Question on EMT-B/Paramedic Training

[medic82942003]

Here is my 2 cents, I spent 11 years in the NAVY.( WHICH MEANS NEVER AGAIN VOLUNTEER YOURSELF.) lAST 9 MONTHS WAS Corpsman with the Marines. Before my time in North Carolina,

i flew 2 years hueys as SAR DOC with HC-16 pesacola Florida. I have been a medic for 14 years

and I regret never getting my FFI&2- PAY ATTENTION- LISTEN TO ME AND THIS IS NO S###.

aS A FIRE MEDIC you will be able to apply to lots more jobs and areas. Private EMS is a good

job, but just like anywhere, there are good jobs and bad jobs- alot more doors will open if you have FIREFIGHTING also. Also get NREMT also. Learn threw other peoples mistakes. IE My screwups-

I am now 47- I might go to Fire training, I will be the one running with the AED strapped to my Back. Like we used to say in the Persian Gulf- look on the bright side-there isnt one. HA HA.

Semper Fi- The Marines are looking for a few good men-NAVY Corpsman. Ha HA HA.

Be Safe. Cheers.

So others may live-You Cry-we Fly. Sorry i am babbling again. I have PTSS-or snorted to much

nearve agent in war. (90-91) Gulf Vet.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Much good advice here.

my experience which is over 18 years.

Started in 1990 as a emt student. Took 110 hours and thought I was a hero.

Spent the first 6 months in a 911 system being a dispatcher which at that time required me to answer the phone from the fire department dispatch center and they gave me the address and also the complaint. Nothing more. I was unable to use my emt cert for NOTHING for those 6 months.

I then was able to get a job at the same service as an emt driver. I was a bonafide cot jockey or gopher.

I then worked at the same service for their non-emergency transfer service that took patients from the hospitals to the nursing homes. I drove and did no patient care.

So in 2 years as an EMT I did NO I repeat ZERO patient care.

I decided to during this 2 years to get my medic. On my off days I was at my work station in class. On my on days I was doing transfers.

I got my medic and began at a service that was all ALS. I was put with a experienced AWESOME medic named Ron Dalton and worked occasionally with his wife Nancy Dalton and those from Missouri will know this lady.

So, go get your EMT then medic and skip working as an EMT, the experience you get (however limited) will only have to be unlearned when you begin to do assessments as a medic.

If I had it to do over again I would have gotten the 2 semesters of A&P, One semester of pharmacology and a smattering of other science based classes.

My educational resume is a Bachelor's of Arts, and a Masters in Project Management. All nice pieces of paper but do nothing for you in medicine.

[LoneRider]

Much good advice here.

my experience which is over 18 years.

Started in 1990 as a emt student. Took 110 hours and thought I was a hero.

Spent the first 6 months in a 911 system being a dispatcher which at that time required me to answer the phone from the fire department dispatch center and they gave me the address and also the complaint. Nothing more. I was unable to use my emt cert for NOTHING for those 6 months.

I then was able to get a job at the same service as an emt driver. I was a bonafide cot jockey or gopher.

I then worked at the same service for their non-emergency transfer service that took patients from the hospitals to the nursing homes. I drove and did no patient care.

So in 2 years as an EMT I did NO I repeat ZERO patient care.

I decided to during this 2 years to get my medic. On my off days I was at my work station in class. On my on days I was doing transfers.

I got my medic and began at a service that was all ALS. I was put with a experienced AWESOME medic named Ron Dalton and worked occasionally with his wife Nancy Dalton and those from Missouri will know this lady.

So, go get your EMT then medic and skip working as an EMT, the experience you get (however limited) will only have to be unlearned when you begin to do assessments as a medic.

If I had it to do over again I would have gotten the 2 semesters of A&P, One semester of pharmacology and a smattering of other science based classes.

My educational resume is a Bachelor's of Arts, and a Masters in Project Management. All nice pieces of paper but do nothing for you in medicine.

I figure I will finish EMT-B then move onto EMT-Paramedic straight away.

Does anyone know how tolerant or understanding most EMT-B or Paramedic programs are towards military reservists? I'm gonna speak to the admissions guys for the ones I'm interested in to find out specifics, but I'd figure I'd ask on a general basis about how tolerant EMT training programs can be towards guys in military reserves.

I also intend to attain my FF1 and FF2 after attaining my EMT-Paramedic certification before I job search.

Edited June 18, 2009 by LoneRider

[tamaith]

thats great you're coming out of the military and plan on going to medic school

and im thinking of joing the military ( guard) to get money to go to medic school

[nremtp]

EMT-B can be done in two weeks, nothing wrong with that.

EMT-P can be done in 3 months straight after EMT-B but that's another can of worms altogether!

I don't know much about the US military but I am sure a colleague told me the US Army funded his Paramedic training for him. He just had to sign up for another 3 years or something like that.

[tamaith]

EMT-B can be done in two weeks, nothing wrong with that.

EMT-P can be done in 3 months straight after EMT-B but that's another can of worms altogether!

I don't know much about the US military but I am sure a colleague told me the US Army funded his Paramedic training for him. He just had to sign up for another 3 years or something like that.

wow i never heard of a 2wk class for emt b or a 3month course for medic.

[Dustdevil]

wow i never heard of a 2wk class for emt b or a 3month course for medic.

An unfortunate number of people in California and Texas have. I wouldn't give you a dime for any of them.

[VentMedic]

wow i never heard of a 2wk class for emt b or a 3month course for medic.

I'm surprised since your own state has 2 or 3 accelerated Paramedic programs.

[Dustdevil]

I'm surprised since your own state has 2 or 3 accelerated Paramedic programs.

Few people ever think to look beyond the one or two schools in their immediate area. That would take too much effort.

[LoneRider]

Few people ever think to look beyond the one or two schools in their immediate area. That would take too much effort.

Well I found two very good programs in my AO (Orlando, FL): Valencia Community College and Seminole Community College.

Now while I'm serving my active duty time I intend to reaccquire my CPR certificate (I think the US Army uses Red Cross, just like Navy SAR swimmers do for CPR). What's the periodicity of a CPR card, one year before I must be recertified by competent authority? Who qualifies as competent authority in that instance?