Difficult preceptorship?

[DwayneEMTP]

Well, I survived the first semester of Medic school, barely. But have some questions about precptorship, though it's a while off yet.

I have been told since the beginning that going from basic to medic was going to be difficult. And I've found it to be so.

I've also been told that others that work in EMS will not be happy that I haven't done so. I believe I've seen that as well...not a biggie.

What I'm wondering is...I hired a tutor, full time medic working on his Masters in biology to help with some things I was having problems with, and he warns that I'm going to be miserable during preceptorship do to the biases I'll see from the crews I ride with.

From my tutor:

"Zero to hero is unpopular to those that worked as basics. They will make it hard for you" "Paramedicine is pretty much a young man's game. They'll figure that if you didn't know you wanted to be a medic before now, you shouldn't be allowed to be one at 43." "EMS is ego driven, preceptors don't want you to be as smart as they are, and many will try to make you miserable if they think you are." He doesn't seem to share these sentiments, he was simply trying to prepare me for "The Real World."

From my lead instructor:

"I'm afraid you're going to find preceptorship very difficult and uncomfortable. There's not really anything I can do to help with that, you just need to try and survive it."

So....Some of you may know I'm not exactly a whiner. Normally. So I'm not afraid of what may happen, I'm afraid of the consequences of my responses to what may happen. I can be teased, corrected, chided, even insulted in the right context. I don't believe I'm smarter than anyone, don't have anything to prove, and have no issues doing the grunt labor while people invest their valuable time to train me.

What I won't allow is people putting their hands on me in an agressive or offensive manner, people taking, moving or damaging my property, attempts at humorous insults that involve my wife or son, or pretty much anything else I've come to believe was left behind after kicking the 5th grade bullies ass.

I'm not nearly so worried (though worried is a little strong) about being employed. I've been employed, I know how to draw boundries and stand up for myself. Having been an employer I have a pretty good idea of my rights, and my options when situations become untenable. I've just never been in the student (More or less powerless) role in this context before, where standing up can mean a worse learning experience or being sent home, to move to the end of the preceptor line.

What do I have to take? What can I expect that I won't like, but should tolerate simply because it's part of the process? How many people should I expect to try and cross that line? Anything else I should know?

Thanks all...Have a great day!

Dwayne

[JCicco345]

The best advice is to have a thick skin. It's part of what comes with being a newbie especially if you didn't work for the service before as a basic. Just ignore things that other you and focus on what you want to do, being a medic. Your ride time probably won't be as bad as your thinking, just go in there with the attitude that you are there to learn as much as you can. I'm currently doing my ride time and I love it, I've only been a basic for about 3 years, I was only a basic for a year and a half when I started medic school. Just enjoy the learning part of everything and ignore the idiots. Good luck.

[scratrat]

Keep your mouth shut. That's it.

If they ask a question, know the answer.

All preceptors are different. I had some fun ones, and I had some miserable ones. Until you figure out which one they are, keep your mouth shut. They're not all that bad...

[chaser]

...I'm not afraid of what may happen, I'm afraid of the consequences of my responses to what may happen...What do I have to take? What can I expect that I won't like, but should tolerate ...

Dwayne-

In my opinion, the students who have the most challenges are those that are arrogant and cocky, or can not handle instruction or criticism. Who wouldn't want to slap the crap out of them?

You are hard working, intelligent, thoughtful, and have a sense of humour. These are traits we all love to have in people we work with or around. You may have to put up with some pranks or be the butt of some newbie jokes, but I wouldn't worry it would be anything you can't handle or shrug off with class and dignity.

My $0.02 as far as you are concerned...don't over analyze.

L

Oh, and congrats on 1st semester down!!!!!!! :occasion5:

[Ridryder 911]

Stick true to your own objectives. If preceptor gives you hard a time it is because they are worried of their own account. I am sorry, maturity and the ability to handle one's self is a large part of the job. Hang in there, many of the young ones only see this as a stepping stone and not their idea of a profession. You will be surprised afterwards that how well you will do.

R/r 911

[croaker260]

Dwayne,

The only thing I can tell you is that while preceptorship should be tough, very tough, it should be tough academically and medically, not due to hazing and bias. Some of the horror stories you mentioned would not be tolerated at my service. Our FTO program is based on a law enforcement model with stringent standards. While we do some things that some might consider unreasonable (the preceptee often techs every patient and writes every chart until he is down several), the Preceptee often has homework assigned, or tests at work...we consider that FTO descretion and part of the learning process. The other stuff your mentioned is a liability to learning, to the FTO program, to the FTO, and to the service, and is not tolerated here.

It also sounds like to me you have heard all the bad things about some rather unsupervised FTO programs, and nothing good. Not all FTO programs are created equal, or even similar in structure. In fact, many are not structured at all, you are just paired with someon who someone else thought would do an OK job.

Our FTO program emphasizes the learning as well as the evaluation experience. I dont know of any time a preceptee/trainee ever had an FTO put his hands on him unless it was for his or a patients safety. Ever.

