CCP-C vs. CCEMT-P

[Bieber]

Now that I've become a paramedic I'm looking toward the future and continuing my education. I'm enrolled in college for this semester and I plan on finishing out my Bachelor's degree in Biology and also thinking about other EMS education avenues after I get a little bit of experience under my belt. I would love to someday do critical care transport and after doing a bit of reading I noticed that there are two critical care paramedic certifications, CCEMT-P and CCP-C. I'm most familiar with CCEMT-P but I'm not sure exactly what the differences are between the two. I know that CCEMT-P is an actual course, but from what I've been reading it sounds like CCP-C is an exam only--is this correct? Also, is there any difference between the two in terms of which is more desired by critical care transfer agencies or the quality of education provided by either one if CCP-C comes with a course?

Thanks.

[chbare]

http://www.bcctpc.org/

It is highly recommended that you have three years of experience prior to looking at either the credentials of ground or flight. The CCEMTP course may not cover all the testable information on these exams.

Good luck and take care,

chbare.

[Bieber]

Thanks for the link, I've been looking at that site and is has some good information. I'm not considering taking either the CCEMT-P course or the CCP-C exam anytime in the near future, just trying to learn more about it preemptively at the moment.

[Bieber]

Hey guys. I'm bringing this thread back to life because, well, I lied. I am considering taking the CCEMT-P course this summer and I'm looking for some feedback from you guys.

First of all, yeah, I know, I'm probably getting ahead of myself. In fact I'm sure of it. But my question for you guys is, even though that's true and even though I'm a new paramedic and the critical care courses are designed for providers with several years of experience under their belts, would it be wrong of me to take the course? I don't plan on trying to get on with a critical care service anytime soon, and honestly all of those services around here require three years of experience to get hired on. At the same time, I'm hungry for more education and more knowledge and I want to learn this stuff.

I'm already signed up for classes this summer for my Bachelor's/RN ambitions, and I'm not going to sacrifice those to take the CCEMT-P course. At the same time, if I could do both, I would really love to. Right now, this isn't about getting into working in critical care medicine as much as just learning more about it and gaining more knowledge and education and making myself a better provider.

So, thoughts?

[BAYAMedic]

Beiber, I have only been back in the city for a few months but your posts are getting respect from me that typically only old guard deserved. You are one of the more ambitious students / new medics I have seen and your striving for knowledge shows me a medic I would want working on my grandma. Having never worked with you I can't say anything for sure, but my gut tells me you may be more prepared than many 3 years medics that I have worked with.

[Dustdevil]

There are pros and cons either way. On the positive side, education is always a good thing. This will absolutely help your professional development.

On the negative side, you will forget or never solidify the greatest portion of this education long before you are in a position to use it. Would you trust yourself to take a lead medic job if ypu finished medic school 3 years ago, but had never ever worked in the field? Of course not. You'd need a serious refresher and dual time to get up to speed. Hell, I had been a medic for 32 years when I first deployed to Iraq. But I had been out of the field for a few years at that time too. I certainly wouldn't have trusted me without a LOT of refreshing. And that is refreshing of things I had already practised for decades.

I fear that, while the course will be a good brain stimulator in the short term, it's going to simply be a lot of time and money for little to no lasting benefit. If you don't use it -- soon and often -- you lose it. And you don't want to be that guy signing "CCEMT-P" behind his name, then not being able to back it up in practice a year from now.

Of course, I'm hoping you're not the kind of pretentious wanker that would ever sign with those initials anyhow, lol. Good luck!

[Richard B the EMT]

Dusty will probably back me on this: An associate of mine working as an EMT got into an RN class, where, on day one in class, mentioned he was an EMT, was first congratulated by the instructor, then told to forget everything he had learned as an EMT!