What's your experience with your first senior partner?

[eCamp91]

What was your experience like with your first partner in EMS?

Did he/she take you under their wing and guide you or did they expect you just to know it all.

I'm asking this because I would like to know how the majority of senior EMS workers treat the "rookies" of EMS. How were you treated?

Thanks.

Eric C.

[Almostmedic]

My first partner was from my EMT class that was a little more proactive about getting a job than I was. She did w

However take me under her wing and teach me whatever I needed to know for the job.

[Kaisu]

I have never had a senior partner. My 1st EMS job ran 1 EMT and 1 Medic. I got 20 ride alongs with a senior medic that was supposed to show me the ropes. I had 8 or 9 different people; 2 or 3 of them tried to help me, but the system did not facilitate a mentor/mentee type of relationship. I was thrown to the wolves to sink or swim. That has subsequently changed in this system, with a formal FTO setup. It is much better for the newbies coming in now.

I should mention that an experienced EMT volunteered to be my permanent partner. She did everything in her power to help me and I will always appreciate it.

[Bieber]

Amazing. My first full time partner and I have been together for about nine or ten months so far. He's awesome. He recognizes that the operations side of the job is my weakness and has worked hard to teach me what he knows and build me up to being able to work independently as the lead paramedic on the truck (which I finally did for the first time last night, working with a part-timer). He's got about eleven years of experience and though you can tell he's starting to get a little crispy around the edges, he doesn't let that interfere with his patient care or with his teaching me.