Getting ahead of the game

[jmil]

Rangers, I'm half way through AIT down in Fort Sam right now. The past several weeks have been boring and tedious (death by powerpoint) but I'm proud to say I earned my EMT-B certification. I haven't really had a hard time with any of the classwork so far, but I want to be ahead of the game when more challenging work comes my way. We're done with the "civilian" training side and when we get back from exodus we'll move on to the actual combat training. I'll be damn happy to get out of the classroom and into the field.

Is there any recommended reading material I can study in my spare time? I want to be on top of things not just for my own benefit but so when it comes down to it I have enough knowledge to do my job 110%.

[DJB]

You should study the ground from about 2" and then from about 16", then repeat.

Seriously, Ft. Sam makes you fat and lazy. You will arrive to Airborne school and say to yourself, this is easy, I don't need to worry, I am a stud. If you don't push yourself now, and then continue to push yourself in Airborne school you will suck in RIP.

Congratulations on passing EMT-B, that being said, you are expected to. Bn send 11b to EMT on a regular basis and they all pass, you will have at least one EMT in each squad, likely more. If you are looking for something to read, I highly recommend the material provided to you by the 68W course. Repetition is the key to adult learning. I would bet you have already forgot 1/3 of the stuff that was on your first test. So read it again. Study your general military education material, Sit for one of the soldier boards, it will be a worthwhile experience.

Trust me, the material you have available to you is more than enough.
Good luck and I hope I see Ranger under your name someday.

[RngrDoc75]

DJB makes some good points. 68W AIT is but a sprinkling of medical knowledge compared to the SOCM course ahead of you. Focus on MASTERY of the basics and then the advanced stuff becomes much easier. What are the basics? Simple, anatomy and physiology. If you have a deep understanding of A&P, then about 60% of medicine becomes common sense for you. If you understand A&P and how the body is supposed to work, then when you see something different it stands out like a red flag. Understanding of A&P leads you to pathophysiology which is where you learn about all the things that are not normal. Again, mastery of the basics.

Also, get a good grasp on your medical terminology. There is nothing worse than a medic reporting a patient case and uses lay terms instead of proper medical terminology. Use the terminology like a language (it is afterall) and you won't sound like a medical idiot when presenting a simple sick call case. You had better know how to spell them as well.

As DJB pointed out, you have study materials already in your hands for getting a good understanding of the basics. Use them. If you want to spend money, then good study materials are the classic coloring books. There is one for Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology.

So, all that being said, getting ahead of the game is making sure you know all the plays you have already been taught.

Good Luck in ABN and RIP. You will encounter me on the Tuesday after you finish RIP. Be ready. Your first exam should be on the following Friday. Oh, and you'll be taking another PT test that week as well. Don't think it's all over with RIP; it is only the beginning for medics.