Experience to become a paramedic

[Fignewt345]

You're right, I did jump the gun a bit. I'll revise: educating all prehospital providers to the highest level of medical care, based on medical theory, not step-based levels of skills, is the best way.

Piecemeal education, having every level operating on it's own and then stacking them upon each other, is not efficient, or effective.

No other medical profession operates that way. They may have increasing levels of autonomy as they move through the programs (such as MDs), but it is all emcompassing and designed toward one goal, the highest level of education and medicine in their field.

[Dustdevil]

Noted.

Ditto. And thank you for the clarification and civil discourse. The only thing that I have to disagree with you on is that it works well. Having compared it to countries where they do it right from the beginning, it has become painfully obvious just how inadequately it works. Perhaps the problem is that so few people in this country have ever seen it done any differently that they simply cannot fathom how much better it could easily be.

[Kim_Possible]

I think the ? is how soon do you want to start making $$$$., is when you should go to medic school.

Make money as a medic????? Ok.

Use becoming a paramedic as a stepping stone towards Nursing or medical school.

[Dustdevil]

Paramedic is not a stepping stone to either of those professions. If it were, many, many more nurses and physicians would be ex-medics. More often than not, becoming a paramedic prevents you from ever getting there. At best, paramedic is nothing but a time killer until you do get there.

If you want to be a nurse or physician, be a nurse or physician. But trying to use EMS as a method of getting there is a recipe for fail.

[FireMedic65]

I became a paramedic because chicks dig a guy in uniform and I didn't want to join the army and was too out of shape to be a firefighter. It turns out, most paramedic uniforms are bdu's and a polo shirt *sigh*

Edited May 29, 2009 by FireMedic65

[WolfmanHarris]

And from what I can tell, it works pretty well: that is to say working your way up in steps.

Umm.. compared to what?

Edit: My FAIL. Didn't notice there was another page of replies. Pardon the redundancy.

Edited May 29, 2009 by docharris

[firedoc5]

I've not been here for a while so I may have answered this in an earlier post, but....

When I started in the early 80's in our system, you had to have been active in the field as an EMT -A (Basic) for at least three years. Some companies only sent those that were selected and "nominated' to take the class. Not just anyone could get in. You had to take written test that was on the Basic level but had a few questions that were more advanced to see what they may have picked up in the field. And don't forget the National or State tests

Then. depending on what ALS system you worked out of, you had to have so many particular new skills and be "signed off" by a superior within a certain amount of time, usually between three and nine months.

After being a "certified' EMT-I for at least one year, it all begins again. The nominating, tests (written & practicals) just to get into the Paramedic class. And believe me, they were picky. Then to become certified, it was pretty much the same as the probationary period as an EMT-I, but you had up to one year. If you don't get your skills, required monthly clinical time (forgot to mention that in the EMT-I curriculum) Then you really don't have to re-take the class, but they have you "audit' the class. I knew several that happened to and they came back and aced the test.

I know how different other systems are and like I said, it was back in what I considered EMS as in the M*A*S*H stage. The advancements have been like leaps and bounds and I'm proud of you all that are still active in both the field and the class room. Believe me, if there was a way to help advance EMS, I would in a heart beat. Even though I tutor some and get several questions is all I feel like is my little contribution (very small)

It's you young one's, students, basic EMT's, that are the future. And we are counting on you.

Sorry, didn't mean to get on a roll.

[Asysin2leads]

I became a paramedic because chicks dig a guy in uniform and I didn't want to join the army and was too out of shape to be a firefighter. It turns out, most paramedic uniforms are bdu's and a polo shirt *sigh*

That's funny, I was going to be a fireman but unfortunately my nasty habit of putting my patients first got in the way. Go figure.

I think that EMT-B experience can be useful, but not in the way most people think. I think that if you take a fresh out of school EMT-B, partner them with two quality paramedics, and let them guide their BLS skills, after a year or so you will have a fine candidate for paramedic school. The concept of "experience" is in itself, neutral. An EMT-B's experience can be very good, as the example I gave, or really rotten, learning all the bad habits and bending the rules tricks of the trade, and a mindset that will not help them later down the line. The best candidate for the paramedic core courses is similar to what someone before described, having a person, who in, the equivalent of one semester finishes A&P, Psychology, and either introductory chemistry or biology to get them on the scientific method path. If, over the next 8 to 9 months they then go work as an EMT-Basic, in a decent system, I believe that experience will help them when they go into paramedic school.

[VentMedic]

When I started in the early 80's in our system, you had to have been active in the field as an EMT -A (Basic) for at least three years. Some companies only sent those that were selected and "nominated' to take the class. Not just anyone could get in. You had to take written test that was on the Basic level but had a few questions that were more advanced to see what they may have picked up in the field. And don't forget the National or State tests

It definitely wasn't that way everywhere. When I became a Paramedic (1979), if you were in the degree program, you just kept continuing with your education with no break between EMT-B and Paramedic. Of course, you also had to have college level A&P classes and was doing clinicals during this time. Those of us who did work on an ambulance could take advantage of whatever advanced assessment or A&P we learned as well as having access to instructors to discuss what we were applying in the field. Too many work an an EMT-B today and have no one to discuss much of anything with or to oversee what they are doing as being correct. Often they continue assess at an EMT-B without actually knowing what they are assessing or know only a very limited number of differentials. This is not progressive education. And, if it takes someone 3 years to master the few skills in EMT-B, then maybe EMS is not the correct employment path.

I do agree that it was definitely more selective as to who worked as a Paramedic especially with the FDs. You actually had to know your stuff and not everyone worked Rescue or the FD ambulances. Thus, this was the reason many of us in the late 70s and early 80s obtained degrees instead of a certificate in EMS to be more competitiive when applying to a FD.

So ideally, if one was to work as an EMT-B while continuing their college education towards a degree in EMS as a Paramedic, one would have more than enough experience with the advantage of gaining education from the college classes to enhance that experience.

[Scott]

My opinion, and only my opinion, however, having been in EMS almost 20 years and holding positions as a field medic, QA/QI, and Director of Operations, as well as an educator, I have very strong feelings in that experience is what will build a truely good, well rounded medic. Many educational institutions and services used to back the idea of entering at the Basic level, getting experience, then moving to Intermediate, getting experience at this level, and then making the move to Paramedic. Now, the thought (for whatever reason) is either enroll in a degreed program and get the Paramedics license, or get your Basic and then apply straight to Paramedic, no experience necessary. I've seen both. I am a true believer in that a good Basic makes a good Intermediate, makes a good Paramedic. The opposite is also true; a bad Basic, makes a bad Intermediate, makes a bad Paramedic. Do yourself a favor, take the time, go throught the level process and get the experience. You not only gain valuable insight for the next level, you prove your ability and knowledge to your peers, service, and the medical professionals you will work with (co-workers, nurses, & doctors) and gain respect from them. There is no substitute for experience. Alot of what you will see when you "play" at each level prepares you for the next. You also get to work with the providers at the higher levels and gain valuable insight to the "real" street world, as opposed to the book world.

Whichever way you decide to go, best of luck!