Physics and EMS

[FireMedic65]

There was a very good podcast I listened to a while back that dealt with physics. Primarily dealing with fluids and how they flow through the body. Something to do with more fluids flowing at a fast rate causing more harm than good due to some "law" that I also forget the name of.

helpful aren't I?

[scubanurse]

helpful aren't I?

always

[Timmy]

Oh ok. I can’t speak for the paramedic degree but certainly in the first year of the nursing degree we have a subject called bioscience which encumbers all your anatomy, physiology, chemistry and physics to various levels. It forms a big chunk of the first year and there are about 15 assessments/exams/assignments at various stages which forms your overall mark. It’s been 2 years since I’ve done this subject but I remember touching on electrons, atoms, ions, kinetics, clusters, hydrogen bonding, atomic nuclei, matter, energy and so on. It’s all a bit hazy and I’d certainly need to go over my notes again if I had to sit down to another exam!

I’d certainly encourage anyone undertaking a medical related degree to brush up on these subjects, even though on the odd occasion the content can become a tad dry!

[JPINFV]

I would dare say you may be a minority. I didn't even take algebra in high school let alone chemistry or physics.

I think the problem is that most high schools offer different tracts and you end up with a segregated population of students. Most of my friends and acquaintances in high school were college bound, hence taking math up to pre-calc or AP calc in high school, bio/chem/physics (if not AP bio/chem/physics), the AP history (AP Euro/US/Gov&Econ). Did we make up a majority? No, but a sizable number of students were in the college bound track. However, it seemed like it since everyone we knew essentially were taking those courses.

[FireMedic65]

I am a firm believer that over education is better. I see it way to often where many students are taking the easiest route possible. They complain about having to do work "they don't need to know". Why is this? Would you want a bare minimum educated person taking care of you or your loved ones? I would assume your answer would be NO.

There are many aspects to our education that may not be immediately relevant to our everyday practice in medicine. But, there are times when they will come in handy. I for one do not like to look stupid when talking with my peers or a patient. You will be more respected by others if you know what you are talking about above and beyond the normal standards.

Do you have to know how much force is caused on a persons body when they are traveling 50mph and strike another vehicle coming at them at an equal speed? Sure, the actual formula may not be useful in the field, but if you have a basic understanding of the forces at play you can much better judge the patients condition if they say "I will be ok."?

[rat115]

I'm another person who took Physics in high school. While I wish I'd have had a better instructor so I could have learned more (unfortunately, I can write this as the teacher had a PHD but had been removed from a major university due to his student failure rate), I've been able to use a lot of what I did retain to help understand the effects of accidents.

I think that a basic understanding of physics would help as much as algebra helps with drug dosage.