AMESEMT Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 So it is only day 4 for medic class and I want to rip my hair out! We are reading up on anatomy and physiology, as well as pathophysiology. The books get into so much depth that it makes me feel stupid! When you (paramedics or other paramedic students) where a student, did you feel the same way? It is just overwhelming. Some of the concepts are somewhat difficult and the jargon is well........excessive and confusing. Ames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeEMTP Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 You are not stupid. You are being exposed to brand new material. Yes, it is indepth, but you really wouldn't want it any other way would you? You just have to study your tail off to understand the material. Get a tutor if you need too. It is all overwhelming at the beginning, however you will soon begin to grasp what is going on. It is imperative that you understand the pathophysiology. It will help you when you begin pharmacology. Don't take this the wrong way. This is why some of the more experienced providers here advocate have A & P prior to beginning medic classes. It just makes it easier to comprehend what is going on. I have faith in you. Don't give up, you'll get it. It's just going to take a lot of work on your part. But you knew that already. Good Luck and keep posting! :thumbright: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMESEMT Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 Surprisingly the pathophsyiology is not too bad, it is the physiology and anatomy (somewhat) that is indepth. Yea, I see why A & P should be taken prior to paramedic school. My problem is the remembering all the technical names for things. I understand the vast majority of the concepts just not what they are named. Like plasma oncotic pressure or some of the mechanisms for regulating certain minerals like renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. The names are hard to remember. Flash cards i guess could come in handy! Thanks for the vote of confidence! Ames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneEMTP Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I agree completely with Jake. Sometimes the anatomy and physiology can be overwhelming. But you know what, you've only just begun, all of the terminology that seems so foreign now is soon going to become part of your normal vocabulary. Do everything you can keep up and stay current on the material, but don't expect it to be easy, because there is a lot of material and it comes very fast, too fast in my opinion. If you can, try and get together with friends from the class and study together. I think that makes a world of difference. Good luck to you! Your posts show that you have the brains and the moxy to make this happen... and try not to take the nervousness seriously for at least the first couple of weeks. Dwayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaisu Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I was overwhelmed with the A & P when I first started it too. I was amazed that there was this whole world out there that I knew nothing about. I couldn't figure out how I had lived as long so ignorant. :oops: I learned that I had to spend the time with the material. I am an impatient person, and prior to this, things had come in easy. The hardest thing I had to learn was to curb my anxiety and just buckle down and spend the time with the stuff. It came - and I am so proud of myself for learning it. You can do it too. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMESEMT Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 Thanks for the vote of confidence and knowing that other people felt the same way! I have 2 roommates that are in the same program and we have been studying together. They don't quite understand it as well. We have not gone over the material in class yet, so that is part of the problem. I am the type of person that likes to understand and know the material after I read it (or re-read it in this case) before going into the lecture. But we are spending a day and a half on it and are being taught by a guy that really know his stuff and is a good teacher (by what I have heard). I will keep everyone updated! Ames P.S. I am loving medic school besides the terminology! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firedoc5 Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 You bet I did. Overwhelmed would be an understatement. A lot of it will fall into place and make total sense. One thing to try and not do is making it harder than it really is. Things may seem all jumbled, but one day something will click. And boom, it will all fall into place. Don't let the instructor intimidate you. Remember, he's was where you are now at one time. Seems like everyone else here has given you some outstanding advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneEMTP Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I am the type of person that likes to understand and know the material after I read it (or re-read it in this case) before going into the lecture. I believe this is absolutely KEY! Use your lectures to answer questions, refine your thoughts, not to introduce the material to you. Good for you... Dwayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Feeling overwhelmed is part of the experience! For concept-type stuff: One of the things that helped me was to find someone (not necessarily a fellow student) and try to explain the material to them. If I can teach someone how it works then I probably have a pretty good understanding of it. When I was successful at making someone else understand something it would boost my confidence. This helps with the sensation of being overwhelmed. Terminology stuff: It helped me to write the terms down a few times. These terms are not ones used in everyday speaking so we've not often used them in our lives and therefore it is not so easy to recall them on command. If you have the concept down but not the proper name then write down the proper name for the term and a (sufficient) conceptual description to go along with it. For example: Masseter. One of the muscles used for chewing, aka mastication. Chances are you never used the words masseter or mastication much before A&P class. Write that little sentence down a half-dozen times and see if you cannot call it up more easily. The description need not be super comprehensive...just enough to get you thinking in the right direction so you can wing it from there... masseter...chewing...chewing involves the head so the masseter is a muscle of the head or face...chewing involves movement of the lower jaw aka mandible...so the masseter probably acts on the mandible. <- the masseter originates in the temporal bone of the skull and inserts into the mandible. As for pathophysiology, the best advice I can give you is this: I once read a very thick patho book and when I was done realized that patho seems to fit into one of three categories most of the time: the body either has too much of something, too little of something, or attacks itself for some reason. Odds are one of those three processes are key to understanding whatever you are learning. Good luck and have fun! -Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaEMT81 Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I am already feeling feeling stressed out and I don't start til next week from just looking at the books! LOL One of my co-workers who just completed the Medic class that I'm entering said that the first 2 months are the most challenging until everything that you are being bombarded with starts to make sense and sink in. Just try to stay focused and study! Good luck with your class and keep us updated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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