Wish me luck!!! I start my class tomorrow!!!!

[timmy84]

As someone who did do his first responder and EMT courses before turning 18, I would like to make a couple of comments.



I did the same thing- full class load (high school + two classes at the community college + EMT program + working as a dispatcher for an ambulance service) and I had NO problem with picking up the information in class. In fact, I thought the stuff was done at such a ridiculously basic level that we were not getting taught enough (and still don't believe EMTs get enough knowledge coming out of the basic class). I've always wondered about people who complained about having to learn "so much" and the "stress" of the class. I think it boils down to- as someone said- poor time management and study skills. From my experience as an adjunct instructor and preceptor, I've noticed the younger guys tend to do better in class (once you get them to calm down) than the older folks do, but the exact reverse is true when you get into clinicals.

My primary reason for discouraging EMS training for people under 18 has nothing to do with them not being able to perform adequately. It has everything to do with the effects on them of what they see. You're talking to someone who burned out at the age of 20 (hence why I sometimes (usually?) come across as really bitter on here) after some crap happened that seriously messed me up (Ridryder is well aware of what I am talking about since I had a very long in-person conversation with him about it and some other stuff; for his providing an empathetic ear, I am forever in his debt) and I wish to keep other kids from experiencing that. If I could go back and do it all over, I would have still taken the classes, but I would not have been so focused on EMS to the exclusion of a lot of the stuff I missed out on.

Agreed adolescence is a pivotal stage of psychosocial development. Teens are often focused on doing "what is right" or at least what they believe to be right. This can lead to many psychosocial problems, not to mention to the decreased/absent peer interaction. During the teenage years one is still developing their personality/identity, and although they think they can rule the world with their ideological thinking. It is important for this to be somewhat maintained, and seeing a MCI or all those AMI's that you loose can really take a toll on a kid in a profound way. On the other had it is the time the individual is making career goals, so there should still be some encouragement. I personally like the idea of high school physical training programs as a way to ease kids into the field (it is what I am encouraging my sister to do rather than be involved with anything too dramatic).

 

[Cory]

I did all those things and I STILL regret not doing it 24/7/365 for 4 years.

Plus, if his high school is anything like mine, he will be overwhlemed between the schoolwork and the EMT class. My school is a pretty tough college prep school, and I know that I could never manage this class and school, well I could but I wouldn't want to.

 

[HotelCo]

My school was very lax. D- was passing in most classes (If I remember correctly).

 

[Shishkabob]

I know in Michigan (or at the very least, Lake Orion and the surrounding communities) D- is all the is required to pass classes in school.


College? C- or you don't receive credit.

Medic? B- or you fail.

 

[Sasha]

I know in Michigan (or at the very least, Lake Orion and the surrounding communities) D- is all the is required to pass classes in school.


College? C- or you don't receive credit.

Medic? B- or you fail.

A D was all I needed for credit for US Government and hopefully all I will need for English Comp. Hard to learn any kind of English class from someone with such a thick Jamaican accent you can't understand a word they are saying.

 

[Melclin]

Honestly, how did this kid listen to all the things that he has been told about calming down and still post "WAAAA wwooo polished my sheers, brushed my teeth". He's clearly not listening. You wonder about the the level of intelligence and maturity in a person who thinks its a good idea to act like that at all, let alone after having been told not too for their own good.

I realise I don't get very well how the system works over there, but the idea that someone so young can potentially attend cases as a qualified ambulance anything, or even as a student is just plain ridiculous.

There's some controversy about university graduates in the ambulance service here. Alot of the older medics feel they are too immature and lack 'street smarts' or real life experience to function properly in pre-hospital care. And these people are relative academic high achievers at 22-25 years of age.

The best thing this kid can do is focus on getting a good secondary education so he has a good base on which to learn other things. I do hope he's not thinking of foregoing or limiting in some way, a good education to take this joke of an EMT course.

 

[rescue99]

A D was all I needed for credit for US Government and hopefully all I will need for English Comp. Hard to learn any kind of English class from someone with such a thick Jamaican accent you can't understand a word they are saying.

Ahhhh...yeah Sasha. Good point. There has to be communication in order for students to effectively learn. This would give cause for a letter of concern to the school. Not because he's Jamaican but, because it's impossible to comprehend his lectures.

 

[thatgirl00]

whoa, and I thought I was excited!

 

[Sir Young]

I'm anxiously awaiting PH's return. I want to hear all about class.

 

[Hockey]

I'm anxiously awaiting PH's return. I want to hear all about class.

Hasn't logged on since


Maybe someone from class took him out back...

 

[usafmedic45]

Hasn't logged on since


Maybe someone from class took him out back...

Knowing the part of Illinois he's from, that would not be a surprise.

 

[EMT11KDL]

I'm anxiously awaiting PH's return. I want to hear all about class.

I know, i think this is the longest we havent heard from him. I wonder if he is the same way in class as he is on here? :huh:

 

[Fedekz]

I doubt anyone is going to notice you went to the Dentist, much less that your brushed your teeth 27 times .... don't brush them too often, if you haven't done that as a "regular" routine, or else your gums are going to hurt/bleed like hell. Polishing your stethoscope for the first day of class? usually you learn "introduction to EMS" and well being of the EMT, and a crash course on legal issues. I really doubt your going to even need a stethoscope for the first couple days. Don't let yourself be the tool that has his stethoscope around his neck everyclass even though you only used it the one day of the entire course where you learned to check BP's, don't be the tool who brings a BP cuff and puts it in his side pant pouch, don't tape your sheers to your leg (yes, I have actually seen this hahaha), don't bring your pen light and randomly look into people's eyes and tell them they are on drugs because their pupils look like black holes. Maybe my class was weird, but some people did that .... best part was that everyone that was a tool about that stuff failed out hahaha.

 

[rhan101277]

Oh come on! Don't you want your teeth to match your coat at the white coat ceremony?

When does JP get the coat 2nd year?