Student-to-be

[SwampMusic]

Hi everyone!

After several EMS ride-a-longs, being a vollie firefighter, and just finishing high school I decided to take advantage of an upcoming EMT course. I then hope to be employed as a Firefighter/EMT.

I had some questions about the program. I have had guys (and gals) in my department telling me to not take an accelerated program, which of course is what I signed up for. They were telling me there's too much information that's going to be thrown at me, and I more than likely will not be able to find employment as a firefighter/emt with an accelerated program. Are these rumors true? And how would an employer even know if I took an accelerated program? I don't think it matters if I pass the state/national exams.

Thoughts? Thanks!

Also the course is Mon-Fri for 3 weeks from 8AM till 5PM. I'm not employed or anything, so I don't mind the schedule. It'll just be like going back to a more interesting high school for three weeks.

[ClutzyEMT]

Lots of things will factor in on how well you do in the course ranging from the Instructor's ability to teach, and your ability to learn....my classes are a ton of hands on and critical thinking, other courses are a ton of power point and Redbull to keep the students awake...

Some things to check into are what the pass/fail ratio of the course is, talk with prior students if you can, talk to your prospective employer's.....

Your employer will know which course you took when you fill out your job application.....

Edited to add: Never forget that whatever course you take, when you get that certification, you have learned the "minimum requirements" to enter the field. Don't stop with what you learn in the classroom! Use trusted sources for furthering your knowledge~~

Edited April 14, 2014 by ClutzyEMT

[SwampMusic]

Lots of things will factor in on how well you do in the course ranging from the Instructor's ability to teach, and your ability to learn....my classes are a ton of hands on and critical thinking, other courses are a ton of power point and Redbull to keep the students awake...

Some things to check into are what the pass/fail ratio of the course is, talk with prior students if you can, talk to your prospective employer's.....

Your employer will know which course you took when you fill out your job application.....

Edited to add: Never forget that whatever course you take, when you get that certification, you have learned the "minimum requirements" to enter the field. Don't stop with what you learn in the classroom! Use trusted sources for furthering your knowledge~~

Well I suppose I must go for it now!

It's hard to tell what the pass/fail ratio is. It's a state fire school, from what I have seen a little more than half make it out. It seems the same way with the regular three or four month one they offer. Do you think it'll effect my chances of becoming an EMT when the employer sees I took the accelerated program? *yikes*.

I am going to take continuing educational classes for sure, just going to try and get through the basic first! It won't be that bad if I fail anyways, the course is free of cost to my fire department. Worse comes to worse, i'll just get a big "I told you so" from the others EMTs in my department.

Edited April 15, 2014 by SwampMusic

[island emt]

Well I suppose I must go for it now!

It's hard to tell what the pass/fail ratio is. It's a state fire school, from what I have seen a little more than half make it out. It seems the same way with the regular three or four month one they offer.

I am going to take continuing educational classes for sure, just going to try and get through the basic first! It won't be that bad if I fail anyways, the course is free of cost to my fire department. Worse comes to worse, i'll just get a big "I told you so" from the others EMTs in my department.

thats the whole problem right there in a nutshell . it 's a state fire school

that is a terrible pass rate for any EMT class

yes emploters will know that you took an accelerated class, but if it's only for marking points on a fire dept application then it will make the minimum required.

[paramedicmike]

It's hard to tell what the pass/fail ratio is. It's a state fire school, from what I have seen a little more than half make it out. It seems the same way with the regular three or four month one they offer.

You probably want to verify this. A 50% pass rate is abysmal. If their pass rate is that poor you want to avoid them altogether no matter how long the class is they're offering.

It won't be that bad if I fail anyways, the course is free of cost to my fire department.

Please drop this attitude now. If this is really how you feel then please forget about taking an EMT class and stick with being a FF.

What would your patient say to you if you told them "...don't worry if we don't get it right the first time... it's free..."? Would you want that person taking care of you or your family member? If you're not in this to do it right the first time then don't do it. This isn't high school. You say you want to make a career of this? Then dedicate yourself to doing it right and prove to your future employers that you take this seriously.

Accelerated EMT courses are tough. On one hand it's not rocket surgery. On the other hand it's really a lot of information to be able to process in just two weeks never mind be reasonably expected to draw on that under stress. For someone who has some medical background behind them an accelerated course wouldn't be too bad. For the otherwise uninitiated, and based on your comments here that's you, a longer course would be more beneficial.

[SwampMusic]

You probably want to verify this. A 50% pass rate is abysmal. If their pass rate is that poor you want to avoid them altogether no matter how long the class is they're offering.

