Paramedic school begins

I began paramedic school yesterday. We had a full-day orientation where the instructors introduced the didactic and clinical components of the program, walked us through volumes of paperwork and gave us a tour of the lab facilities. There are sixteen of us in the day session (there's also a separate night class), and I'm among the youngest both age-wise and experience-wise. There are five EMT-Intermediates, one combat medic and a couple EMT-Basics who have been in EMS since before I could walk. It's exciting to be learning with an experienced and dedicated group of providers.

The course consists of classroom lecture, lab-based skills practice and a rigorous exam schedule in addition to extensive clinical and field rotations. There's a lot of work but it's easy to stay motivated. I'm accountable not only to myself and my instructors but also to my future patients. They will need me then to have mastered this material now.

The EMS facilities at the community college are more than adequate, but the rest of the campus is not quite as advanced. I noticed the following label on a door:










And then I noticed where the door was located:











It's going to be a good year!