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Good evening I hope this message finds you all well, I am trying to locate a AEMT program in Illinois and can't seem to find one does any of you know were I might be able to locate information on one ? Thanks a ton And just a question would you recommend that I do my street time and put in for a medic program and skip the AEMT program all together ? Or do you think the AEMT would make a good stepping stone, Thank you

I have to say Dwayne...your posts always manage to bring a smile to my face and even a little chuckle...:-) uniforms left our closet about 4 days ago....they are now hanging downstairs in the "storage closet" for seasonal clothing. I will admit that before putting them away I put one on for shits and giggles....I will wear it again some day....might be 3 months from now...might be 6 months from now...but I will wear it again. I am doing well, getting back to normal activities...shopping, cleaning, swimming, even managed a full weekend at the cottage for the first time this summer. I've got my first physio appt scheduled Sept 4th. I see my surgeon Sept 3 for my 11 wk post op follow up and am anticipating becoming cast free that day and hopefully cleared for physio. If he says no physio yet I will just reschedule it for a later date. All in all...my spirits are good....I have my good and bad days...for the most part they are all good. I'm content with the progress I've made over the last couple wks and I know that it's all up from here..:-) Recovery has been slow....have not been cleared for physio yet. I am just over 9wks post op now. I came out of the fiberglass cast on Aug 6 and was put into an "air cast" that I am required to wear all the time. I take it off to shower and when I go to bed. We purchased an extra one to allow me to go swimming, so I always have a dry one. My incisions have healed quite well...although not the prettiest looking things. I still have a huge amount of swelling and the scar on the lateral side of my ankle is incredibly sensitive...it doesn't like anything touching it. I have some pain in my leg where the tendon was harvested (semitendonosis)? and my back has been killing me...I'm sure thats from the air cast throwing my gait off so much as well as adding 2" to that leg....so I walk with a limp and awkward gait when I have the boot on. I've also been getting a 'holy crap' pain in my ankle since coming out of the cast and going into the boot...the pain is in the cuboid and talus area. Concerns me as I have 2 screws in my talus and 6 screws in my fibula and calcaneous as well as 2 tunnels drilled through my fibula. I had 5 falls the first week after surgey while using crutches and 2 falls when I went from NWB to PWB that put a significant amount of pressure on my ankle..So am concerned that I have messed something up . God I hope not. I am hoping for a good report at my next appt and hoping that this pain is just from my ankle getting used to being used again and the new ligaments stretching a bit.

Wow it was there yesterday during the day. Sorry about that. Let me try again.... http://www.emtcity.com/gallery/image/874-3am/ always expect the unexpected

Great point, Dwayne. Thanks for sharing! Along with that, the other thing we need to consider is how important it is that if the junior crew member has concerns, they need to speak up. All too often it seems that we respect seniority so much that if our more senior partner says it is "just a psych patient" or isn't anything to be concerned about that the senior gets their way even if the junior has a genuine and legitimate concern.

I agree with both previous posts. Field experience as any level of EMT will help you but it doesn't have to be at the AEMT level. In our program the EMT and AEMT will learn the same material regardless of their license levels. Get to the X and if that's medic for you go for it! Sean H NM EMS Instructor/ Flight Paramedic

Understand that the material included in the AEMT is part of the total Paramedic program, so it's not like you would be skipping over anything. The question is whether or not you plan to work at that level. I, personally, think that working and gaining experience is never a bad thing. I also think I'm in the minority on this thought process. My recommendation is, if you can afford it, take the NREMT test at the AEMT level. Whether or not you stop to practice is up to you, but I believe you will find it invaluable when it comes time to test out at the Paramedic level. Toni EMS Instructor Texas

Skip AEMT and go straight for paramedic. If the AEMT component is included as part of whatever paramedic program you choose to enroll in that's fine. Just don't stop at AEMT. Otherwise, just find a paramedic program, an accredited paramedic program (by NREMT and these guys click here for more details), and go that way.

You bastards!

I cry every time Kenny dies

And right here is an issue. GCS<8 was only meant to apply to head trauma. It was never meant to be used on medical pts. Unfortunately in all of medicine, especially in EMS, it has been used much wider and in circumstances where it wasn't meant to be used.

GCS <8 Intubate, There are other intervention's that can be done before intubating if the GCS is below 8 right off the bat. PT condition can improve and bring them above a GCS of 8 by simply solving lets say simple Hypoxia via NRB.

HeyIdidn'tfindnothingwrongwithanyofthepostshere!whatareyouguysallupsetaboutgeezdowhatidid,IlookedatthatbigblockofwordsandsaidtomyselfholyshitfuckthatevenifigaveadamnwhichidontwhowantstoreadabigwallofwordswithoutpropersentancestrucureFUCKIT

Big thank you to all who have answered. I did my cpr/bls class the other day and talked to the teacher and he said that the UCLA program is great! And while any program could be good this one has a great reputation and great resources. So I am sticking to the UCLA program! PS: The other one was at am Occupational school!

While money may not be everything, in an area such as LA where EMT's are a dime a dozen I would be wary of any program offering "discounted" training. The first thing I would look at is are they certified to teach the course? I don't know about CA, but here in WA the State Department of Health has to certify a program and its instructors in teaching EMS courses. Failure to take a certified course and the State wont issue your certification, even if you pass the NREMT. Also, the NREMT may not let you take their test. Since CA likes to regulate everything, I would assume they regulate who teaches EMS courses. Second, why the cheap price? It costs money to teach these classes. The training materials are expensive and most instructors want to be paid. Additionally, there will be insurance and other expenses the facility would have. If this was say a reputable hospital such as Cedars Sinai I wouldn't be concerned. However, if this is a private school then it would concern me at the cost. Are they trying to recoup costs by selling stuff? Is the class going to be large? Are they even teaching EMT - Basic, or are they calling a first aid or first responder course an EMT course? I am sure there are reputable organization out there that teach discounted EMS courses and do it well. I can't see that being the case in a place like LA. Ultimately it is your money and your career. Do you want to gamble your career on a potentially bad course? As was said, you get what you paid for. My EMT course was $975 and while it didn't teach me everything it helped make me a good EMT and created a solid foundation that I can build on. I doubt a $100 course would do the same.

The EMT program I took was free. It was put on by a local hospital and the EMS supervisor taught it with help from other EMS personnel. 30 people started out in the class. I think 14 finished the course but only 2 of us passed national registry. Just realize money isn't everything.

I am not sure where you are from, but I am getting my EMTB done through the volunteer fire dept in my area and county is paying for it. FREE

I cringe when people say the word quiet outside of work now. I hit the deck expecting someone to blow up.

That basics are not bagmen for the medics. That we actually save that many lives. That what we do is somehow heroic.