Degree after medic school...

[DwayneEMTP]

Point taken, and I apologize for my lapse of formal structure. As you can see in my other posts I have the capacity for posting in a more "mature" manner, and actually pride myself in my vocabulary and grammar. This is more of an example of feeling too comfortable when posting. I was typing as i would pose a question to someone in person rather than writing it.

But thank you for all the advice I've received on the posted topic. I'll have to look into it further.

Ah, see. That is what I meant. That is a mature response and I'm happy to spend time responding to it. Though I will be happy to argue that the "nit picking" is not "unnecessary".

One of my pet peeves is people that ask for advice...and expect the busy, smart people here to take time out of their days to offer help and support, but can't be bothered to present their ideas or desires in a mature manner. They want time out of these amazing people's days to respond, but are unwilling to take the time necessary to proof read what they've written. It seems to me to be a simple matter of respect to give before you get.

And my apologies for what you accurately labeled as a hostile response. I also should have taken the time to state my issues in a mature manner...today we both learned to be better than we were yesterday...from each other...pretty cool huh?

Thanks for taking the point to heart, and continuing to post. You most certainly are welcome here.

Dwayne

[Dustdevil]

It will take you at least a year of college to finish up an AAS degree after paramedic school. Going to paramedic school is no shortcut to a degree. In fact, it's totally back-asswards and a really poor way to go towards medical education. But, if for some bizarre reason you choose to go to medic school without doing the degree programme from the start, you're still going to have to go back and get anywhere from 30 to 40 semester credit hours done. That will include a couple of semesters of A&P, English, Psychology, and Algebra (17 hours) at any school, plus whatever other classes that school requires.

So far, there is no national standard for what the support courses must include, as there are for nursing schools. Some (although very damn few) schools get away with as little as what I just posted. Others require all the same prereqs as nursing school (Microbiology, Sociology, a second English, a second Psychology, Chemistry) too. In addition to your paramedic school credits and the above courses, there will also be a couple two to four extra paramedic classes to take, usually focusing on something like critical care, mass casualties, WMD, teaching, research supervision/management, etc...

Anybody telling you that the degree doesn't mean anything, that they are just as good as anybody with one, and that it's just a couple of underwater basketweaving courses is an idiot without enough education to even know true what education is all about.

The answer to your question is no. It is not as easy as just taking a couple of classes and then calling yourself a college graduate. It's just as hard as completing the degree programme from the beginning, if not harder. Usually, it's harder. Therefore, again -- especially at your age -- there is very little excuse for not doing the degree programme from start to finish in the first place. If you don't, the chances of you ever going back and successfully completing that degree later are are extremely low to non-existent. I seriously encourage you to do it right from the start. After all, if you don't want to be the best you can be, why do it at all?

Good luck!

[aryan51]

Thanks Dust. I really do kick myself for not following through with at least my gen. ed. nowadays, but when I graduated high school i was so burnt out on classroom learning that i just didnt have the motivation to stay in the classes. Thankfully its very far from too late. Now as im getting back into some of the less orthodox teaching styles of EMS instructors, and seeing where people go after they hit that "Ok im a medic...now what?" stage, im starting to realize the need for further education. Especially if I want to take my skills abroad. So i guess its back to school for me (after medic school).

[DwayneEMTP]

Thanks Dust. I really do kick myself for not following through with at least my gen. ed. nowadays, but when I graduated high school [i ]was so burnt out on classroom learning that[ i] just didnt have the motivation to stay in the classes. Thankfully it[']s very far from too late. Now as m getting back into some of the less orthodox teaching styles of EMS instructors, and seeing where people go after they hit that "Ok m a medic...now what?" stage, m starting to realize the need for further education. Especially if I want to take my skills abroad. So guess its back to school for me (after medic school).

:?

You may think that my "nit picking" is all about me..but I'm hoping you're mature enough to come to understand that it has nothing to do with me. It's all about you. You're too smart to express your ideas in this manner. (Note: There is not one iota of hostility in this post.)

Dwayne

[aryan51]

Again...point taken. Even if the method of displaying that point makes me feel like part of a bad after school special.

No hard feelings.