Please drop this attitude now. If this is really how you feel then please forget about taking an EMT class and stick with being a FF.

What would your patient say to you if you told them "...don't worry if we don't get it right the first time... it's free..."? Would you want that person taking care of you or your family member? If you're not in this to do it right the first time then don't do it. This isn't high school. You say you want to make a career of this? Then dedicate yourself to doing it right and prove to your future employers that you take this seriously.

Accelerated EMT courses are tough. On one hand it's not rocket surgery. On the other hand it's really a lot of information to be able to process in just two weeks never mind be reasonably expected to draw on that under stress. For someone who has some medical background behind them an accelerated course wouldn't be too bad. For the otherwise uninitiated, and based on your comments here that's you, a longer course would be more beneficial.

I rather take up the free course and automatically be registered with the state once successfully completing the program than paying around $1,000 at the local college and trying to register with the state afterwards. For the meantime I just have to work hard and make it into that 50%.

I said it was free, no cost to me. I never said I was just going to blow the whole class off. So I am not quite sure where you are getting that attitude from lol. In my department you have to prove yourself (even though it's a free program) to have chief sign your application for the program. Plus either way I am not just going to work solidly as an EMT, hence going to try and look for a FF/EMT job. As I said earlier, I rather take up the free one, and if worse comes to worse I have no financial loss. I'll just go for the longer program.

I took a medical assistant course in high school (had to for tech class) never certified by the state (didn't feel like paying for the exams, though passed the class) and I also hold an EMR certification with a CPR/AED card. Do you think this will make the EMT course slightly easier? Since I already know some medical terminology, anatomy/physio, some bls protocols, and also know CPR?

I'm starting to realize it's a bad pass ratio lol. Just gives more power to me so I can study harder. I think if I take good notes, do the homework, and review everything; I'll be fine (hopefully).

As I said earlier I will take continuing EMS CEU's. I am just going to firstly attempt and get through the basic program. At least the ones worthwhile taking like multi trauma, burns, shock management, respiratory emergencies, etc... I have an interest in these.

Edited April 15, 2014 by SwampMusic

[paramedicmike]

I rather take up the free course and automatically be registered with the state once successfully completing the program than paying around $1,000 at the local college and trying to register with the state afterwards. For the meantime I just have to work hard and make it into that 50%.

There's a lot of truth to the saying "you get what you pay for". Although, I do understand the attraction of a state sponsored/funded class through your vollie squad. I've taken a couple of these type classes in the past, too. The question of the pass rate of the class(es) in question becomes a bigger issue if 50% of the people who attempt this course really do fail.

I said it was free, no cost to me.

Nothing is ever free. You might not be paying money. But you'll be paying something.

Just where do you think the money that's paying for this class is coming from?

I never said I was just going to blow the whole class off. So I am not quite sure where you are getting that attitude from lol.

No. You didn't say you were going to blow off the class. It was the "it won't be so bad if I fail... it's free..." comment that makes it sound like you're saying you don't care one way or another.

If that's not really what you meant then why did you say it?

I took a medical assistant course in high school (had to for tech class) never certified by the state (didn't feel like paying for the exams, though passed the class) and I also hold an EMR certification with a CPR/AED card. Do you think this will make the EMT course slightly easier? Since I already know some medical terminology, anatomy/physio, some bls protocols, and also know CPR?

Hard to say without knowing more about you.

To take this in a slightly different direction, are you doing this simply because you think having an EMT cert will make it easier for you to be hired as a FF? Or are you doing this because you honestly, truly and genuinely want to be an EMS professional?

If the former, please reconsider your career choice. The last thing EMS needs is another person getting involved simply because s/he thinks it'll offer an easier "in" with a fire department. If the latter, please stick around and keep an open mind. This site is full of dedicated EMS professionals from around the world who take their job and their career choice *very* seriously. As a general observation we don't tolerate fools lightly. That being said, you will *not* find a better site for knowledge base, support and education out there.

If you are genuinely serious about being an EMS professional, please stick around with an open mind. Don't take things personally unless they're directed at you personally. If you put in an honest effort I think you'll find honest efforts to help you.

[ClutzyEMT]

Swampmusic,

Please forgive us if we seem to be eating you up right off the bat. Some of us who have worked our entire lives trying to improve and elevate the status of EMS in the public's eye have a very tough time with what appears to be a lackadaisical attitude in regards to entering the field, and we will ‘strongly’ encourage those who are thinking about entering EMS just for the trauma and adrenaline to rethink their position.

