EMT-Basic Certification

[DeadeyeDiaZ]

Hey everyone. I wanted to know something: Do I need to take an EMT-B course to be certified? Or can I just take the EMT-B Certification exam to be certified?
I have a friend becoming EMT-B and I'm wondering If I can learn off of him and just take the exam.

Thank you in advance

 

[Shishkabob]

You have to take and pass a state regulated class to be eligible to take the state / national certification exam.

 

[DigitalSoCal]

You have to take and pass a state regulated class to be eligible to take the state / national certification exam.

Yep, and in my case, the NREMT practical tests were part of the course, and you can't pass the NREMT with out them.

 

[DeadeyeDiaZ]

Thanks for the help guys

 

[guardian528]

I'm wondering If I can learn off of him and just take the exam.

this sentence might rile up some of the trolls on this site...


but yes, course is required. and i'll save you your next question too, don't take an accelerated class that just gets you through in the least amount of time possible.

 

[Pyromedic]

nremt wont approve you without a CERTIFIED course. so no, plus you have to have certain hours of training signed off my a profesional, your friend wouldnt count.

 

[wyoskibum]

but yes, course is required.

DARN! I have a friend in Medical School and I was hoping to do the same thing cuz I always wanted to be a Doctor!:lol:

 

[Thindian]

don't take an accelerated class that just gets you through in the least amount of time possible.

I just want to talk about that for a second. I'm a product of a 6-week course that met MWF 9-3. My class was relatively challenging, with a quiz every class day and militaristic instructors. Everyone needed to know their stuff every day of class or they would get screwed with constantly. I left that class with a very good understanding of the material I was supposed to learn, and ~60% of the class passed with over an 80%. Our school was known to have respectable ride alongs at the local 911 companies, especially compared to some of the community college guys.

A lot of my friends are products of the drawn out 3 month community college courses. They told me that the gap between their classes was too long, and it made them hard to connect what they learned 2 months prior to what they were learning that day. They told me that a majority of their classmates were taking the class for BS reasons, and that there was like a 50% pass rate.

I'm not saying that those of you who took it at community college courses are worse EMTs or anything (some of the best EMTs I know took their courses at the local CC), I'm just saying you shouldn't be too quick to dismiss the "accelerated courses" just because they finish in half the time. The hours are all there and accounted for, and you learn the same material. The people that join the accelerated course because they're trying to take "the easy way out" get weeded out the first week, and the drop out rate is something like 25%. The ones who stick with it all the way until the end usually pass the skills and written exams with flying colors.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

I just want to talk about that for a second. I'm a product of a 6-week course that met MWF 9-3. My class was relatively challenging, with a quiz every class day and militaristic instructors. Everyone needed to know their stuff every day of class or they would get screwed with constantly. I left that class with a very good understanding of the material I was supposed to learn, and ~60% of the class passed with over an 80%. Our school was known to have respectable ride alongs at the local 911 companies, especially compared to some of the community college guys.

A lot of my friends are products of the drawn out 3 month community college courses. They told me that the gap between their classes was too long, and it made them hard to connect what they learned 2 months prior to what they were learning that day. They told me that a majority of their classmates were taking the class for BS reasons, and that there was like a 50% pass rate.

I'm not saying that those of you who took it at community college courses are worse EMTs or anything (some of the best EMTs I know took their courses at the local CC), I'm just saying you shouldn't be too quick to dismiss the "accelerated courses" just because they finish in half the time. The hours are all there and accounted for, and you learn the same material. The people that join the accelerated course because they're trying to take "the easy way out" get weeded out the first week, and the drop out rate is something like 25%. The ones who stick with it all the way until the end usually pass the skills and written exams with flying colors.

While I will not dispute this fact in your case, my experience is the exact opposite.

I worked with several EMTs that were products of that accelerated thinking. They went to a school that did a M-F, 8 hour a day, 3 week course, that slammed the information into them and was more interested in getting the money from the students, pushing them through, and moving on to the next group they could take money from. Fail rate was around 80%. Those that passed were amont the worst EMTs I have ever worked with. They didn't retain anything and information that I believed to be VERY basic was way over their head. Their excuse? "All EMT class is meant to do is allow you to pass a test so that you can go get a job and then learn what you need to know." That is the biggest BS in the world. If you need to know it to function in the real world, then it should be taught to you in class.

My class lasted an entire semester and was 203 hours in length. Plus, because my school wanted to produce good EMTs that would hack it in the real world, an additional 3 semesters of classes were recommended, including Basic Cardiology, A&P, conversational spanish, pre-paramedic training, etc... By midterm, the school had a 33% drop out rate, because the instuctors wanted to teach and make sure they only produced the best. But, if you passed the midterm, the instructors garunteed that you would pass the class final (never had someone fail). If you passed the class you had a 99% of passing the certifying test (only had 1 person fail in 10 years teaching).

Now, that is not a knock on EMTs that went through accelerated courses, but in my experience, they did not seem to produce many quality EMTs...

ANYONE interested in becoming an EMT can pass the class and certifing testing if they really want to, whether it be through a 3 week class or a 6 month class... But I am more concerned with the quality that make it into the real world. But, as I said... that is just my experience...

