Hey, just wondering who out there is part of the EMS? I'm currently taking an EMT course and it's exciting so far. It's a TON of reading and anatomy was never my strong point, but it's a good challenge and I can't wait until I actually get to start working with people. It's going to be terrifying, but thrilling, and it'll probably scare the crap out of me but I'm looking forward to testing myself that way.
I took a year-long EMT course during college in Massachusetts. I never actually took the final test to become a practicing EMT though. (I did get CPR certification, but that's about it.) The reading and studying and written tests were never a problem for me. I gained a fair bit of medical knowledge from that course. But the actual physical work EMS personnel have to do was too much for me to handle. During our practice test for state certification, I completely bombed on the physical parts (having 60 seconds to know what to do when they tell you a certain limb has been being broken and how to apply a splint, how to pick up and secure a body to be carried, etc.), I just knew I wasn't cut out for this work. (And actually what really killed me in the EMT course...during the first semester I did really well...over Christmas break, my grandfather fell and died in the bathroom and I found his lifeless body lying all bloody and blue-skinned, the EMTs came and there was nothing they could do, after that I knew I would never able to handle dealing with human beings missing limbs and having severe injuries pouring blood all over the place. You have to be the right sort of person to be able to cope with that on a daily basis.)
Hey I only just saw your answer to my post. I'm really sorry to hear about your grandfather and how you were the one to find his body. That sucks. I got my EMT certification June 1st and passed both my written and practical exams on the first try! I then did absolutely nothing until October when I finally talked with a department. I signed on and have now had four shifts. It's going great so far. I'm a volunteer and at the moment am still a "3rd rider" and am an extra on the ambulance. However, training is going well and I have been learning a lot. Had my first code last week and I did okay with it so hopefully I am cut out for this kind of work. Good luck to you and everything you try in the future!