[wrenEMT]

I'm going to make this short and sweet since I'm about to get ready and go into work.

But yes if you take the mandatory classes at college level such as math, english, anatomy and physiology, and communications classes then you are eligible to get your associates but that depends if the college around you offer that. Because here my Medic Instructor is doing just that he has been a Medic for about 15 years and wanted to get his associates degree so they have it that all he had to do is take his "PreReqs" and he would be able to graduate. Needless to say he is graduating with his own Medic class, and getting the same degree as we are. Associates in Paramedic Sciences.

Now to continue on to be an RN you would need Microbiology, Advance Social Science (Abnormal Psych or the like) Advanced Physiology, and a few Nursing classes including clinical time. This time if you take a full class load will take approximately 6 months instead of the normal year and half or 2 years. Since you already have a knowledge of pt assessment and care you don't have to take as many classes. I'm currently finishing up my medic classes right now. I am planning on going on to get my RN. I'm in an associates program for my medic so I already took care of the first part of that. Hope this helps a bit. Mind you, I'm talking about Ivy Tech in Indiana I'm not sure of where you are at so I don't know all the logistics of what your state might involve.

[ccmedoc]

Now to continue on to be an RN you would need Microbiology, Advance Social Science (Abnormal Psych or the like) Advanced Physiology, and a few Nursing classes including clinical time. This time if you take a full class load will take approximately 6 months instead of the normal year and half or 2 years. Since you already have a knowledge of pt assessment and care you don't have to take as many classes.

If you see the links below, this is not common to most transition courses that I have researched. they are usually far longer than six months.

The paramedic to RN track is still five semesters,with the pre-requisite classes, and will take the better part of two years. A traditional ADN easily takes three years to complete for dedicated students. Longer for the less intentioned.

I have never seen a six month transition, and hope I never do. To only require a paramedic one year of experience is also a bit lacking. The patient contact the paramedic will experience is far less than the contact hours the first year ADN students will achieve. This is why I believe that the transition programs graduate a lesser clinical nurse than the traditional track.

This is from my experience, and I don't expect it to be a popular position. I would suggest being careful in the program you choose, and do not expect to graduate from the program with the same nursing knowledge that the traditional ADN graduates have. The basic nursing theory classes are skipped, as I mentioned before. Paramedics generally have a better handle on assessment and medical theory initially but, the nursing model is not the same as the medical model.

( I have colleagues graduated from these two programs)

http://www.lcc.edu/catalog/degree_certific...pplied/0222.pdf

http://www.delta.edu/catalog/programdetail...ramActionID=353

I am sure if the paramedic graduated from a degree program at a community college, the pre-requisite classes would transfer into the nursing articulation, and reduce the time. A little planning here could save some time and reward you with a better education. Just, as it sounds to me, like wrenEMT is doing.

This was an FYI and not intended to degrade anyone or initiate an argument. Take it for what it is worth. I wish you the best and...choose wisely :wink:

[Spock]

The University of Pittsburgh offers an EMS degree program (Bachelor of Science) and will give advanced standing to paramedics which I believe is around 40 credits. I might be wrong on the number but I do know you get advanced standing.

Duquesne University (in Pittsburgh) offers a second degree nursing program. Those with a bachelor's degree can earn a BSN in 12 months. Students go full time (40 hours/week) for a year without breaks and do all of their nursing clinicals and take the nursing classes. It's a good program and was 16 months when I went through it many years ago.

I would also recommend caution on any bridge program that is very short. If it sounds to good to be true it probably is. Make sure any program has the appropriate accreditation and be especially careful of any on line program from a school you never heard of. Research can prevent a lot of problems.

Good luck. Remember education is a never ending process. I'm thinking of starting on my third master's.

Live long and prosper.

Spock

[aryan51]

Thanks guys.

Im going to a private paramedic school, so most of those programs can't apply to me.

But my interest is definitely sparked to continue my education after I get my NREMT-P.

A little more substantial income will help out with that definitely.

[tiedyedbeth]

Western Carolina University is one that offers an online BS in Emergency Medical Care. Clinicals are arranged locally.

http://www.wcu.edu/4637.asp