 

[EMSLaw]

It depends on how you define an "accelerated" course. 8-4 M-F for four weeks? 8-8 for 14 straight days? The full length courses here are about 10 weeks, 2 or 3 nights a week with occasional weekends. That's a bit shorter than a college semester, but not "accelerated" by any means.

Because I work, I decided to take the EMT course on weekends. I go 8-4 Sa-Su for 10 weeks. It can make for long days, but I don't find the information is coming too fast, especially compared to, say, law school.

 

[denverfiremedic]

I just want to talk about that for a second. I'm a product of a 6-week course that met MWF 9-3. My class was relatively challenging, with a quiz every class day and militaristic instructors. Everyone needed to know their stuff every day of class or they would get screwed with constantly. I left that class with a very good understanding of the material I was supposed to learn, and ~60% of the class passed with over an 80%. Our school was known to have respectable ride alongs at the local 911 companies, especially compared to some of the community college guys.

A lot of my friends are products of the drawn out 3 month community college courses. They told me that the gap between their classes was too long, and it made them hard to connect what they learned 2 months prior to what they were learning that day. They told me that a majority of their classmates were taking the class for BS reasons, and that there was like a 50% pass rate.

I'm not saying that those of you who took it at community college courses are worse EMTs or anything (some of the best EMTs I know took their courses at the local CC), I'm just saying you shouldn't be too quick to dismiss the "accelerated courses" just because they finish in half the time. The hours are all there and accounted for, and you learn the same material. The people that join the accelerated course because they're trying to take "the easy way out" get weeded out the first week, and the drop out rate is something like 25%. The ones who stick with it all the way until the end usually pass the skills and written exams with flying colors.

Passing an exam does not make you a good EMT, anyone can do that. Trust me you need atleast a 4-6 month course to even understand it and then about another year of on the job to know what your doing. Anyone how differs probably doesnt have a job in the feild. 4 weeks of training and you think you know it will slap you in the face the first seriouse call you run on your own.. I have a few years of training and Im still trying to figure it oout.. Being NREMT doesnt mean you know anything !

 

[Melclin]

DARN! I have a friend in Medical School and I was hoping to do the same thing cuz I always wanted to be a Doctor!:lol:

Well said.


Deadeyediaz: NOOOOO. You cannot just 'learn off your friend'. Would you expect to be able to get a job as an accountant because your mate taught you some addition? Would you expect to be able to become a soldier because daddy taught you how to shoot on his farm?

I don't wish to offend, because I'm sure you are well intentioned and it is true that the education requirements for an EMT-B are singularly repugnant (in some circumstances you could very well get a better education off 'a friend with a cert' than some instructors). But, the possibility and legality of simply passing a test aside, do yourself, and your future patients a favour and get a decent education.

 

[EMT.Hart]

DARN! I have a friend in Medical School and I was hoping to do the same thing cuz I always wanted to be a Doctor!:lol:

Hahahahahahaha.

 

[WarDance]

My class was the length of a college semester. I think there's a reason that program is known for producing good EMTs.

 

[bunkie]

I think there is too much to learn to learn off your friend at any rate. Besides, doing the actual course is a lot more fun.

 

[DeadeyeDiaZ]

Well said.


Deadeyediaz: NOOOOO. You cannot just 'learn off your friend'. Would you expect to be able to get a job as an accountant because your mate taught you some addition? Would you expect to be able to become a soldier because daddy taught you how to shoot on his farm?

I don't wish to offend, because I'm sure you are well intentioned and it is true that the education requirements for an EMT-B are singularly repugnant (in some circumstances you could very well get a better education off 'a friend with a cert' than some instructors). But, the possibility and legality of simply passing a test aside, do yourself, and your future patients a favour and get a decent education.

I asked a simple question. I'm new to this. Why are you guys reacting in such a manner? Thank you for those with mature answers. As for those with this sarcasm, no help. To be a lawyer, you don't technically need to go to law school. You only need to pass the BAR exam. I just asked if this was a similar concept.

 

[ChicagolandIFT]

In the state of Illinois you need to have graduated from an ABA approved law school to sit for the bar exam, same for Indiana. That's like saying to become a physician all you need to do is pass the USMLE or COMLEX. Reading the law is an antiquated system, though it makes a great self taught Abraham Lincoln story and all. It's only 120 hours and less than a grand for the class, take it.

 

[EMSLaw]

I asked a simple question. I'm new to this. Why are you guys reacting in such a manner? Thank you for those with mature answers. As for those with this sarcasm, no help. To be a lawyer, you don't technically need to go to law school. You only need to pass the BAR exam. I just asked if this was a similar concept.

Only in New York and California, and you still have to attend one year of law school and then study under a licensed member of the bar for three years, so it's not a shortcut.

And the bar exam isn't an initialism, unless you were just adding emphasis.

 

[Shishkabob]

I asked a simple question. I'm new to this. Why are you guys reacting in such a manner? Thank you for those with mature answers. As for those with this sarcasm, no help. To be a lawyer, you don't technically need to go to law school. You only need to pass the BAR exam. I just asked if this was a similar concept.

This is EMS. We're full of sarcasm.^_^

 

[DeadeyeDiaZ]

I do not mind taking the course. Am I the only one who looks into what they do? Checks for all options? Instead of looking back and saying, "wow, i coulda saved 1000 bucks" or something? I'm just making sure lol. I'll be excited to take the course, I just need money :-(.