In your very first post you stated, “I don't think it matters if I pass the state/national exams,” which possibly threw up some red flags to some of us that read that initial post. It is as if you are going into this with a less than determined attitude, and whether it’s paid or volunteer, no future patient deserves that attitude.

And then you came up with the statement “It won't be that bad if I fail anyways, the course is free of cost to my fire department. Worse comes to worse, i'll just get a big "I told you so" from the others EMTs in my department.” Which in my mind, raised another red flag. I’m sure the Fire Department is paying for the course, or in the least, paying an employee to teach the course. If I was the finance officer for this Fire Department I would have a hard time writing a $1000 check for someone with that attitude. I’m sure there are some equipment needs or pay increase needs that may trump a less than 100% attitude for passing the course.

Red flag #3 “For the meantime I just have to work hard and make it into that 50%.” Really? Why not set the bar a little higher and reach for a goal of making it into the top 90%? I’m not sure I want to work with someone who is satisfied with knowing 50% of what they were taught when it comes to EMS……

“So I am not quite sure where you are getting that attitude from lol.” See above ^^ to understand where we are seeing “that kind of attitude.”

Final red flag, “As I said earlier I will take continuing EMS CEU's. I am just going to firstly attempt and get through the basic program. At least the ones worthwhile taking like multi trauma, burns, shock management, respiratory emergencies, etc... I have an interest in these.” So if Grandma Brown down the street has a cardiac emergency, since medical emergencies fell into the 50% part that you didn’t have any interest in, she doesn’t get the proper treatment and dies enroute to the hospital?

That is why you are getting the feeling that you are being jumped on. At least that is why I am jumping on the bus. I feel like (from interpreting your comments) you are more interested in Fire Fighting, which is fine, I have no problem with that and am glad there are people that are willing to fight fire because I am scared of it!! But don't enter EMS in order to elevate your FIRE position. Go get a degree in Arson Investigation or Wildland firefighting and get a better position or higher pay based on your FIRE qualifications and leave EMS to those of us who care 100% of the time for 100% of the patients.

So if you are thinking about getting an EMT certification, think a little harder as to WHY you are going to get this certification. Think about what this certification requires you to know and do. If you don't want to deal with stubbed toes and 10 out of 10 headache pain at 3 am, then don't get into EMS. Trauma and 'adrenaline' filled calls make up a very, very small portion of the entire picture......

Thanks for listening to a Dinosaur's opinion.......

Tami

Looks like that penguin guy (paramedicmike) and I were almost on the same track at the same time........LOL

[SwampMusic]

There's a lot of truth to the saying "you get what you pay for". Although, I do understand the attraction of a state sponsored/funded class through your vollie squad. I've taken a couple of these type classes in the past, too. The question of the pass rate of the class(es) in question becomes a bigger issue if 50% of the people who attempt this course really do fail.

Nothing is ever free. You might not be paying money. But you'll be paying something.

Just where do you think the money that's paying for this class is coming from?

No. You didn't say you were going to blow off the class. It was the "it won't be so bad if I fail... it's free..." comment that makes it sound like you're saying you don't care one way or another.

If that's not really what you meant then why did you say it?

Hard to say without knowing more about you.

To take this in a slightly different direction, are you doing this simply because you think having an EMT cert will make it easier for you to be hired as a FF? Or are you doing this because you honestly, truly and genuinely want to be an EMS professional?

If the former, please reconsider your career choice. The last thing EMS needs is another person getting involved simply because s/he thinks it'll offer an easier "in" with a fire department. If the latter, please stick around and keep an open mind. This site is full of dedicated EMS professionals from around the world who take their job and their career choice *very* seriously. As a general observation we don't tolerate fools lightly. That being said, you will *not* find a better site for knowledge base, support and education out there.

If you are genuinely serious about being an EMS professional, please stick around with an open mind. Don't take things personally unless they're directed at you personally. If you put in an honest effort I think you'll find honest efforts to help you.

Where will the money be coming from? Since it's a state fire school, more than likely tax dollars? Or maybe federal grants. There's actually a need for EMT's in my state.

What's also attractive of the course (not just being free) we get to do nationals (we have to pay for that) and the state exams (free) on one day. I don't have to worry about a wait or whatever to take my state and national exam. Also the only thing we have to pay for is also the state and federal background check. I believe that's only $40 and then also uniforms are provided by our sponsoring agency.

I said the "It won't be so bad if I fail" statement because as I explained earlier I will have no financial loss. Either way I will gain great skills out of it if I fail. I will just go attend the full course.

