And the world sleeps...

For a couple weeks anyway.

Summer classes are over (as of the 2nd of August) and the days find me waiting on my final grade for my internship class (I got an A in the Literature class I specifically took to get an A so...). Since I was allowed to attend the orientation and register for fall classes, I'm confindent that I did pass...but I want to know my grade!

Ok, I'm a bit obsessed with grades. I'm a nerd.

Anyway, I arranged my fall classes - well, tenchincally I was told which once I could sign up for and did so. After all of last year of hearing how hard and difficult and sleep depriving the Medic Core could be I was slightly worried. We all were, actually. It's one of the better conversation topics in the hallway at school. Then I looked at my schedule.

Yes, it is a lot of courses. Yes, there is a lot of knowledge and procedure I have to cram into my brain. Yes, it is probably going to be stressful.

Except I have 1,5 days off...not counting the weekend. Granted, that day and a half is supposed to go to my clinicals - both in hospital and on the rig, but still! That's a whole 3,5 days off a week...I'll be able sleep, do my homework (which we traditionally don't have much of anyway), study and practice my skills.

I don't see what they were fussing about. I mean, sure, there is going to be a lot to do, but with proper planning and a solid schedule it's not -that- bad. It's no worse than the 10hr days I put in studying a language for two years, plus fulfilling other duties. Granted, I was younger...but I'm not old yet. Even if I complain that I am sometimes.

So, therefore...come August 27th, I'll be starting Core. My days will revolve around Shock and Trauma + Practicum, Medical Emergencies Pharmacological Interventions I + Practicum, Field Skills Lab I, Introduction to Pre-hospital Pharmacology and my field and hospital clinicals (150 hrs per semester minimum). Now all I need to do is finish sorting out finacial aid so I can get my textbooks and start pre-studying.

I can't wait to get the green light to hook back up with my medic. It's crazy how much I've enjoyed working on the ambulance. I miss it.

Real World Experience

Last Thursday I received an email requesting that the summer internship class help the EMSSA (Emergency Medical Service Student Association) as they were lacking volunteers for the weekend. So, I offered to help out - and nudged a classmate into coming with me.

So, Sunday I spent 12 + hours running the First Aid Station at the local soccer tournament. My area was four fields of games, with new games starting every hour. Let me tell you, that is a LOT of soccer, teams, kids, parents and flying balls.

And I was the only medical type person there. Granted, this is what I've spent my last year and a bit training for, but the first time I was called out to check on one of the players, my heart rate sky-rocketed, my palms got all sweaty and I was probably paler than she was. The idea that -I- was supposed to know if the kid needed a real doctor (she didn't...I hope) was like a drop kick to the stomach.

Luckily there were no major injuries, though I did advise (strongly) a couple parents/coaches to take the players in for a proper evaluation (possible concussion, twisted knee with impressive bruising, twisted ankle that could not bear weight and an awesome, fist sized bruise/lump to a player's elbow).

All in all, it was an invaluable experience. I would do it again. Though, I'm thinking that my internship (starting in two weeks!!) is going to help me a lot more, because I'll be able to watch my preceptor evaluate the injuries/medical issues -and- I'll get feed back when I do the same evaluations, instead of making my eval's and hoping I did it right. But I had fun, I learned a lot, and I like to think I helped the soccer kids...and the two crowd people.