterday and being rather 'organic chem deficient' it is like drinking from a fire hose. So today I'm sitting here with a pile of library books giving myself a crash course in Chemistry. I love learning and so it's easier for me when things get tough. In my EMT-B class we had a bunch of folks, including college grads, who became overwhelmed and had to bail or were given the boot due to grades. It's all in the mindset, I think.

If you really want it, you'll break through the times like these.

 

[Cclearly3]

I want this more than anything. At the same time I'm a biochem major so I'm not too worried about that myriad of things. It would be nice if I had a little more support from the persons I'd expected to get it from. I have no problem balancig college and medic school, just people.

 

[Shishkabob]

Crystal,

Welcome to medic school. You'll have a lot to do with not much time to do it in, including shool, clinicals, work, family, and life in general.

Every Paramedic on this site has gone through the same basic things to get our patches...some harder than others, but I promise it will be done before you know it and then you can act like me, and I know how much you envy my awesomeness. Keep the head up.

 

[rhan101277]

I want this more than anything. At the same time I'm a biochem major so I'm not too worried about that myriad of things. It would be nice if I had a little more support from the persons I'd expected to get it from. I have no problem balancig college and medic school, just people.

I really wanted to become a paramedic as well. I enjoyed being an EMT but wanted to really be able to help someone when they needed advanced treatment. With tomorrow being the last day of school, I feel like my brain is fried. Class was three times a week, four times a week in Fall of 2009 due to A&P II, 5 hours a night. Now a year later I am happy I have made it, 3 hours round trip driving each class day + work + family + clinicals. People didn't think I could do it but I did, just stay true to yourself and do what you want and go for it full steam ahead.

 

[medicRob]

 

[Cclearly3]

@Steven: You are envied. . . SOMETIMES : D
@Rob: Hell yes!!

 

[terrible one]

I promise it will be done before you know it and then you can act like me, and I know how much you envy my awesomeness. Keep the head up.

your a funny dude.

 

[piranah]

funny..or scary i havent decided which

 

[Shishkabob]

Hey, you all heard (read?) It...I am envied at times! That, combined with the quote in my sig, and you just know I'm awesome.

And cclearly knows me in real life, so it's gotta be true.

 

[Akulahawk]

The info you get presented in medic school, especially in a shorter course, will be much like trying to sip from a fire hose, at first. It can be overwhelming for some. For others, it'll be relatively easy. The biggest thing I can tell you is to prioritize all your wants and needs, and the wants and needs of others. Set limits to what you can do for others, and when. Stick to your limits, and if someone needs to know why you can not do something for them, tell them right away. Later, you can adjust your limits, but for now... set things so that you have a chance to absorb what you've been presented in class. It's not easy when you're being pulled in a LOT of different directions.

Here's an example: This Summer, I was in a 6 week semester class... where I had to learn the material that's normally presented in a 16 week course, in about 1/3 the time, while working full-time and taking care of my family. I was able to find a balance between study time, school, work and family. Without that, I likely would have flat-out failed. I got an A in that course. Finding proper balance can mean the difference between success and failure.

 

[Cclearly3]

Hey, you all heard (read?) It...I am envied at times! That, combined with the quote in my sig, and you just know I'm awesome.

And cclearly knows me in real life, so it's gotta be true.

Like I said, SOMETIMES.