One Semester Training, Full & Part Time Job

[John Willis]

Greetings,

I am currently an EMS student juggling training and working 7 days a week. I have most evenings off and no personal life. Does anyone have advice for better time management and handling all of the required reading and coursework?

-John

 

[Jdog]

Honestly, I can't imagine working 7 days a week and trying to make it through an EMT course. You either need to find some time off too study, or just never sleep.

 

[CALEMT]

One or the other has to go. Part time would be your best option. You're still going to have no life, but you'll be able to focus more on your EMT studying.

 

[John Willis]

Thank you for your responses! Guess I better find some vacation days!

 

[dutemplar]

Sadly that's what usually kills people in both EMT and Paramedic school. They take on too much "life" and are pulled in too many directions. Work suffers, sleep suffers, health suffers, schooling suffers, and they end up burning everything.

Kind of the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none." Try to do too much at once, and everything suffers all around.

 

[John Willis]

Things have indeed started to go that way. I have a few tricks for studying at work but they are only semi effective.

 

[DreadPirateRoberts]

I'm somewhat in the same boat, I work a career job (department head, can sometimes end up long hours) and am doing EMT. I don't know how other programs work but it ends up being 4 hours of class time per day, about 3 hours of homework, and 8+ hours of work in a day. It can be a load, but you just have to soldier on and get it done. I'll agree with others and say that a 7 day workweek is a over the top when trying to go to school.

 

[LanceCorpsman]

I am doing pre-med full time and working night shift full time as well. You won't have much time to do stuff, so say goodbye to sleep.

 

[John Willis]

I did in fact say goodbye to sleep. My update on the situation: I have taken every spare moment possible to study. It is getting easier. Fiscally, I could not afford to quit one of my jobs. I saved up vacation days and I am taking a leave of absence during my upcoming last month of training so I can bone up on everything before the NREMT. Thank you all for your support and advice!

 

[StCEMT]

I assume this is for EMT school. If you have any intention of going the medic route, work as an EMT for a while and save up a bunch of money so you can cut down on hours and still manage class. EMT is manageable with a full time job. Medic on the other hand, not nearly as easily (although I know people who did it). It is not manageable working 7 days a week though, that will have to go.