Getting the most out of your EMS placement
- Take a list of learning objectives if you have them and/or set your own
- Make sure these are appropriate to your existing skills, the season of the year and the aims of pre-clinical EMS
- You need to master the basics before progressing to clinical skills e.g. leading out a horse on your own/learning to condition score and estimate ages of livestock
- Your university may have a list of aims; speak to your EMS coordinator
- Try to discuss these with your placement supervisor early on and review it if appropriate – and when they’re not too busy!
“Occasionally staff will just ‘get on with it’ without thinking that the student wants to try – do ask to have a go if you think this has happened”
- If you really enjoy a placement, consider keeping in touch
- You may decide you want to brush up your handling skills later in the course
Student tip: “Every day I write down at least one thing I’ve learnt or seen, even if it’s something small like opening a tricky gate the first time. Then at the end of the placement I can look back and see how much I’ve learnt”