EMT-B calling himself a 'Medic' in Indiana

[DwayneEMTP]

I think the thing that irks me the most is when basics say that people ask them, "Are you a medic??" as I don't think that I've ever had such a question on scene....

I had a newer medic when I was working the BP oil spill all freaked out because they didn't have any more shirts that said, "Medic" on them. I gave him mine, saying, "If anyone has any question about what my job is during an emergency, then I don't really deserve to wear this shirt anyway..." He was thrilled! And the shirt probably got him laid all the while I was in camp downloading porn.....

I've just never had the question that the basics to have consistently. "Who are you and what do you do???" Perhaps I've been blessed, but those on scene tend to follow me...not because I'm good looking or smart, those that know me will tell you that neither is true, but because I'm willing to take charge, and it's an incredibly rare thing to find people, when the shit hits the fan, that really want to do so.

After the fact, everyone seems to have been in charge, but during....there is normally a long line behind one person...

I think that's what irks me...the basics that making this argument (The minority) claim to do so because it's a never ending issue...for me, it's just never happened, which makes me question their honesty, or the reason it's happening to them...

[Kiwiology]

Ambulance

Not an ambulance

How hard was that, honestly?

[Richard B the EMT]

Wow, this got resurrected from a year ago. Nice seeing "Dusty's" postings again, and still miss him

As I already posted, if someone calls me Doctor, or "Doc", I thank them for the promotion (and hope for a title appropriate raise in salary. The concept of calling someone by the title they may be working for, while they are still in that training class, is a bit foreign, personally, for me.

Actually, there is a group I do allow to call me "Doctor"- the "Citizen's Band" radio operators on 27 MHz. That dates back to a weird part of my history, back from the 1971- 1972 school year, when I was doing....wait for it.... SÉANCES in my senior year of high school. My "on the air" "handle" or name, is "Witch Doctor". When I'm on the air, I'll be on CB channel "trucker" 19.

[tcripp]

Interesting post here. I have managed to make it through all the levels in just about 2 year increments, starting with ECA. Back then, I didn't refer to myself at all and hoped that no one referred to me. A little timid and shy in my newness as a first responder. When I became a EMT-B, I would call myself a Basic...but I would hear others call me a medic.

Since there was never anything official, I tried to figure it out in my head. A "medic" is one who provides medical care to a patient, so it made sense, but I never felt comfortable. Also, EMT stands for Emergency Medical Technician...and there is "medic" once again.

Once I made the leap to Paramedic, then I felt comfortable in my skin about calling myself medic. But that is me.

I guess my point here is that I don't take it personally if someone calls me a medic...or my EMT partner a medic because I truly don't believe they use that to differentiate. I think it's a word to define patient care.

If someone wants to know my capabilities...they will ask if I am a paramedic or they, hopefully, will be looking at my patch/badge.

Toni

(For the record...I don't like the term "ambulance driver" because, in the system where I worked, I hardly ever drove! I would proudly say, "No, I'm your flight attendant...and that is your pilot! I'm sorry to say that the inflight movie and beverage service have been cancelled for this trip.")

[DFIB]

Interestingly just last week a Physician was watching me work and he called me "Doc" to which I responded " I am not a Doctor to which he responded, "Don't let it get you down, keep up the good work" and continued to call me "Doc" for the rest of the day. It was a little flattering but I was honest about my certification level. I did not feel the need to correct him more than once.

When people ask me if I am a medic on scene I respond that I am a Basic. No sweat, 'cause that's what I am. If I use a term that implies a higher level of training I will eventually be proven different by the constraints of protocol.

A Bible example warns us not to sit on he front row at a party lest someone greater come along and move us back causing humiliation.

Honesty is the best policy.

[chbare]

You know, maybe someday we will consider our foreign brothers and sisters in countries such as Canada and Australia. Make everybody fundamentally a paramedic, then have different levels of paramedic based on education such as Primary care medic, Advanced care medic and Intensive care medic. How easy is that, everybody is a paramedic and we understand there are different levels of education much like nurses and successful systems in other countries.

An interesting video where they discuss this and even say we never even looked outside of the United States when the levels for the "new" national SOP was developed:

[Kiwiology]

we never even looked outside of the United States when the levels for the "new" national SOP was developed:

Why doesn't that surprise me

Kiwi sad for lack of progress in US

[DFIB]

What is funny is a guy with a 50 + inch waist holding a discussion in front of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation banner. I wonder if he is their poster model?

[Kiwiology]

What is funny is a guy with a 50 + inch waist holding a discussion in front of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation banner. I wonder if he is their poster model?

I didn't think of that lol how amusing

[WolfmanHarris]

When I signed up for the forum I used the handle "DocHarris." This was a nickname I got years ago from friends when I was a lifeguard and considering a career in health care. Over and over again I had to clear up my background in chat and elsewhere. If this were a movie or hobby forum, who cares, but in a professional setting (or pseudo-professional setting like here) representing oneself accurately is more important. As a result I changed my screen name awhile back.

I don't really care is someone goes to a party and says they're a medic, or a doctor, or an astronaut. I do get a perverse, intense joy out of poking these people when presented with them, but that's neither here nor there.