Dont sweat it until you get there, dont get a chip on your shoulder before you even start, you will enjoy yourself a lot more that way. Dont get me wrong...it should, and must be tough, but that doesnt mean it cant be fun.

[Eydawn]

Dwayne, do you know who you're going to ride with? As a CO gal who knows people who work for several services, I might be able to give you a heads up on who you could be encountering. If not, I can at least go "oh, that's where that is".

If you don't want to shout it to the world, PM me. I'm honestly curious at the very least.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

MI EMT-B

[Dustdevil]

Don't sabotage yourself, Bro. While there are certainly a fair share of dickwads in EMS everywhere you go, there are also a lot of good guys out there. And, just like those that come to The City, there are quite a few who are either old-timers in the biz, or old-timers on their second career. Those guys won't have a problem with you at all, unless they are just dicks to everybody in general. And of the young'uns, there are still quite a few who were raised right and have respect for their elders, regardless of their position, and treat them with dignity and respect. I also find that quite a few young medics really appreciate having older students join the ranks. It's refreshing to precept somebody who is mature and serious minded, instead of the usual annoying wanker who won't shut up about all the pointless crap long enough to discuss serious medical topics. And those medics are not threatened by your maturity. They embrace it, and it is a satisfying ego boost to them to be able to teach somebody who is their senior.

As for the zero-to-hero thing, I really haven't ever seen that present a problem in the student-preceptor relationship, in my experience. Never. Generally, I see two kinds of student-preceptor relationships; the ones where the student's attitude and presentation sets the tone, and the ones where the preceptor is just a dick to everybody. The ones where they are just a dick to selective people for arbitrary reasons like age, weight, sex (or lack of same), etc... are anomalies.

Prepare for the worst, but expect the best! Positive mental attitude is the first rule of survival.

[FormerEMSLT297]

Dwayne,,, Having been a preceptor for several different agencies I will say this.

1. If you can not handle the stress of being teased, questioned, and verbally prodded, during a preceptorship, how will you hold up during the stress of a real call, with no senior medic or person to help you..

Now, that being said, there are many senior preceptors who enjoy teaching and I never changed my precepting "style" so to speak, just because a student was older or younger or whatever.

Go into it with an open mind, and be prepared to answer some tough (patient scenario) questions.

I don't know why your instructor would tell you that you would have a hard way to go because you are older. Usually, I've found that the students who have the most trouble are the 19, and 20 y/o kids, who know it all, and have an unrealistic idea of what EMS ans Paramedicine is all about.

So, stiff upper lip, and know your protocols so you are prepared for the questions...

Good Luck

Former

[DwayneEMTP]

You are hard working, intelligent, thoughtful, and have a sense of humour.

See...that's why you're my favorite island girl in the whole entire world!

My $0.02 as far as you are concerned...don't over analyze.

You know, you are pretty dang smart for a 19 year old...

The only thing I can tell you is that while preceptorship should be tough, very tough...

I truly hope that not one single thing in the entire process is easy. This has been so much more difficult that I expected between work, school and family, I don't want to come out the other side feeling like I missed something. Or that I somehow should have come out stronger.

Dwayne, do you know who you're going to ride with?

Not exactly sure. I believe it rotates between AMR and fire in the Springs. I don't have the details yet...I'll be more specific when I can. Thanks for asking though...

Prepare for the worst, but expect the best! Positive mental attitude is the first rule of survival.

Grin...Yeppers. It's not really that I'm afraid, cause I'm not. I ask these questions in the same context that I would ask what the proper dress would be for the party you invited me too. I'm not afraid to show up in Jeans, but would prefer to know what is most acceptable ahead of time instead of attempting to adjust later. Know what I mean?

If you can not handle the stress of being teased, questioned, and verbally prodded, during a preceptorship, how will you hold up during the stress of a real call, with no senior medic or person to help you..

Hmmmm...I'm guessing you mean a general "you", otherwise I'm not sure where I gave you the idea I can't handle it.

On that note, I am perfectly prepared to accept that both my tutor and teacher have been jerking my chain about this whole thing..and if so...kudos to them! Absolutely nothing wrong with the new kids paying their dues. Mostly what got me thinking after they said these things were stories, some on here, about EMS pranks. People peeing in peoples boots, putting syrup in their hairbush, drugging their coffee...etc.

I'm not the most sophisticated guy on the planet. If you crap in my boots it seems the world is much better off if I simply make you eat it. Not very diplomatic, but handy for stopping such behavior in the future. It's these kinds of things I most wish to avoid.

I certainly hope to be questioned, tested, challenged, teased, harrassed and God willing anything else that comes from the process of becoming part of a team. It's the disrespectful, property damaging, hazing nonesense I've gotten a little old for.

Thanks for your advice everyone! I'm thinking it can't be a big deal, and I really am looking forward to it! I tend to get a little nervous as a follower...but I imagine I can take it for a few hundred hours...

As I'm writing this I'm thinking chaser would tell me...finish todays homework today, tomorrows exams tomorrow and the rest when it gets here....

Ok...yeah...I'm gonna do that....

Have a great night all!

Dwayne

Edited for spelling.