I'm Getting a Student!

Conversation one morning last week as follows:

Hey Carie, How about taking a student in May?
Huh? Uh, Ok, I think.
Well Eric was supposed to take her (the student), but he's in Outpatient half the time and I want her to have continuity, Michelle just had one and I'm getting another one the same time. Everyone else is part time, so that leaves you. Are you ok with that?
Um, sure. You'll teach me how to be a CI right?
Yeah! So you'll take her?
Sure.
OH!, There's a class next weekend, a CI certification and training, you should go!
Scramble Scramble Scramble for the rest of the day to register late for the class.


And that more or less was how I came to be going to this CI class this AM instead of going to work. I'm getting my first student in May, and Now I'm learning how to be a good Clinical Instructor, or CI. It was kinda sprung on me last minute and took some scrambling but here she comes and here I go!

The class was yesterday and continues today, and it's pretty good so far. Interesting and interactive and full of good info I feel I can use to help give the student a good experience. Today we finish up discussions and then take an EXAM! YIKES! Well, it's a certification, not just a class, and supposedly it's easy, but still, YIKES!

Mostly I just hope that I can give my student a positive experience. I remember being a student all too well, and I had a HORRIFIC experience on one of my clinicals (my 2nd)(My 1st was goodm, not great but not so bad, kinda mediochre) so I'm scared of giving that student that kind of horrific time. I want her to have a positive and full of learning experience like I had at my 3rd and 4th clinicals. I want her to learn and have fun, get interested and excited about PTing. I want her to not be skeeved out by all the burns. I hope I can answer her questions and teach her well, I'm nervous to evaluate her, be friendly but not her friend, be safe and a teacher but not tough and mean. I hope she's a goodstudent, one who takes initiative, is safe, is an enjoyable student. But who knows. All I know now is that shes a she and she goes to Mercy College in Westchester. It's all just a big ????questionmark????? right now. It's a big responsibility, and I'm excited for it, I WANT to take a student. I want to eventually teach in PT, so this is a great opportunity! But it's still makes me a bit nervous that I've never had a student before. My first student. Kinda like your first kiss. Well, maybe not. :)

Anyway so that's where I'm headed this rainy morning. I feel bad to leave the hospital REALLY short staffed, but I'm happy to have a change of pace and I'm happy the course is fun and interesting. And on that note I've gotta run so I'm not late so stay dry and have a great day!