Going on to Paramedic

[AMESEMT]

Right now I am in the EMT-Basic program and am thinking about going to get my Paramedic Specialist. I am thinking about going on to get my Paramedic Specialist a few months after I get my EMT-B. Some people have said it is a bad idea but others I have talked to have done that exact thing and have done very well. I am planning on doing this because I am a university student at well and by the time I graduate it will have been quite sometime. I understand experience is important but I was wondering what people's opinion are for not having much experience going into the Paramedic Specialist program? Am I making the right decision to start my PS about 2 to 2 1/2 months after recieving my cert? Thanks!

[medic001918]

The search function is your friend...and if it isn't, it should be. This is a topic that has been beaten to death on more than one occasion on these forums by very experienced providers. Please search and read the answers to your questions. If you still have questions after that, we can try to answer those.

Shane

NREMT-P

[Dustdevil]

Yeah, it's been beaten to death, but I will tell you that the indisputable bottom line is DO IT. Do it now. And anybody who tells you otherwise is either not so smart, or else they think you are not so smart and are trying to keep you out.

Of course, if the latter is the case, then no, don't do it.

Good luck, and as always, minus five for not using the search function and minus five for posting in the wrong forum. :wink:

[iMac]

Do what Dust says :compress:

[DwayneEMTP]

The one thing I didn't consider...though I doesn't matter much to me really.

In my medic class I am the only one of ten that hasen't worked on the street or in the hospital...so I'm considered a tourist. And they have no problem explaining that I won't understand much of what the 'serious' people are doing. Even when I get higher marks on assessment drills they laugh it off as "book learnin" that doesn't really count, because I haven't seen 'real life'. (Despite the fact I've seen more life in general x2 than the next oldest person in class)

It gets pretty chilly in there at times...but is warming up a bit now that I've smoked them all on my first three exams. (what happens to all the 'real life' smarts when exam time rolls around?) :roll:

And yeah...what Dust says...

Dwayne

[AMESEMT]

Thanks all! Yea even just talking to people (outside of forums) I realized that the topic has been beaten to death and still goes both ways. Like everyone is saying, Dust is right. DwayneEMTB I am like you in my EMT-B class. I have have gotten high marks on all my quizes and hands-on skills assessments. Thanks all for your responses. Helps me to remember that I am going in the right direction!

[BEorP]

What is the "Paramedic Specialist program"? Is this some type of degree program?

[Code 8 Paramedic]

I would say do it! paramedic class tends take along time... and if your out there working BLS while your in school... that will give you street time for when you are ready to be a medic on the street... plus the things you learn in class will be reinforced by things you will see on the street

[Asysin2leads]

The one thing I didn't consider...though I doesn't matter much to me really.

In my medic class I am the only one of ten that hasen't worked on the street or in the hospital...so I'm considered a tourist. And they have no problem explaining that I won't understand much of what the 'serious' people are doing. Even when I get higher marks on assessment drills they laugh it off as "book learnin" that doesn't really count, because I haven't seen 'real life'. (Despite the fact I've seen more life in general x2 than the next oldest person in class)

It gets pretty chilly in there at times...but is warming up a bit now that I've smoked them all on my first three exams. (what happens to all the 'real life' smarts when exam time rolls around?) :roll:

And yeah...what Dust says...

Dwayne

Dwayne, feel free to tell your classmates that I said they are all a bunch of morons who couldn't run a call if House MD and Dr. Carter from ER were there holding their hands. You don't learn medication doses on the street.

[ERDoc]

We turn out doctors without making them become EMTs/Medics/Nurses/PAs first. Why shouldn't someone be able to go on to medic school right out of EMT class? Experience is nice and all, but you need to knowledge before the experience will make any sense. These are probably the same people that don't understand that medicine is dynamic and you need to keep up with the changes. They will do things the way they learned in class and never change while the rest of the world has moved on. Quick, get the MAST pants and apply cervical traction!!!!!