How Would More Education Make You A Better Medic?

[AnthonyM83]

So, I think we all take it as a given that higher education will make us better providers, but just wanted to dissect the issue and ask exactly how (partly so I can be better at promoting education to others).

So playing devil's advocate I propose this question:

Sure, taking more training on assessments or classes on general diseases would make you a better medic, but how would classes like microbiology, advanced math, physics, and so on make you a better medic in the field?

How would it influence your decision making when evaluating patients if you know the shape of the different bacterias that could be causing their current symptoms or if you understand HOW cyanide is affecting their electron transport chaing?

Isn't it enough to know that it's affecting their electron transport chain when you're actually treating them? Do you really need to know the name of the cell receptors insulin affects?

[Inf]

Medicine is a dynamic field built up sound scientific principles, and when new treatment modalities come out the physicians are expected to be able to grasp these concepts by relating to previously learned sciences. As the physicians get to play with the new toys and new treatments, they toss the bone to the Paramedics who in turn are expected to learn the new concept and be able to use it. Capnography, 12-Lead EKG, Blood glucometry, SpO2, IV Infusion pumps, Mobile Data Terminals, and a myriad of other biomedical technology is widely used in ground and air ambulance services. By knowing the basic science behind them you are able to learn more advanced equipment- ventilators, IABPs, and maybe someday in a near distant future artificial blood products, etc.

Try attending one of those EMS Expos where Zoll, Phillips, Physiocontrol and other leaders of prehospital equipment demonstrate their latest products.

To answer your question, it directly relates to my ability to acquire the training and subsequent use of such technology. If I cant use it, then I lose another diagnostic tool, which may be detrimental to the patient (as an example - in NYC only a few hospital-based ambulances even carry glucometers and CPAP).

[chbare]

I remember when I first started college many a year ago. It was the first day of my English 1010 course. We were asked a question by our instructor. What is literacy? We spent the better part of an hour attempting to describe literacy. Finally, he asked, "is literacy simple reading or writing?" Then, he asked can anybody explain the fundamental difference between liberal and conservative? The class was quiet. We were all in college to do whatever degree, and we could not even describe two very important concepts at work in our country. He made a great point regarding education, it is more than simply learning a few skills. A literate person should have a broad knowledge base to work from.

A few hundred hour course of instruction will teach you skills; however, does this give you a broad base of knowledge. In addition, specialized courses related to your profession will only help you make advanced decisions and see the big picture regarding you patient. For example, I have a liver failure patient. What does my cook book say regarding abdominal pain? IV, O2, transport, possibly pain meds. What can I expect with my knowledge of A&P, coagulopathy, altered mentation, questions related to the pathogenesis of the disease.

The question to ask is the following. Is education worth it? Do we want educated providers or trained monkeys. If we choose the monkeys, I say get rid of all the human medics and EMT's and replace them with chimpanzees trained to place people on non rebreather masks and drive ambulances. At least we can save a little money on wages and benefits.

Take care,

chbare.

[spenac]

If we choose the monkeys, I say get rid of all the human medics and EMT's and replace them with chimpanzees trained to place people on non rebreather masks and drive ambulances. At least we can save a little money on wages and benefits.Take care,chbare.

Save money, I don't think so, They have better organizations representing them and so earn much more. Places that use them probably often say we should hire EMS people they work free or on the cheap. :twisted:

[chbare]

You are correct, I have been owned. In addition, PETA and Greenpeace are better organized and much more motivated to advancing their cause than most EMS providers.

Take care,

chbare.

[Just Plain Ruff]

so Ch

What did your class end up defining liberal as and what did you end up defining conservative as.

How bout literacy? I'm curious.

PM your answer because I'm sure my question #1 will start a firestorm here.

[AZCEP]

Training tells you how to do something.

Education tells you that you just might not need to do anything in the first place.

How many times have you delivered a patient to a receiving facility that you were sure was on death's door, only to watch the physician take his time and perform little actual treatment, and have the patient walk out before you had the strectcher back in the truck?

This is what education can provide you. So many in EMS want to focus on the ability to perform a procedure that doesn't necessarily need to be done. EMS is a field that should focus on gathering information, and making good use of the information we gather. A better educational process would allow the individual to gather better information, and just maybe make better decisions based on it.

Entering a degree program, you will notice there are many prerequisites that have to be filled before you graduate. Many of them with little to do with the actual field you are entering. You will also hear many entering students complaining about not needing a specific course, because it doesn't apply to what they are majoring in. Art majors don't want to take algebra. Math majors don't want to take chemistry. Biology majors don't want to take philosophy.

The trouble lies in convincing these separate groups that the different courses do relate to each other in different ways. Algebra shows the importance of following set rules to perform a calculation. Chemistry shows an application for the algebra that is being studied. Philosophy allows us to see how the principles of a course have been formed by the time they were developed.

There is no "BAD" education, you just have to figure out how it is going to apply to what you are after.

[batjka104]

Education broadens your horizons and in general attracts a better human material to the job. Look at how many places require a college degree when it's not really needed for the job.

But in reality for lower-level providers extensive education does not, in my opinion, improve standard of care. Because even with all the education they are still not allowed to perform anything beyond simple procedures. Once the scope is extended, then and only then can we advocate for more education.

[ladyemt51_2000]

I don't want to know only how to do something, I want to know the reasons and the outcome of what I am doing. I want to know it all. It's about job ownership and knowing all the realms of Paramedicine. In general, it depends on how much one wants to know their job and how affective they want to be at that job. When a person's life depends on what we know and how we use that information, I don't believe there can be any shortcuts and/or room for lacking in education.

[paramedicmike]

It's interesting to see those who've had a liberal arts education to supplement their technical knowledge actually advocating that liberal arts background.

I'll only have to agree with that sentiment. Technical knowledge is great. A broadly based liberal arts foundation upon which to base that technical knowledge is better.

Unfortunately, EMS is stuck on "skills equals knowledge". Unfortunately, nothing is further from the truth.

To answer the original question posed, how did a broadly based education help me? Well, I don't know that I have enough space here to answer specifically. So I guess it'll be summed up best with this idea. Technical knowledge (all the science classes, chem, A&P, micro, math, physics etc...) help me understand the how and why of my interventions. The liberal arts education helps me understand where my patient's are coming from, their background, why the are who they are and do what they do. It helps me talk to my patients in a manner that they'll understand. It helps me be a little more understanding towards their current situation.

Those who don't know any better get so wrapped up in "skills". So, to all of you who say that, I say go learn some skills. Interpersonal skills. The only way to do that is to learn all the stuff you don't think is important. I think you'll find out it's more important than you'll ever realize.

-be safe