ambulance duty
I've done 3/4 of my required ambulance shifts. Each day has been 10 hours of running around with a pair of paramedics. Each day I've had a different work pair which has been good in some ways, but not so good in others.
Very good because since the first day where all I did was follow around and observe, the people I've had to follow have let me do things such as CPR etc, rather than just keeping me in the background to lug around equipment.
Monday the pair I was working with were BRILLIANT in terms of testing my knowledge - they quizzed me on the why of treatments, the physiology of diseases etc, and it was very very rewarding and challenging to me, not only in terms of learning stuff but giving me a little confidence in stuff I already knew but realise that I knew if that makes sense.
We had a cardiac arrest on Monday, and rather than spare me blah blah blah, Mike (paramedic) said "You do the compressions". While it's not an experience that I'm particularly inspired to relive regularly, actually performing CPR on someone is vastly different to how you imagine it given the way it's protrayed in not only movies but first aid courses as well. I'm very happy that I had that opportunity, and I've learnt that I'm capable of coping in 'high stress' situations such as cardiac arrest etc, which is definitely a huge relief!!
Today I got to play around with blood sugars, drawing drugs, blood pressures etc. The crew I was working with today have had a few 'bad' med students - people that just turn up to do the hours but don't really care and aren't really interested. Given that I'm a 'hands on' kind of person, I HATE sitting around watching while other people are working, I normally jump in and do little things which I've observed in the past and figured I could do for the crew to make their life easier. The guys appreciated that, and as such spent our lunch 'break' giving me a detailed tour of the van, includnig playing with drugs and toys and discussing scenarios and situations.
I'm so very happy that I've done this ambulance duty. The more time I spend with them out on call and watched them, the more I think that emergency medicine or something along the lines of paramedics is what I want to do. I could always finish medicine, and then do my paramedics course if I wasn't happy being a doctor.
I've also found out, based on talking to these guys, that the ambulance station five minutes from my house (literally) only has one full time paramedic at any given time, and relies on 'volunteer ambulance officers' to assist by driving and performing very very basic first aid under supervision. I'm thinking that maybe in the summer holidays I could volunteer with my station because, amazingly enough, it's something I very much enjoyed doing.
For the first time since I've started med, I've found something in the field/area that interests me.
Also, I went and spoke to a supervisor regarding my next two years at university, and when he asked me how it was all going I was so unprepared for the question that I sort of went "Uh....okay," and he saw right through my painful attempt at a lie. He said it was okay (and given he's the associate head professor I felt like a TOTAL dork) and that most people feel that way, but often after a prac or placement people find the motivation and passion they were missing and often end up being better and more committed than people who just want to do med for the sake of doing med.
I'm scared to get too excited about all of this again in terms of shouting my commitment and glee to the heavens, but I'm feeling a little happier and relaxed about my future prospects all of a sudden. I'm not totally dreading the next three years, not to mention the rest of my life.
That, I feel, is a definite relief and load off my shoulders!
Very good because since the first day where all I did was follow around and observe, the people I've had to follow have let me do things such as CPR etc, rather than just keeping me in the background to lug around equipment.
Monday the pair I was working with were BRILLIANT in terms of testing my knowledge - they quizzed me on the why of treatments, the physiology of diseases etc, and it was very very rewarding and challenging to me, not only in terms of learning stuff but giving me a little confidence in stuff I already knew but realise that I knew if that makes sense.
We had a cardiac arrest on Monday, and rather than spare me blah blah blah, Mike (paramedic) said "You do the compressions". While it's not an experience that I'm particularly inspired to relive regularly, actually performing CPR on someone is vastly different to how you imagine it given the way it's protrayed in not only movies but first aid courses as well. I'm very happy that I had that opportunity, and I've learnt that I'm capable of coping in 'high stress' situations such as cardiac arrest etc, which is definitely a huge relief!!
Today I got to play around with blood sugars, drawing drugs, blood pressures etc. The crew I was working with today have had a few 'bad' med students - people that just turn up to do the hours but don't really care and aren't really interested. Given that I'm a 'hands on' kind of person, I HATE sitting around watching while other people are working, I normally jump in and do little things which I've observed in the past and figured I could do for the crew to make their life easier. The guys appreciated that, and as such spent our lunch 'break' giving me a detailed tour of the van, includnig playing with drugs and toys and discussing scenarios and situations.
I'm so very happy that I've done this ambulance duty. The more time I spend with them out on call and watched them, the more I think that emergency medicine or something along the lines of paramedics is what I want to do. I could always finish medicine, and then do my paramedics course if I wasn't happy being a doctor.
I've also found out, based on talking to these guys, that the ambulance station five minutes from my house (literally) only has one full time paramedic at any given time, and relies on 'volunteer ambulance officers' to assist by driving and performing very very basic first aid under supervision. I'm thinking that maybe in the summer holidays I could volunteer with my station because, amazingly enough, it's something I very much enjoyed doing.
For the first time since I've started med, I've found something in the field/area that interests me.
Also, I went and spoke to a supervisor regarding my next two years at university, and when he asked me how it was all going I was so unprepared for the question that I sort of went "Uh....okay," and he saw right through my painful attempt at a lie. He said it was okay (and given he's the associate head professor I felt like a TOTAL dork) and that most people feel that way, but often after a prac or placement people find the motivation and passion they were missing and often end up being better and more committed than people who just want to do med for the sake of doing med.
I'm scared to get too excited about all of this again in terms of shouting my commitment and glee to the heavens, but I'm feeling a little happier and relaxed about my future prospects all of a sudden. I'm not totally dreading the next three years, not to mention the rest of my life.
That, I feel, is a definite relief and load off my shoulders!