New guy. Also new medic student

[nikwho]

Hello, my name is Nik. I am a new Paramedic student and thought that a forum such as this could help me out throughout my 18 month medic class, and later in my career as well. I am a career FF and have been an EMT-B since 2005

[DwayneEMTP]

Hey Nik, welcome!

You'll find that we bag on Fire pretty hard here sometimes, but if it doesn't make you so mad that you run away, I think that you'll find that there are valid reasons for it. Though what we don't bag on, at least not normally, is anyone that is committed to learning and doing good medicine, Fire or not.

I think that you're right about a forum being helpful. This forum changed many ideas I had going into EMS and I am a much stronger, smarter provider because of it.

A word of advice. Many here read the forums, as you might a textbook, and take away what they gleen from other's opinions. I believe that that is a mistake for the serious student. If you really want to harvest all that is growing here then you really have to pick up a hoe. Post your questions, answer other peoples' questions, take chances, be brave, be involved. I think you will find that it will give you a major leg up over your classmates. See one, do one, teach one.

Again, welcome to the City! I look forward to your thoughts.

Dwayne

[nikwho]

Thanks Dwayne, I appreciate the response! I don't mind a little ribbing. Seems like a pretty good place so far! I've been lurking for a while and decided to join with medic class starting up and all!

[Bieber]

Welcome to the forums. I'm new here too, and also a paramedic student, though I'm about to graduate in December. Can't say I'm the biggest fan of fire myself, but I can't find a thing wrong with someone who wants to expand their medical knowledge. Good luck in paramedic school and glad to have you here.

[speedygodzilla]

Welcome, make your self at home and get involved. Good luck with medic class!

[coolpunk]

Hello my name is Shawn Mcneill i am a EMT Student. i am planning on working up the latter to the hopstial end of EMS.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Welcome to the lot of you. Good luck in school

I can attest to Dwayne's progress. When he came here about 2 years or so ago, maybe longer, the days just meld together for me, he definately was one of those people who you roll your eyes and say "Oh my, not another know it all newbie"

Well all kidding aside, Dwayne has become one of the most accomplished medics on this forum that we have. I think sometimes he has taken Dust's place and I have surely been humbled and maddened by his logic and thought processes.

I do believe in this site. I believe that someone who wants to learn more than just what is taught in their medic or EMT class can come here, ask a question and get a dozen different answers, most of them right, to their question.

It is then the questioner's responsibility to go out and take what he read on this site and compare it to what he is learning and either ignore it out of hand (sometimes a good thing) or take that information and incorporate it into their knowledge base and then share that information with someone else who was in their shoes.

It is up to the new user of this forum to be honest and open in their questions. If you make a mistake and you think others can learn from it, then why not post it and get a discussion going.

If you learned something in class that you think this forum will benefit from, then by all means post it, you may get more information than you bargained for.

We have all kinds here, fire, EMS, hospital, icu, doctors, whackers, vollies, first responders, lurkers and trolls and all have their place.

Come here and learn learn learn. Don't be a bump on the log and not post. There are enough of those people in the user rolls already that have joined and then never post.

This site will PISS YOU OFF big time at times, but at other times you will say "WOW I DIDN"T KNOW THAT" and that is what keeps me coming back for more.

Take Care

Ruff

[DwayneEMTP]

Thanks Dwayne, I appreciate the response! I don't mind a little ribbing. Seems like a pretty good place so far! I've been lurking for a while and decided to join with medic class starting up and all!

There was no other resource, not a book, not any individual teacher, that came close to the value that I found here. I hope that the same will be true for you.

Except for giving me way more credit than I deserve, Ruff has hit it right on the head. In fact that is a perfect description of this site in my eyes. (It seems that I'm just following you around Ruffster. Awesome posts today!)

You're going to do well brother. And reread Ruff's post...If you follow that advice you will soon be disappointed at how little your classmates actually understand from their studies.

Dwayne

[HERBIE1]

Welcome to the city, new members. Jump in, don't be afraid to ask questions or to put out an opinion. Just be prepared to back up your claims with some evidence and/or logic. Sometimes we simply agree to disagree.

We all form our opinions based on our personal experiences, our working conditions, and the area in which we work. What is "normal" for me may be quite unusual for someone else. It's often not a matter of being right or wrong, it's just different.

As was said, there is quite a diverse crowd here- volunteers, basics, intermediates, paramedics, and every shade of provider in between. Some folks work as single role providers, others are cross trained, some are FD based, some are hospital based, some are military based, and some are 3rd service. We have nurses, respiratory therapists, doctors, and many others who bring unique perspectives to the discussions. I love hearing from the new folks, and NOBODY- no matter how long you've been in this business- is too old or too bright to learn. Some folks here are so bright it is actually scary.

Yes, fire bashing DOES occur here, but in a forum such as this, the emphasis is on the EMS side.