EMT-B to Paramedic Seeking Advice

[Steven]

I've been looking all over for the total hours and I can't find it anywhere... grr But it's full-time I'd say.. We're in class Mon-Wed-Fri from 9am-4:30pm, then have open Labs on Tuesday from 9am-12pm, and next month start our 12-24 hour rotation shifts on the ambulance, and then start hospital rotations in the summer through fall of 8-12 hr shifts.

Is that what you're looking for?

But yea, I've talked to the instructors and they seem to resort to telling us.. "just keep studying, re-studying, and studying some more and it will all gel together." hehe

[PrissyEMT]

Yeah- that's pretty much full time it sounds like. My class is only Monday & Wednesday from 6-10 and most Saturdays 8-5. Our college also offers a full time program that runs for a total of about 9 months, so they probably move at about the same pace yours does. But if you've studied so much already (and the instructors just resort to telling you to study more), and it still isn't sticking, there's gotta be something else that can be done... have they tried going over the material you're struggling with most again? Maybe hearing it explained a different way by a different instructor would help.

[Steven]

That's a good idea... I'll try talking to them again and seeing if there's any way they can go over some of the material. Part of our issue is the pace... they seem to HAVE TO MOVE ON to the next subject to stay on schedule. For instance, we have a Cardiology quiz Monday morning, then have our final exam this coming Friday. If we don't get 80% on the on final, we get 1 retake, and if we don't get 80% on the retake, they kick you out of the program.

So I may not have a whole lot of time to get things on the right track, but I'll definitely be on the warpath trying to get something done.

I know I definitely want to do this and be successful, but I also don't want to sail through a program and miss something critical that could kill a patient because they taught it too fast.

[jenniemt]

Your school probably needs to rethink their schedule. It's good you get so many experience hours but maybe they should spread the didactic portion over the entire year. I'm not saying my school has it perfect but this is what we are doing:

First 2 months are strictly A&P

Next two months (approx) are intro to advanced practices, pharmacology, IVs, and advanced airway

Then we have our first hospital rotations (not sure of how many hours) which are just for IVs and intubations

Overlapping with that clinical starts cardiology which includes ACLS

That's honestly all I have "memorized" and my schedule is not handy, but the rest of the 15 months continues like that. We do a 6-8 week module or two then have a clinical that starts and overlaps with the next module. We get no ambulance rides until the final couple months. Then we have 240 hours ride outs. Our final module seems to be a review, putting it all together kind of thing and it will take place around the time of the ambulance internship.

The way our didactic portion is spread out, but with clinicals spaced out among the modules, there is not really the rush you describe. We are doing one chapter per night for A&P, two chapters when we meet on Saturdays. My class meets on a B shift schedule so every 3rd day. During A&P we go 4 hours a night unless it falls on a Saturday then it's a full 8 hour day. When we start the paramedic part of the class it will be 5 hours on weeknights. The only days we are never in class are Sundays.

It seems to be working quite well so far. We do a chapter then test on it the next class night. We will have a comprehensive final at the end of the A&P module. You have to score 75% or higher on the final and 80% or higher for your overall average in order to move on to the next module.

Again, I'm not saying that is the exact right way to do it, but I would totally balk at a program that makes you learn everything in such a short time span. Being a paramedic isn't all about skills. You have to actually know the book stuff too. I don't see any reason that "experience" would help you in medic school. The textbooks are not written about real life, but the textbook world. It seems to me that having all that experience as an EMT might hurt you. Supporting information will follow over the next 15 months as I watch the experienced EMTs flunk out of my class. One of them is already failing. Stay tuned...

[xselerate]

I've always avocated working as a basic for a couple years first.... I personally feel the experience I have now will be invaluable when I go to medic school. But I know many other disagree....

[BEorP]

I study a lot and while I may spaz out at first when I'm working as a medic, I won't be alone. EMS is not an individual "sport" and it's not like when I get a job as a medic I will be thrown out there to sink or swim. That is why services have orientation and let newbies ride as 3rd rides for a period of time. You do NOT need to know how to talk to patients, etc etc to get through medic school, plain and simple. Whether that learning comes before or after school is irrelevant in my opinion.

I would not see as much of a problem if you were going to graduate as an EMT-B and spaz out at first and not know how to talk to patients since EMT-B is Basic and you aren't expected to be the most trained provider.

But...

When you're an EMT-P, you're the highest trained and I think that because of that you should at least know how to talk to a patient before you graduate. I also feel that you should not need to be treated like a newbie when you're an EMT-P. If you put some field time in as a Basic then when you're a Medic you won't be new to the field, or talking to patients, or critical decision making. The only thing new will be a few extra skills and drugs.

[Ridryder 911]

this is the typical response from most Paramedic students. As my professor describes.. " We are not doing our job, if you don't feel like we are force feeding you through a NG tube to your brain".. basically, it a lot of information to absorb in a short amount of time.

If I don't see this 2 things has occurred... the person has already been medically trained or the class is lacking in giving enough information to their students.

I suggest, you talk to your instructor on the problem again... maybe a tutor (upper level Paramedic students love to teach what they have just learned) or "study groups" can really increase your study time and help describe things you might have missed. Pre-studying and outlining with some good quality study time...

Working in the field is nice and yes helps with clinical objectives, but is NOT essential, so don't beat yourself up on that.

I wish you the best of luck,

R/R 911

[paragod111]

when I became a paramedic I was not third person you where on your own remember abc's becore Iv monitor and drugs the basic skills before advance

[medic001918]

when I became a paramedic I was not third person you where on your own remember abc's becore Iv monitor and drugs the basic skills before advance

Not to hijack the thread, but am I the only one who found that post hard to read? Remember that on an online forum, your written word is as good as your spoken word. Punctuation and being able to understand what you're writing will go a long way towards your "reputation" on a forum. It shouldn't take a couple of tries to read a two line post. Take pride in what you're trying to say and do it effectively.

Shane

NREMT-P

[Steven]

Not to hijack the thread, but am I the only one who found that post hard to read? Remember that on an online forum, your written word is as good as your spoken word. Punctuation and being able to understand what you're writing will go a long way towards your "reputation" on a forum. It shouldn't take a couple of tries to read a two line post. Take pride in what you're trying to say and do it effectively.

Shane

NREMT-P

I agree, I'm not quite sure what idea was trying to be expressed. I definitely appreciate Rid and the comments/suggestions made.

I will say that after a LONG night of studying and cramming, I did have a slightly better day at class. Granted, I met a lab instructor that understood my learning style, because she learns the same way. She was able to provide good ideas and techniques that I can try to get a better handle on some of the concepts we're learning. Next time I see her, I think I'll ask if she may have time outside of class to help me out as a tutor and continue to help me in putting things together.

I'm trying to hang in there, and so far so good. The true test will be Friday when we have our Cardiology final exam. *weew*

Thanks to everyone for giving your views on my comment/questions. I really appreciate it!