National Registry, WHATS WRONG with it ? I'll tell you

[FireMedic65]

Benzo boy, NR does not increase standards. It tests providers to see if the educational standards put forth by the DOT are being taught. How many times do we need to post this. You and your knuckle draggers would do yourselves, and more importantly your patients a favour by entering into the NR process, but I digress.

You may consider EMS a stepping stone job, but the majority of providers I know are in this for the long haul. I realise in SoCal you have little opportunity to actually provide for your patients due to your limited protocols, but on this side of the country, we can actually function as a medic as paramedicine is meant to be practiced.

Don't you just love it how people bash their own profession and are totally against it's advancement? *rolls eyes*

[Diazepam618]

but on this side of the country, we can actually function as a medic as paramedicine is meant to be practiced.

What side is this? last I knew all medics had a medical director, unless thing have changed, only differnce is that some of us make over 100k a year.

[FireMedic65]

What side is this? last I knew all medics had a medical director, unless thing have changed, only differnce is that some of us make over 100k a year.

Hmmmm, resources from numerous google results for salary and wages say SoCal paramedics make no more than $60,000. Try again!

[Diazepam618]

Hmmmm, resources from numerous google results for salary and wages say SoCal paramedics make no more than $60,000. Try again!

Well, with overtime, of course and maxed out base salaries. Infact there is a huge article about OCFA one engineer/paramedic made 206 k last year, and probably has no NR cert.

[VentMedic]

What side is this? last I knew all medics had a medical director, unless thing have changed, only differnce is that some of us make over 100k a year.

Others have medical directors that have trust in their Paramedics' abilities.

You must do some serious OT or math isn't your strong point. You do realize that 100k is the equivalent to 50K with the cost of living adjustment? It is actually a lot less than what others make in your area.

[FireMedic65]

Well, with overtime, of course and maxed out base salaries. Infact there is a huge article about OCFA one engineer/paramedic made 206 k last year, and probably has no NR cert.

link to article please

[FormerEMSLT297]

To the op, in my opinion the NR is the biggest scam in the world, thank god I don't need to have a glow in the dark patch to alllow me to do my job, no one in my department has a NR cert except the new medics who just got out of school, ems does not need another organization to increase standards, I said it once and I'll say it again this is a stepping stone jobe, not a career at least where I come from, but that is just what I see year to year, and nothing has changed.

Thanks for all the responses.... I agree with "benzo boy" that the NR is a bit of a scam, to make money. When i was originally cert. in NYS, I did not take it, because it was not needed and 50 or 75 bucks was a lot of money back then.

I stand by my post, and will add that there are nervous test takeers out there, who are GREAT medics, but just test badly. I think that the inability to know what you FAILED on is some kind of HUSH, HUSH, the "mystic" of NR, and so on... about 3/4 of his class failed some portion of the practical..

In NY and MANY other places, this is unheard of. by the time you get finished you are READY to test. and if you get testing gitters, you are handed a skills sheet saying this if what you fialed, and you retest the same day, and usually PASS..

I think that the high level of failures in both practical and written indicates that there is a BIG Problem with NR..

Unfortunately it is the cert. i have to live under for right now, and i'm/we are stuck with it.

Remember years ago, you could not even get copies of NR skills, sheets, like they were blueprints for a nuclear warhead or blueprints to the White House... My point is the high level to SECRECY detracts from making Pre-hosptial care providers, and Paramedics in particular recognized the way firefighters, and police officers are. IMHO.

[VentMedic]

Well, with overtime, of course and maxed out base salaries. Infact there is a huge article about OCFA one engineer/paramedic made 206 k last year, and probably has no NR cert.

It has also been due to the OT abuse that some areas are mandating no more than 80 hours per week. In SF, one FF pulled 19 straight shifts. It concerned the public that this guy was either paid to sleep or too tired to safely perform and thus putting the public in danger.

In just 2 months during 2008 two FFs racked up over 900 hours of OT in just 6 months. However, the Sheriff's Deputies still came out ahead in salary earned for the year as did the RNs.

It is unfortunate that CA remains so fragmented in their oversight for that state and allow the bubbas in the county to run the show.

I just saw another headline for CA where a baby killer was allowed to get his cert in your state. Real nice system you got there.

My point is the high level to SECRECY detracts from making Pre-hosptial care providers, and Paramedics in particular recognized the way firefighters, and police officers are. IMHO.

Why do you believe the Paramedic should be different than other professions when it comes to test taking? Do you believe they should have the testing standards lowered because of the poor education/training some receive or that the quality of people the profession attracts is so low that one could not expect them to pass a test without help?

[Ridryder 911]

To the op, in my opinion the NR is the biggest scam in the world, thank god I don't need to have a glow in the dark patch to alllow me to do my job, no one in my department has a NR cert except the new medics who just got out of school, ems does not need another organization to increase standards, I said it once and I'll say it again this is a stepping stone jobe, not a career at least where I come from, but that is just what I see year to year, and nothing has changed.

I would say it was ignorance but they have been informed therefore we know what that would represent. Sorry, don't buy anything except sour grapes and a bunch of B.S.

R/r 911

[ERDoc]

On the path to MD, you have to take the following tests and never get the results. Price are in parentheses.

MCAT ($225)

USMLE Step 1 ($685) taken between 2nd and 3rd years of medical school

USMLE Step 2 Knowledge Exam ($470) taken before graduation from medical school

USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills Exam ($1007) taken before graduation from medical school (only offered in Philly, Atlanta, LA, Chicago and Houston so factor in travel and lodging expenses)

USMLE Step 3 ($690, higher in Iowa, SD and VT) taken during residency

Emergency Medicine Written exam ($895, $1830 if you wait til the week before the exam to register) taken within a year after finishing residency

Emergency Medicine Oral exam ($1225 and only offer twice a year in Chicago)