Starting paramedic school

NightHealer865

Nationally Registered Paramedic
53
9
8
Hello All,
I am starting paramedic school on January 19. I am super excited but and cautiously nervous as well. I am wanting to see if anyone can over some study tip, time management tips and any other advice they picked up to make medic school a little bit easier. I've been an EMT-IV and later an AEMT since 2013, most of it on a 911 truck for a busy service. I'm ready for the challenge and mostly the experience.
Thanks!
 

NysEms2117

ex-Parole officer/EMT
1,946
909
113
I'm not a medic, however i am a college edumakated individual. I think if you follow the basic "schooling" steps you'll be fine.
1. Don't fall behind
2. Have a general knowledge of what you'll be doing(you probably already do since your an AEMT)
3. Don't hesitate to ask questions in class
4. not a school tip here, but a life one- NETWORK yourself while your going through paramedic school, with doctors, nurses, emt's my mom always told me "you never know who anybody knows". That doctor could know the mayor, or the EMS chief, and obviously it would benefit you to have that doctor remember you as "the person that helped out and made a difference", not "the person that only wanted to do trauma and be a hero". **not saying that is you, or not you, just saying in general for advice :D**
 

StCEMT

Forum Deputy Chief
3,052
1,709
113
Study tip: Diversify. There are a lot of good resources like Khan Academy that help. Find what clicks with you.

Time management: Plan your **** out. Very far out. It will save you later.

You will hear don't get behind on reading, but that's not bad if you end up a few chapters behind. Reading is easy to catch up in a few hours. Do not let clinicals back up. That takes much longer to catch up.

Medic school isn't hard. Read. Study. Ask questions. Be involved. Those things will take you far. It's doing it day in and day out while keeping up with everything you have to do and not sleeping worth crap that is hard. There will be a lot you have to juggle, but it's perfectly manageable if you put in some work.
 
OP
OP
NightHealer865

NightHealer865

Nationally Registered Paramedic
53
9
8
Study tip: Diversify. There are a lot of good resources like Khan Academy that help. Find what clicks with you.

Time management: Plan your **** out. Very far out. It will save you later.

You will hear don't get behind on reading, but that's not bad if you end up a few chapters behind. Reading is easy to catch up in a few hours. Do not let clinicals back up. That takes much longer to catch up.

Medic school isn't hard. Read. Study. Ask questions. Be involved. Those things will take you far. It's doing it day in and day out while keeping up with everything you have to do and not sleeping worth crap that is hard. There will be a lot you have to juggle, but it's perfectly manageable if you put in some work.

Thank you much for the reply. Your advice is very much appreciated.
 

cannonball88

Forum Crew Member
43
15
8
First off, congrats on starting something new!

1. When you do clinicals, especially in the hospital, don't focus on skills, focus on patients and providers. Yeah, I know you might need 50 IV starts, but that's not where your benefit will lie. It's seeing 30 patients start-to-finish (rather than over a 30 minute transport) in one shift, watching the doctor assess, ask questions, and formulate a diagnosis.

2. Worry more about looking like you're a sponge wanting to soak up knowledge than looking like a great medic. If you're in the ER, help re-stock, clean, and be a part of the team--that way, they'll treat you like it. If you're on a truck, it'd better be you that's willing to mop, sweep, and wipe the patient's...well, you know.

3. Find time in the ED when they don't usually get students (the night shifts people don't always want, for example). They don't have students running in and out every day, so teaching will be more fun for them and they'll be happier to do it. Additionally, if you work with the same people over and over, they'll trust you to do more (that EJ stick, for example)

4. Study. I know, it should be self explanatory, but it's not. Don't just study your drug flashcards and rhythm rules. Learn about the pathophysiology behind what's going on. It'll help you understand more and put the big picture together.

5. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed emotionally due to being so stressed, seek out a counselor (or some Xanax) early in the game, not after you have your first breakdown. No, I'm not saying "get on a controlled substance to make your problems go away," I'm saying that depending on the program, this may be the most time-consuming and energy-sucking thing you've done (or will do).

6. Talk to your support system. Friends, parents, co-workers, anything. Find people you can vent to, and actually talk. Don't just say "Yeah, medic school is great," find people you can talk to and say "Well, I bombed a quiz and missed my first field tube all in one day."

7. Don't ever correct anybody in front of a patient or fellow worker unless they're physically killing their patient (in fact, don't correct them at all, just learn what not to do).

8. If you don't know something, say so rather than faking it. Example: "I'm not sure my IV skills are up there enough for this stick," especially if it's a guy with a blood sugar of 18, you're holding a 22-gauge that was handed to you, and you're staring at the last palpable vein on that patient.

9. Some preceptors will be mean and difficult. Don't fight with them, just be glad they're showing you what not to do when you become a medic.

10. If you can avoid signing anything that stays with the service or hospital, do it (Example: If you sign the bottom of the service's PCR as "John Smith, Paramedic Student) it might feel cool, but med mal lawyers see that and say "Betcha I can find a mistake in there somewhere)

11. Never hit a patient with an oxygen tank, no matter how much they seem to deserve it. And no, it doesn't count as a positive pressure ventilation on your skill sheet.

12.. Every clinical site is a potential future employer, and that's the first way they look for new employees. Think of it as their "try before you buy" period. You'd do well to be nice and make friends.

That's off the top of my head. I hope it helps!
 

NomadicMedic

I know a guy who knows a guy.
12,098
6,845
113
Here's a couple of other things.

Don't be a Richard to the nurses or techs. They'll save you one day. Trust me.
Don't get behind in the reading.
Always be ready for a patient to die. They'll try to do it when you don't expect it and have gotten complacent.
Pitch in on the chores without being asked. If everyone else is cleaning, clean.
When you're on a new truck, you need to know where EVERYTHING is. Learn it.

And if you're riding at a fire station, your place is not in a recliner. Ever.
 

cannonball88

Forum Crew Member
43
15
8
I thought I was done, but DE triggered a few more.

13. Always be better behaved that the people you work with, because even if they're doing it, they won't hesitate to judge you for it. Just because they ***** about getting a hold-over call doesn't mean you should. Just because they laugh about the smelly patient doesn't mean you should. And no, I'm not saying call them out on it either, just don't do it.

14. Money may be tight, but try to bring some anyways. If your crew stops for lunch and you don't eat, you're losing a chance to bond with and gain the trust of the people you're with.

15. Dress like you work there. Whatever you're wearing should be clean and non-wrinkled, you should always be showered and groomed, and for God's sake, don't ever forget your name tag.

16. Do a full assessment on every patient, you're getting a lot of free practice. Yeah, that means listening to lung sounds on the guy that stubbed his toe.

17. Don't confine your learning to the Paramedic scope. If a doctor wants to let you watch him do a lumbar puncture, take the opportunity. Betcha he'll tell you all about the signs and symptoms of meningitis while he does it.

18. Don't ever get involved with workplace gossip in a workplace that isn't yours. If you complain about Crew A to Crew B, Crew B is going to tell Crew A (trust me, they will) and then when you next ride with Crew A, it's not going to be pleasant.

19. I don't care how you learned it, they're going to show it to you their way. Do it their way (unless they want to intubate through someones eye-hole).

20. Thank your preceptors/nurses/doctors/techs before you go -- every time -- every shift. We may not say much, but we do notice.
 

StCEMT

Forum Deputy Chief
3,052
1,709
113
ugh, so many memories that are still fresh from this list. There are some really good bits of advice in there though that go beyond the core of what you will be doing for X months. Following them would be to your benefit.
 
Top