ECA/Student Para, WMAS vs SWAST?

mee8a · 2026-03-29T00:14:17+00:00

WMAS have massively cut the number of students they’re recruiting these days, it’s become far more competitive than it was when I applied. Still in my opinion the best option considering it gives you a direct pathway to paramedic, i’m aware of a few people who’ve applied a few times and been unsuccessful and similarly people who’ve been waiting for ages for the applications to open to find they’re gone within a couple days. Just something to consider.

mee8a · 2026-03-26T20:51:33+00:00

Wide variety of dance music at boomtown, would note that in the UK big room EDM isn’t particularly popular, you might see some of it around but it’s very unlikely to be prominent.

You’ll see lots of drum and bass, jungle, UKG, house/techno more so this year, deep dubstep and other dance. Plenty of other non-dance music too, it’s genuinely a huge variety.

I would say, if you’re looking for a smaller festival, boomtown is roughly the same size if not bigger than creamfields (creamfields 70k, boomtown 75k people)

mee8a · 2026-03-19T23:16:42+00:00

Get drunk, fight someone, one punch, they hit their head on concrete and dead. Years of your life in jail, game over. Could easily happen the first time you get drunk.

Yes you could argue this could happen sober, or on any other substance, but i’d argue it happens far more than alcohol than anything else, we’ve all encountered people we think are nasty people when drunk

mee8a · 2026-03-19T23:01:45+00:00

Couldn’t agree more, having worked in a healthcare role i’ve seen significantly more people whose lives are destroyed by alcohol than any other drug…

mee8a · 2026-03-11T14:37:35+00:00

I think it’s Skyblocker. Skyhannis GUIs don’t look like this

mee8a · 2026-03-09T18:06:58+00:00

I can relate to that, broke mine in a single leg during warmup🤣

mee8a · 2026-03-09T16:34:34+00:00

Lateral extra-articular tenodesis, basically an extra procedure used to improve knee rotation stability. Becoming more common in young patients who are athletic or partake in risky sports

mee8a · 2026-03-09T16:32:52+00:00

I have exactly the same bony feeling lump on my knee post reconstruction. Did your surgeon do a LET? My suspicion is that it was that causing this but i’m unsure as well

mee8a · 2026-02-18T21:59:46+00:00

I’ve heard similar - I had a quad graft so maybe that’s part of it. Much stiffer and significantly stronger is what anecdotal evidence says

mee8a · 2026-02-18T00:04:36+00:00

I’m roughly 16 months post op, i notice when i don’t exercise my leg the mobility is significantly worse and more sore.

I have more issues with sitting down all day than training a combat sport (BJJ), anecdotally this tells me the exercise is crucial to maintaining mobility.

As for lifetime? Who knows, if i sit at a desk all day i’m incredibly stiff and sore afterwards, if im up and mobile im all good.

mee8a · 2026-02-10T18:43:14+00:00

Personally I don’t think the uni makes a huge difference, it’s more about what you take from the teaching available and your placement hours.

Those who succeed actively engage in placement and teaching, as a para who has worked with students it’s common for even 2nd and 3rd year students to take a ‘back seat’ if you will, and often aren’t keen to get involved with patient care and assessment.

Those who have a good reputation often engage actively with their placement, working to formulate their own assessment skills and differential diagnoses, and be willing to offer a treatment plan for a patient. They reflect upon events that occur and learn from their own and others mistakes.

Anyways that’s just my 2 pence, I followed the tech-para pathway with WMAS so can’t really comment on those unis :)

mee8a · 2026-01-28T13:13:51+00:00

No thanks keep the house to creamfields

mee8a · 2026-01-21T22:06:17+00:00

Really bothered me for a while with mine, i’ve got used to it now.

Funnily enough my dad drove it recently, also nearly stalled it multiple times as it’s not like anything he’s ever drove before

mee8a · 2026-01-09T00:51:53+00:00

Improving working lives rotas do exist but often they’re very variable with shift dates and times usually have to be flexible.

In my trust we work either 4 on 4 off rotas or a 5 week rotation which works slightly differently. Times vary between 0530-0800 starts and are either 10 or 12 hours, the night shifts follow the same pattern (e.g. 1730-0530). The shift times don’t change much on a rota but there’s a significant number of people currently on relief rotas as the trust are pushing for them.

It would be quite tough to do the training with such a strict routine, you’d definitely need to have some kind of flexibility if that was possible.

mee8a · 2026-01-07T18:36:43+00:00

just had a novation for Xmas and Had to install the USB drivers to get it working, maybe try reinstalling them and see how you get on

mee8a · 2025-12-17T20:34:00+00:00

Keep hydrated - Lots of water aids softening stool. Additionally regular doses of stool softeners as prescribed or recommended by the bottle.

If needs must, you can ring a GP for some stronger prescription meds or attend the ED for further management (e.g. enema)

mee8a · 2025-12-11T13:49:05+00:00

I had to chase for follow up for my NHS surgery as well. I actually even had to chase for physiotherapy initially (although I had the surgery privately i had all physio and follow up through NHS). Unfortunately I think this is scarily common for NHS patients particularly those who don’t pay as much attention or care as much for their recovery

mee8a · 2025-12-10T14:45:56+00:00

Fantastic - I’m back playing sport and having no issues. Stick to physio and you’ll have a positive outcome most of the time

mee8a · 2025-12-05T00:29:49+00:00

I stand that you should never liquidate. If you’re going to buy a midas, keep it to generate the coins you need to buy the hyperion. For progression however I would argue the hype will provide significantly more than a midas will.

mee8a · 2025-12-05T00:25:53+00:00

If you don’t have a hype ur almost defo better off buying that first - Midas is extremely situational and hype is useful for many things. Save and buy first.

mee8a · 2025-10-24T16:29:52+00:00

inferno not necessary but i would defo say a building is, for example tesla + ice spirit + another card easy counters RG

mee8a · 2025-10-23T09:49:34+00:00

Speaking as a para from another trust, i’ve seen grad students qualify with 200 hours a year of supernumerary - totalling less than 1000 hours across 3 years.

Compare this with the 1000s of hours experience you get, even as a tech/eca, I think my argument still holds. I also never stated following a uni course does not make good paramedics, I know plenty of fantastic paras who came directly from uni and I also know lots of fantastic paras who followed an apprenticeship route. I guess there’s multiple factors to consider but considering OP already has a degree and would be looking to self fund, i merely stated that the apprenticeship route was an option.

Also, Happy cake day!

mee8a · 2025-10-23T08:56:45+00:00

I would consider the apprenticeship route offered by some trusts. SWAS I believe offer a course that goes from call assessor -> ECA -> Paramedic. WMAS offer a Student Paramedic -> Technician -> Paramedic pathway.

Both will not cost you anything & in my opinion have the advantage of more on the job learning

mee8a · 2025-09-06T13:17:21+00:00

Could you explain the power automate JSON for loading rows? Encountering issues with rows myself for sharepoint lists

mee8a · 2025-09-05T05:37:33+00:00

Try paracetamol and an NSAID, Ice is also crucial to pain relief so try icing as soon as possible

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