Starting my EMT-B class soon!!!

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Jillian342

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Hi everyone! i'm new to the site but i've read quite a few threads online that some people have posted and thought i'd try it out myself haha! well, i'm starting my emt class september 7th... and i'm nervous yet really excited, considering i'm not sure what to expect. i do ride alongs with an ambulance service a few times a week so i'm not nervous about being in the truck. i think im just nervous because i feel like i'm going to be the youngest person in my class and i'm afraid people are going to treat me differently. also are emt classes hard? and this may sound weird but what do you think i should wear.. there was never a specific dress code given so maybe just jeans and a shirt? thank you!!
 
Jillian342 said:
I think im just nervous because i feel like i'm going to be the youngest person in my class and i'm afraid people are going to treat me differently.
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How young are you?

I took my initial EMT at 16. T-shirt and jeans (and closed toed shoes) are fine for the first day.

Biggest advice I can give is do everything: do every practical. put your hands on every piece of equipment. ask questions. study for your exams. do the reading before class. and remember to breathe. As long as you are breathing, everything else will go smoothly.
 
I'm 17! and okay, i just have no clue what the atmosphere is even like, i guess i'm not aware of how often of a hands on class it is haha!
 
Jillian342 said:
i guess i'm not aware of how often of a hands on class it is haha!
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Very, very hands on. Or, at least, it should be! You should try to master every practical skill - that means practice, practice, & practice again.
 
Be prepared for class and show up on time. Have your text book with you, something to write notes on, and a few pens. Pay attention and don't get caught up in trying to be the class clown, or engage in side conversations while the instructor is teaching. Volunteer to go first when doing hands on skills every time ... the more you do the more you learn. Going first lets you get more attention as the instructor will want to make sure you are doing it right before the rest of the group tries the skill. There is no shame in getting it wrong the first time. Keep doing it till it's right. Take things seriously. There is a time to laugh, and you will get plenty of them, but there is also a time to put your head down and learn. Don't worry about anyone else but yourself. Some people are fast learners, some are slow. Just focus on you. Finishing at the top or bottom of the class means squat. If you pass the test you still get called an EMT. If you can, read ahead and be prepared for the lectures or skills that day. Having read ahead will help you prep for questions you may have. And as always, the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask. Other than that, keep your eyes and ears open and your will do fine!
 
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If I can add on what Never2Old said..... ALWAYS bring your textbook to class, as well as a highlighter or two.
Never2Old said:
Volunteer to go first when doing hands on skills every time ... the more you do the more you learn. Going first lets you get more attention as the instructor will want to make sure you are doing it right before the rest of the group tries the skill. There is no shame in getting it wrong the first time. Keep doing it till it's right.
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I have to reiterate this one. Do the hands on skills. Can you hide in the back and not do the skills? sure, especially with a big class, but at the end of the day, you are only cheating yourself.
Never2Old said:
Finishing at the top or bottom of the class means squat. If you pass the test you still get called an EMT.
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While it's true that top or bottom of the class doesn't matter, try to be at the top. the higher you score on the exams, the higher you will score on the state or national exams.

While the class isn't difficult, make so mistake, it isn't easy, especially if you don't have a strong background in anatomy. Can you pass if you just do the assignments, the reading, and study? absolutely. but if you fall behind, if you don't do the reading, and you don't practice the skills, than it becomes very easy to fail.
 
The class, will be overwhelming on the first day, but does get easier. I have to retake the course because I let min lapse 4 years ago!
Study, study, study. I had 2 notebooks one was for all in class notes and another was for what highlighted/definitions from the book.
Let me know how your class is going, mine is slated to start aug 31st -dec 2
 
Also, A&P was one of the most important chapters. If you have the book, I would go to the chapter and in a notebook just copy the definitions. Its a good learning tool and repetitive. Plus then you will be a step ahead of the class, because the definitions are a must lean!
 
I just started my class on the 21st. Depending on your class syllabus, expect the first week or the first couple days to be orientation, paperwork, etc. For me the first day was orientation then the AHA bls/cpr course. Be prepared to study, study, study. Read ahead if possible, and ask questions. Be prepared to step out of your comfort zone. It is different if you aren't used to that sort of stuff. Good luck!
 
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