I would like to work as a Firefighter/EMT. Sure I have an interest in becoming an EMT, or I wouldn't be putting the time into it. Actually the only time Firefighter/EMT's in my state ride engine is during structural fires or haz-mat events. So it's mainly just EMS. I also have the motivation to push myself and do the best I possibly can in the accelerated course. If I have to retake, I'll do it.

I appreciate your advice and see where you are coming from.

[SwampMusic]

Swampmusic,

Please forgive us if we seem to be eating you up right off the bat. Some of us who have worked our entire lives trying to improve and elevate the status of EMS in the public's eye have a very tough time with what appears to be a lackadaisical attitude in regards to entering the field, and we will ‘strongly’ encourage those who are thinking about entering EMS just for the trauma and adrenaline to rethink their position.

In your very first post you stated, “I don't think it matters if I pass the state/national exams,” which possibly threw up some red flags to some of us that read that initial post. It is as if you are going into this with a less than determined attitude, and whether it’s paid or volunteer, no future patient deserves that attitude.

And then you came up with the statement “It won't be that bad if I fail anyways, the course is free of cost to my fire department. Worse comes to worse, i'll just get a big "I told you so" from the others EMTs in my department.” Which in my mind, raised another red flag. I’m sure the Fire Department is paying for the course, or in the least, paying an employee to teach the course. If I was the finance officer for this Fire Department I would have a hard time writing a $1000 check for someone with that attitude. I’m sure there are some equipment needs or pay increase needs that may trump a less than 100% attitude for passing the course.

Red flag #3 “For the meantime I just have to work hard and make it into that 50%.” Really? Why not set the bar a little higher and reach for a goal of making it into the top 90%? I’m not sure I want to work with someone who is satisfied with knowing 50% of what they were taught when it comes to EMS……

“So I am not quite sure where you are getting that attitude from lol.” See above ^^ to understand where we are seeing “that kind of attitude.”

Final red flag, “As I said earlier I will take continuing EMS CEU's. I am just going to firstly attempt and get through the basic program. At least the ones worthwhile taking like multi trauma, burns, shock management, respiratory emergencies, etc... I have an interest in these.” So if Grandma Brown down the street has a cardiac emergency, since medical emergencies fell into the 50% part that you didn’t have any interest in, she doesn’t get the proper treatment and dies enroute to the hospital?

That is why you are getting the feeling that you are being jumped on. At least that is why I am jumping on the bus. I feel like (from interpreting your comments) you are more interested in Fire Fighting, which is fine, I have no problem with that and am glad there are people that are willing to fight fire because I am scared of it!! But don't enter EMS in order to elevate your FIRE position. Go get a degree in Arson Investigation or Wildland firefighting and get a better position or higher pay based on your FIRE qualifications and leave EMS to those of us who care 100% of the time for 100% of the patients.

So if you are thinking about getting an EMT certification, think a little harder as to WHY you are going to get this certification. Think about what this certification requires you to know and do. If you don't want to deal with stubbed toes and 10 out of 10 headache pain at 3 am, then don't get into EMS. Trauma and 'adrenaline' filled calls make up a very, very small portion of the entire picture......

Thanks for listening to a Dinosaur's opinion.......

Tami

Looks like that penguin guy (paramedicmike) and I were almost on the same track at the same time........LOL

In my first post it states I don't think it matters if I pass state/national exams. All you did there was slaughter what I actually said. If you read before that my other EMT's and firefighters in my department said I won't find employment with the accelerated program. When I said it doesn't matter if I pass the national exams means if I pass all my exams and become certified as an EMT that means I have the (basic) skills of practicing as an EMT. So it wouldn't matter if I took the accelerated program or not.

No person in the fire department is paying for the course. The state fire school (not the fire department) is charging $0.00 to all in-state firefighters for the EMT program. The school charges $700 to state residents that are not firefighters or firefighters outside of the state. It really has nothing what so ever to do with my department lol.

Answering your red flag #3, you slaughtered my answer again. I was talking about the pass ratio. You guys said it sounds like about 50% of the class graduates. So I am going to work and make it into that 50% that graduates. 90% of the class doesn't apparently graduate.

If grandma brown down the street has a cardiac emergency we activate the paramedics. I am sure somewhere in the EMS training we will cover it. If not, then I'll go ahead and see if they offer a CEU for cardiac emergencies or not. If that makes you feel any better lol. I'm not just going to let a patient suffer. I will do everything in my abilities to assist them.

Edited April 15, 2014 by SwampMusic