What type of education is important?

[BEorP]

It is a difficult question to answer. Yes, I think that any type of education is important. But I think that only because I believe education is important in general.

The problem is, I can't really tell you how a better educated provider (especially when we're talking about education in general rather than medical-specific education) would provide better patient care in the EMS environment I worked in. With protocols being such a big part of most North American EMS systems, it seems as though it leaves very little space for an educated provider to be a better provider. When it comes down to it, we're all giving the same drugs in the same doses based on the same indications. In a very protocol-focused system, I can understand how paramedics become disheartened and do not bother to do CME on their own since they know that nothing that they read can actually change how they will care for patients.

Sure, you could give an example from a friend of a friend of your partner's where the paramedic had been reading medical journals and had just read an article on some obscure and difficult to detect life threatening condition that they identified and saved the patient. I highly doubt that this happens routinely. This certainly may be different in systems that are distinct from where I worked that allow providers more flexibility and I would be interested in hearing about it.

Hopefully this is seen as contributing to the thread and not derailing it, but I have two questions: (and I'm specifically mentioning paramedics rather than EMT-Bs because I do see that there could be more of an argument to be made there that a number of courses are essential just to get the basic knowledge)

Under what specific circumstances would someone with an MA in history provide better patient care than a paramedic who has no university education?

Under what specific circumstances would someone with an BSc/BS in paramedicine provide better patient care than a paramedic who has no university education?

[NYCEMS9115]

Under what specific circumstances would someone with an BSc/BS in paramedicine provide better patient care than a paramedic who has no university education?

It's impossible to know since most Paramedics did not go through the Degree route. Paramedics with Degrees have it in other Areas of Study. So we can compare. The Basic Paramedic; original course; needs to be Degree only. No more Certificate Courses. The Bachelors and Master's Level must be developed. Then we can tell. However, education is your experience when you have none. So, a Degree Paramedic maybe more prepared. This is all conjecture...

[paramedicmike]

It's impossible to know since most Paramedics did not go through the Degree route. Paramedics with Degrees have it in other Areas of Study. So we can compare. The Basic Paramedic; original course; needs to be Degree only. No more Certificate Courses. The Bachelors and Master's Level must be developed. Then we can tell. However, education is your experience when you have none. So, a Degree Paramedic maybe more prepared. This is all conjecture...

Will you PLEASE learn how to properly use a semicolon?

[NYCEMS9115]

Will you PLEASE learn how to properly use a semicolon?

It's impossible to know since most Paramedics did not go through the Degree route. Paramedics with Degrees have it in other Areas of Study. So we can compare. The Basic Paramedic, original course, needs to be Degree only. No more Certificate Courses. The Bachelors and Master's Level must be developed. Then we can tell. However, education is your experience when you have none. So, a Degree Paramedic maybe more prepared. This is all conjecture...

or

It's impossible to know since most Paramedics did not go through the Degree route. Paramedics with Degrees have it in other Areas of Study. So we can compare. The Basic Paramedic; original course, needs to be Degree only. No more Certificate Courses. The Bachelors and Master's Level must be developed. Then we can tell. However, education is your experience when you have none. So, a Degree Paramedic maybe more prepared. This is all conjecture...

[paramedicmike]

It's impossible to know since most Paramedics did not go through the Degree route. Paramedics with Degrees have it in other Areas of Study. So we can compare. The Basic Paramedic, original course, needs to be Degree only. No more Certificate Courses. The Bachelors and Master's Level must be developed. Then we can tell. However, education is your experience when you have none. So, a Degree Paramedic maybe more prepared. This is all conjecture...

Better.

or

It's impossible to know since most Paramedics did not go through the Degree route. Paramedics with Degrees have it in other Areas of Study. So we can compare. The Basic Paramedic; original course, needs to be Degree only. No more Certificate Courses. The Bachelors and Master's Level must be developed. Then we can tell. However, education is your experience when you have none. So, a Degree Paramedic maybe more prepared. This is all conjecture...

Wrong.

edit: formatting error

Edited May 14, 2011 by paramedicmike