Texas EMTs and Medics, help me out.

[spenac]

One piece of advice never allow anything that happens on a forum to become personnel. If it starts getting that way ignore it, step away or just change the subject. There are some very knowledgeable people here. But many of us are hardheaded individuals as well.

While I have not been impressed with those I have met out of TEEX doesn't mean that it wont produce some good Paramedics. I am in a course many on here dislike because it doesn't fit in their little box, even though it has the reputation of being one of the toughest courses in Texas and based on comments I would guess it to be tougher than many in the country. It doesn't teach the NR it educates people to become healthcare professionals. When I looked at TEEX all everyone kept focusing on is you'll pass NR first time. Great but will I know why things happen. Will I actually be educated to be ahead of the game instead of always playing catchup.

[DwayneEMTP]

So because I went through a 9 month program are you saying that I am less of a medic than anyone who goes through a 2 yr program?

I don't believe he's saying that your're less that 'anyone' that went through, only that, point for point, when attempting to create a competent emergency diagnostician and care provider, the nine month graduate will consitently fall short of that goal when compared to the graduate with a 2 year degree.

That seems logical doesn't it?

(I hope to Christ he's right...I'll tell you that....)

Dwayne

[Dustdevil]

Okay, Mel, now you are equivocating. You are now asking questions and making accusations that were not included in your original question, which was...

So because I went through a 9 month program are you saying that I am less of a medic than anyone who goes through a 2 yr program?

You didn't ask anything about who was "smarter," and nobody here has said anything at all about anybody's intelligence. That's a non issue that you have deluded yourself into the middle of through your own insecurities.

Your question was black and white. You asked if a medic with two years of education is a better medic than one with nine months of education. Now, if you have a four year science degree (which I do too, in addition to the nursing degree), I'm going to take a risk here and assume that you took at least five semester hours of mathematics, so do the math and tell me how your question adds up to anything other than an emphatic 'yes.'

You further attempt to cloud the issues with red herrings about your personal education obtained prior to and since paramedic school. Totally irrelevant to the question you asked. We're comparing apples to apples here. We are not comparing the most uber educated and intelligent 9 month medic to the least educated and intelligent 2 year grad in an attempt to justify fuzzy math with non-objective data.

The absolutely indisputable mathematical fact remains that more education equals more knowledge. That is the one and only point being addressed here. You may indeed be an ubermedic, and TEEX may in fact produce teh 4ws0m3 m3d1c in three months. I don't know, and I never claimed to know. What I and others here are doing is asking you fair and objective questions in an attempt to learn if this is the case. So far, all we have gotten in response is a lot of irrelevant cries of "victim" and a phone number to the school's sales manager in an attempt to resist telling us anything of substance.

So, apparently, there really is nothing positive to be said about this school, or else you are -- despite all your education -- completely incapable of articulating it. Which is it?

[catmasher]

A smart EMT would not waste their time putting their certification on the line every day for money grubbing company owners and would go directly into a Paramedic program. There are several in the Houston area that have already been mentioned, but please for the love of god, do not waste your time and more importantly, a lot of money by going to A-M for their 3 month program. It is not complete, not remotely thorough, and is completely under organized. Your clinical exposure in College Station is acceptable at best. The biggest aspect of pt. care that you will learn is how to get a patient to Houston as quickly as possible!

One concern I have with going directly into a paramedic program is that I may not have the experience to just get out there and risk the lives of others once I graduate. Also, it is a shorter class to get emt status, which allows me to get a job and school for paramedic while working. I feel like this will also allow me to understand more advanced topics.

I have worked as a motorcycle mechanic for a few years and can read engine building theory books all day, but if i have not actually gotten in there and built an engine with the techniques I have read, I wont actually understand.

[catmasher]

edit*

in the previous post the emt class I was referring to was not the A&M one. I am looking at one offered by houston community college. found here http://www.hccs.edu/discipline/emsp/emsp.html

Anyone have any good or bad experiences with this one they would like to share?

[Dustdevil]

Hey, Cat. Good to see you back.

One concern I have with going directly into a paramedic program is that I may not have the experience to just get out there and risk the lives of others once I graduate.

But you don't have the experience to just get out there and risk the lives of others when you graduate EMT school either, yet you are talking about doing it. That makes no sense. If you are going to get out there and start risking lives with no experience, shouldn't you at least have the best possible education first? First things first.

Also, it is a shorter class to get emt status, which allows me to get a job and school for paramedic while working.

Yes. It's two years shorter. But you probably will not find an EMS job with an EMT certificate in Houston. There are very few jobs out there to begin with. Damn few of them are for EMTs. There simply is no use for an EMT in an area where nearly a dozen schools are cranking out hundreds of paramedics a year. If by some miracle you do find that elusive EMT job in Houston area EMS, it won't pay half of what you are currently making at your other job, and it will take double your time, which results in a huge distraction from your studies, less understanding, and less knowledge. There is absolutely nothing good about that plan.

I feel like this will also allow me to understand more advanced topics.

I have worked as a motorcycle mechanic for a few years and can read engine building theory books all day, but if i have not actually gotten in there and built an engine with the techniques I have read, I wont actually understand.

It's a reasonable theory, but it just doesn't work that way in medicine. Medicine is not first aid. Being an expert at first aid will not make you a better practitioner of medicine. Look at it this way:

• That is the exact same analogy as an EMT, except the Jiffy Lube guy works less hours and makes more money.

It's all an illusion, Bro. The so-called "skills" you learn in EMT school are the very easiest part of EMS. A monkey can learn them in a weekend. And you will practise them many more times in Paramedic school anyhow. The only thing you're likely to pick up working as an EMT is bad habits. You won't even know they are bad habits, making them even more detrimental to your growth. It really just adds nothing of significant value to your growth. The very best new medics I have ever worked with -- every last one of them -- were guys with B.S. degrees, and fresh out of medic school with zero prior experience. Sound familiar? :wink:

If you are a senior medic, would you rather mould a new medic the way you want him to be, or would you rather be stuck fixing somebody else's problems? It's all about a clean slate. Definitely the best way to go.

Good luck!