what classes do i need to take?

[liss]

I'm 17 senior in high school and plan on attending my local college to take some EMT classes but i eventually want to be a Paramedic....what classes should I start with? I need to figure this out cause i need to sign up for classes soon. Also how much does the schooling cost?

Was or is if hard for you to go to school full time and work full time? I'm worried i wont be able to work and take my classes at the same time..

[Kiwiology]

In this order

Chemistry

Anatomy and Physiology I and II

Pharmacology

Pathophysiology

English / communications

Scientific research methods

Medical terminology

Then you will be qualified to take your EMT class

[rock_shoes]

In this order

Chemistry

Anatomy and Physiology I and II

Pharmacology

Pathophysiology

English / communications

Scientific research methods

Medical terminology

Then you will be qualified to take your EMT class

Good list Kiwi. I would add a couple semesters of Physics, Mathematics, and Psychology to it as well. When I first started into EMS I didn't think having taken Calculus I and II, Calculus based Physics, and Psychology, was going to benefit me at all. I was wrong. My background in Math/Physics/Psychology has been quite valuable. All together a full year of university prior to entering any pre-hospital care program would be advisable. If you want to be a top notch professional that is.

[paramedicmike]

You've been offered a solid list of classes to help create a foundation for continuing your medical education. I will offer, as an alternative, the suggestion of going to nursing school first. Then, upon successful completion of the nursing licensing exam (NCLEX), you can go back to obtain your paramedic education and training. The two professions are not mutually exclusive and are much more intertwined than they may appear from the outside.

Tuition costs vary by school. Your local community college can generally offer lower tuition rates than larger schools. This would be a good place to start. Making an appointment with an admissions counselor at the schools you are considering will help answer a lot of the questions you have regarding cost, schedule and possibly even offer contacts for other students who balance work and school.

Working full time and going to school full time is not easy. It can be done, however. Just be prepared to work your butt off. Don't forget, when balancing your work, class and clinical schedule that you need to include play time as well. It may sound silly. But everyone needs some down time to decompress and relax. There is more to life than medicine and EMS. Don't forget to explore what is really a big world out there.

By looking to create a solid educational foundation you are setting yourself up for success. Obtaining a nursing degree/license and following that with a paramedic certification can help your marketability down the road as you build experience. By obtaining the proper education you will also set a solid foundation for your role as an emergency medical practitioner.

There is no one size fits all approach to education. There are, however, wrong ways to approach it. Generally, the wrong ways include "as fast as possible with as little work as possible" programs. Please make every effort to avoid these. It seems, however, that by asking the questions you have brought to us you're looking at doing it right. For this you are to be commended!

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

-be safe

[chbare]

Since pathophysiology classes as the community college level may be focused on dental or other such pathology in the United States, I would substitute with microbiology. I would also look at a computer class and general psychology course as many colleges require these as requirements for graduation.

I say:

A&P- 8 credits

English comp & lit - 6 credits

Intro Chemistry - 4 credits

Math- 3-6 credits

Psych- 3-4 credits

Micro - 4 credits

Computer literacy- 3 credits

Possibly a Bio class

This will set you up for entering many of the AAS programmes for health such as respiratory, nursing, and radiology.

Take care,

chbare.

[Dustdevil]

Agreed with chbare and paramedicmike.

1. Go to nursing school.

2. If you don't go to nursing school, still take all the same courses you would take for nursing school admission BEFORE you take EMT or paramedic classes. Anything else is back-asswards and counterproductive.

Anatomy & Physiology 1 and 2 (8 hours)

Microbiology (4 hours)

General Algebra (3 or 4 hours, or take Statistics if you're already in advanced math)

English Composition (3 hours)

Intro Psychology (3 hours)

Developmental Psychology (3 hours)

Intro Sociology (3 hours)

Weight Training or Intro to Physical Training (2 or 3 hours)

Pharmacology and Pathophysiology are generally specific to a particular professional programme, like nursing or respiratory therapy, or paramedic degree programmes in the US. You can't take them unless you are specifically enrolled into that programme. And even if you could take them, you shouldn't until you have all of the above courses completed.

Physics is very helpful, however I would agree that it is not essential as a prerequisite.

Until you have all of those behind you, you shouldn't even be looking at EMT or paramedic courses. You said it yourself. It's hard to work and go to school at the same time. So the chances that you can go back and do this after becoming an EMT are greatly diminished. That means your progression to Paramedic is seriously delayed, and your ability to be a competent EMT is forever diminished.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Dustdevil

[ccmedoc]

I wouldn't think physics is particularly relevant, unless you like physics .

I like chbare's list, don't underestimate the importance of the computer literacy, composition, and mathematics courses. With all the electronic charting and PCR coming to the forefront, you may be glad for them; and it bumps the progression possibility.

If you don't want to be a nurse, don't. You will be miserable and your patients will suffer. You can set yourself up for degrees in other specialties with a good base of pre-requisites as chbare mentioned. Err on the side of sciences if you need additional credits. Ethics and psychology would be a great benefit to you; most certainly in EMS.

I would stress that you should not rely on the training you get in your paramedic course alone to totally prepare you for the job.

[chbare]

Physics is not a bad idea if you have the time. If I knew I was going to have so much math and gas physics in respiratory therapy, I would have taken a general physics course. Lucky for us, the chemistry department spends a solid week on gas laws in the gen chem courses in part to ensure students are sorted. However, I am doing allot of logarithms and number cruncing right now, so a good algebra course is just as helpful at this level. However, I would have beefed up a bit more if I knew that we take a dedicated gas physics course. Always research you course, take home point.

Take care,

chbare.

[rock_shoes]

1. Go to nursing school.

I tend to forget how different most training programs can be state-side. Given the system south of the 49th I have to say this is excellent advice.

Weight Training or Intro to Physical Training (2 or 3 hours)

This is an aspect of the job often forgotten about within training programs that really deserves more attention. The best paramedics are educated, intelligent, and physically capable. It doesn’t matter how intelligent you are if you’re incapable of performing the physical aspect of the job.

I wouldn't think physics is particularly relevant, unless you like physics .

You might be surprised. There is a hierarchy within the sciences that makes physics more important than you would expect at first glance. Principles of physics describe chemical structure and action. Principles of chemistry describe biological structure and function. Moving directly into chemistry without developing some understanding of physics is like trying to build a house without a foundation. In addition to the forgoing having a physics background will do wonders for analysing a mechanism of injury and understanding the ramifications of that injury on the body structure.