DM course | what you'd have done differently?

[UGLY]

Hi all,

A bit of background. I'm starting my DM course. It's not an internship, and will be done on some weekends spread over months.

My personal gear is all DIR "compliant". In fact so is the dive center's, other than adjustable harnesses in their rental backplates given the task of fitting guests on their boats. This is all warm water.

The agency is RAID and everything including equipment exchange is done in proper trim and buoyancy (ie never any kneeling).

Ideally, I'd have done a fundies course first, but logistics don't permit at this time.

My goal is to get more comfortable in the water, though I'm very comfortable as of now. Don't have any near term plans on working in the dive industry, but I don't write that off completely.

My question for those who have gone through DM courses is if there is anything you would have done differently/ asked if you were to go through it again? Just want to get the most out of this experience.

Thank you!

 

[tbone1004]

why did you go through DM if you don't want to work in the industry?

 

[UGLY]

why did you go through DM if you don't want to work in the industry?

Great question, which merits a somewhat detailed response.

1. General goal is to advance my comfort as mentioned. Might have done this with just diving a lot. But where my non-diving assignment has me based and other circumstances, it works out that on a per dive basis, the DM course is actually cheaper. I'm fine shadowing an open water course instead of looking at pretty fish.

2. Will also go at some point down the technical or cave route. But logistics has it that that's not feasible right now.

3. There's a lot of theory in the DM course which I'm curious about. Though, arguably I can just buy a few books.

4. I think very highly of the instructor and the dive center, generally.

5. While diving, I want to shift my focus from me to others around me. I got a taste of this in rescue, of course.

6. To clarify, I don't have intentions in the near term of professionally working as a DM (or instructor). But I've done a lot in my non-diving professional life, including starting up a few ventures and I am curious about the industry (I do understand that it's a tough industry to make lots of money in). I'm already helping out the dive center in improving their business performance via a few easy things I've applied in other businesses.

7. I just like to learn. Most anything and everything. But especially about endeavors I enjoy including all things diving.

Hope that clarifies. Your thoughts, please? Thank you.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

Sounds like you might be a good candidate for a Master Scuba Diver course if you haven't taken that already. Essentially it's the same knowledge base as a DM course without the liability of actually being a DM. One thing you might consider if you're not really looking to act as a DM in the way of leading dives, etc. is helping with instruction. I didn't go through the DM (SDI in my case) course to lead other divers, although I certainly wouldn't rule that out in the future. I did it more for being able to assist with classes and helping user new/beginning divers into the world we as divers call home. And it's been everything I'd hoped it would be. So maybe that's something to consider.

As for changing anything in the DM course itself, I don't know that I would honestly. I could complain about the required swims and question the necessity for them all day long but I don't know that I would actually recommend they be changed or removed. I do think some agencies should maybe require more dives/dive time and maybe not require certifications like the Master Scuba Diver since it really is just like the DM course academically and seems to more of a money grab and a way to sell more training. Only certain agencies require it and honestly I don't know how to justify its necessity. I have the cert but then my LDS switched agencies and it wasn't required (AFAIK anyway) for the DM program. But the actual training....I can see each and every skill as being useful and necessary for an acting DM.

One thing I will say.....if you're not comfortable with people....maybe don't consider becoming a DM. I've found that during the course of OW classes, etc. when I'm acting as a DM, I seem to get more attention from students than the instructors do. And I think that's because they see me as a little more approachable since I'm not the
big bad intimidating" instructor if that makes sense. They seem to get more personal and seem to relate to me a little easier than than they do the instructor. Maybe that's just me and my personality, who knows. Just something to be aware of though.

 

[UGLY]

Thanks, Sh0rtBus!

To clarify, I wasn't asking about changing the course, exactly. But whether there's anything I myself can do to make the experience more valuable.

Great point about people finding you more approachable as a DM. Apparently, RAID also agrees and there's a blurb somewhere in their DM materials exactly about this. No problems on my end, I really like talking to people about diving!

 

[tbone1004]

@UGLY doesn't sound to me like DM is going to give you what you really want from a diving perspective, but as you're curious about the industry it won't hurt you at all. The DM course is much less about diving as it is about how to make money, how to deal with people, etc. It's not designed to make you a better diver.

Where are you based now?

 

[UGLY]

@tbone1004 Thank you. Yeah, I pretty much figured as this is down the professional route. But I also figured that any decent in-water time would be good. Doesn't hurt that it's cheaper than just going out diving as here it's pretty much all guided and by boat.

Prefer not to disclose my current assignment/ location other than to say it's outside of the US. Among other reasons, the dive center may be readily identifiable, and I want to leave them out of public discussion.

 

[TMHeimer]

To answer the question, I would have trained to recapture my swimming form to ace the 400 test, though I doubt that would've made the course (or my DM experiences) more "valuable". Check way back threads on "Going Pro" for how I'd change those "stamina" tests. ShOrtbus talks about changing these too.
DM is all about students. Also it forces you to hone the 24 skills to demonstration level. It's obviously a good idea, assuming you have the $ to take the course. PADI "watered down" the physics portion 9 years ago, so I don't know really what's included now. When I took DM, I felt a lot of the complicated physics problems were not of practical use (some will disagree, especially if we discuss the NAUI MSD course).
MSD is a different thing, having nothing to do with assisting/teaching students.

 

[happy-diver]

I think very highly of the instructor and the dive center, generally.

Here it is, this is all you need

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'd have taken GUE fundies before going pro.