Almost had a month of no posts, can’t have that. It’s been a busy couple of months doing training for the Ambulance Service. So how has it been?
Process to get in
They make it hard with a big psych test followed by interviews, medical test, physical test and a whole heap of checks. Plus in your own time you need to get an LR or above licence.
First impressions
Felt like the first day of school all over again. Not really knowing anyone. Luckily I saw someone I had met during the interview process. It was handy to know at least one person just to settle the nerves a bit and break the ice with others.
Theory overload
The theoretical aspect of the course started slowly as we got all the official stuff out of the way. Come the third week and it was on. We really had to stay on top of it by being organised in our materials and our studying content.
Study
Speaking of study, I have never been the best studier. I can’t sit in a quiet room and read stuff. So having the radio on in the background worked for me. I usually had about 2-3 hrs every night so having a plan of attack was useful, 1 hr of something then a break and move onto something different.
Prac pressure
All the practical skills that were assessable were relatively easy. Performing in front of an educator proved difficult though. We weren’t up to the stage of fully back ourselves so that when an educator asked if there’s something else you would do there were some that racked their brains for further processes when a simple “I’m done” would suffice.
Exams
One thing that usually make people panic and feel like they don’t know enough to pass. Everyone had studied hard though and underestimated themselves.
Relief
I got that pass mark and handed the exam back straight away not to be seen again. Part of me wanted to go through it to see where I went wrong but it had been a tough week involving lack of sleep and high anxiety over receiving the marks back in the first place. The final exam especially had some dubious question on things we believe wasn't even covered in lectures. Everyone was a little on edge.
The Real Deal
Scary thing was that passing the final exam meant that we are all systems go to start for real on the road. For me that meant a Friday afternoon finish in class and a Saturday morning start. Probably would have preferred a day off in between but it is probably a good thing to get stuck in straight away, and not just because I have Christmas off. Knowing me I would have mulled over everything and over analysed so that when it came time to work I would have been a nervous wreck.
Life Long Friends
Not surprisingly, being stuck in an insulated environment for 8 weeks you get to make some good friends. Those that lived on campus especially were able create a firm bond.
Process to get in
They make it hard with a big psych test followed by interviews, medical test, physical test and a whole heap of checks. Plus in your own time you need to get an LR or above licence.
First impressions
Felt like the first day of school all over again. Not really knowing anyone. Luckily I saw someone I had met during the interview process. It was handy to know at least one person just to settle the nerves a bit and break the ice with others.
Theory overload
The theoretical aspect of the course started slowly as we got all the official stuff out of the way. Come the third week and it was on. We really had to stay on top of it by being organised in our materials and our studying content.
Study
Speaking of study, I have never been the best studier. I can’t sit in a quiet room and read stuff. So having the radio on in the background worked for me. I usually had about 2-3 hrs every night so having a plan of attack was useful, 1 hr of something then a break and move onto something different.
Prac pressure
All the practical skills that were assessable were relatively easy. Performing in front of an educator proved difficult though. We weren’t up to the stage of fully back ourselves so that when an educator asked if there’s something else you would do there were some that racked their brains for further processes when a simple “I’m done” would suffice.
Exams
One thing that usually make people panic and feel like they don’t know enough to pass. Everyone had studied hard though and underestimated themselves.
Relief
I got that pass mark and handed the exam back straight away not to be seen again. Part of me wanted to go through it to see where I went wrong but it had been a tough week involving lack of sleep and high anxiety over receiving the marks back in the first place. The final exam especially had some dubious question on things we believe wasn't even covered in lectures. Everyone was a little on edge.
The Real Deal
Scary thing was that passing the final exam meant that we are all systems go to start for real on the road. For me that meant a Friday afternoon finish in class and a Saturday morning start. Probably would have preferred a day off in between but it is probably a good thing to get stuck in straight away, and not just because I have Christmas off. Knowing me I would have mulled over everything and over analysed so that when it came time to work I would have been a nervous wreck.
Life Long Friends
Not surprisingly, being stuck in an insulated environment for 8 weeks you get to make some good friends. Those that lived on campus especially were able create a firm bond.
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