# where does "paramedic" come from?



## c-spine (Aug 11, 2006)

What language or country of origin does "paramedic" come from... and what does it mean? Not the definition of the word... but... you know what I mean? :unsure:


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## gradygirl (Aug 11, 2006)

Literally, the Latin prefix para- means beyond or beside and the Latin base medic means physician or to heal. 

So, it could be translated as beyond physicians (hehe  ).

Congrats, by the way, you just made lieutenant!


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## MariaCatEMT (Aug 11, 2006)

*Excerpt from: JEMS.com - "The Paramedics" by James O. Page I did a little online research for you, hope this helps.*

*"Paramedic." It is a word with origins that are inexact. Although the first use of the word in a medical context is lost to unrecorded history, it is felt by some that it grew out of military usage--applying to those in the military who are medically trained and are paratroopers.1

According to at least one dictionary2, the prefix, "para," is defined as "beside; beyond; against; apart from." That same source refers to "Medic" as slang for "Doctor" or, in Army terms, a "Medical aid man."

As early as 1967, in the United States, the term "paramedic" achieved popular use in describing non-physicians (in fact, usually firefighters) who were trained to perform certain advanced life support functions in an out-of-hospital setting. In 1970, these vaguely-described individuals were first defined by law, as California's Wedworth-Townsend Paramedic Act listed them, as "Mobile Intensive Care Paramedics"3.

Within five years after the California law was passed, 29 other states had established titles by law. No less than 15 different official titles were cast in statutes to describe the new and evolving breed of allied health care technicians who took their emergency care skills to the streets. The titles ranged from "Cardiac EMT" and "Cardiac Rescue Technician" to "EMT-Advanced," "Advanced EMT" and "Physician's Trained Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic."

Two federal agencies--and the funds provided by those agencies--have played a major role in the development and improvement of emergency medical services (EMS) during recent years. Thus, when those agencies--the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (DHEW) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)--opted to use the term "paramedic," the controversy over titles was all but over.

In February 1975, DHEW published its Program Guidelines, including a glossary of terms. That glossary defined a category of "persons trained for advanced life support services to include sophisticated trauma, cardiac care, and other critical care elements for interventive treatment, shock therapy, drug administration, and cardiac rhythm detection control." The federal document called these persons "EMT Paramedic." Thus, a compromise of sorts was accomplished wherein "EMT" (meaning Emergency Medical Technician) was combined with a word that had irreversibly attached itself to the American vocabulary.

Also during 1975, DOT awarded a contract to the University of Pittsburgh for development of a standard training program to prepare personnel for their role in on-the-scene crisis medicine. The title designated for this course was "National Training Course for Emergency Medical Technician--Paramedic."

Since 1971, television entertainment has included a weekly series featuring the dramatized activities of Los Angeles paramedics. The influence of "Emergency!" has been immeasurable. Since its beginnings, the key figures portrayed on "Emergency!" have been identified as "paramedics." In the meantime, millions of American children have been heard to announce that they want to be a "paramedic" when they grow up. The word is here to stay.

*


*Excerpt from: JEMS.com - "The Paramedics" by James O. Page*


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## c-spine (Aug 11, 2006)

a friend of mine was asking where it came from... I told him that, and he replied with: "Not exactly..hoping for a language translation that is more direct..I've had heard that it mean the hands of a doctor..just wanted to confirm it or deny it." It was on an episode of Saved. 

Thanks for the article, MariaCat.   Very useful

-looks- Ooh! Thanks! -flashes around shiny badge-


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## gradygirl (Aug 11, 2006)

If it were the hands of a physician, then it would either be manmedic or medicman, as the Latin base man means hands.


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## MariaCatEMT (Aug 11, 2006)

TCERT1987 said:
			
		

> If it were the hands of a physician, then it would either be manmedic or medicman, as the Latin base man means hands.



*OOoooooo a Maaaaaan-Medic, my favorite kind! *


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## c-spine (Aug 11, 2006)

MariaCatEMT said:
			
		

> OOoooooo a Maaaaaan-Medic, my favorite kind!



Mine too... well.. I call him my paragod... -giggle- He absolutely hates it...


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## gradygirl (Aug 11, 2006)

Well, I can mine stud, but that's a different story...

Hey, if man means hands, then isn't the term "man hands" redundant?


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## c-spine (Aug 11, 2006)

LMAO!! I think mine would take the name "stud" to be offensive... -shrug- So I just stick to Paragod. We won't discuss what he calls me. -shakes head- 

man hands... hmm... only if they're rough and calloused from work.


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## MariaCatEMT (Aug 11, 2006)

TCERT1987 said:
			
		

> Well, I can mine stud, but that's a different story...
> 
> Hey, if man means hands, then isn't the term "man hands" redundant?



*Bwahahaha "man hands", I just thought of something, but I can't post it here!  *


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## c-spine (Aug 11, 2006)

either of you two have yahoo, msn or gmail messengers?


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## gradygirl (Aug 11, 2006)

I'm on MSN, I'm lieser17@hotmail.com.

AIM is trinitydazed.


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## MariaCatEMT (Aug 11, 2006)

c-spine said:
			
		

> either of you two have yahoo, msn or gmail messengers?



*I have Yahoo........I'm thinking the way the forum is set up if you click on the "Y!" under my name, you should be able to IM me. I need to go turn it on though, hehe.*


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## c-spine (Aug 11, 2006)

I'm on all three ... all the time

msn - burdock87@hotmail.com
yahoo - burdock87@yahoo.com
gmail - sexysweet4you@gmail.com


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## gradygirl (Aug 11, 2006)

Maria, send me whatever you wanted to post in a message.


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## JDFEMS (Aug 11, 2006)

In "Saved" Harper was going to be interviewed, and the newsies asked Angela a few questions. She's the one that said "Paramedic...means hands of a doctor". I like that way of thinking, Paramedics are after all, an outward extention of the physician him(her)self. EMT's are cool and all, but let's be honest, we EMT's are a dime a dozen, the Medics are the real "Golden Children" of EMS. No offense to any medics here, I respect and one day will become a medic myself.


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## MariaCatEMT (Aug 12, 2006)

JDFEMS said:
			
		

> In "Saved" Harper was going to be interviewed, and the newsies asked Angela a few questions. She's the one that said "Paramedic...means hands of a doctor". I like that way of thinking, Paramedics are after all, an outward extention of the physician him(her)self. EMT's are cool and all, but let's be honest, we EMT's are a dime a dozen, the Medics are the real "Golden Children" of EMS. No offense to any medics here, I respect and one day will become a medic myself.



*Yes, medics have ALS skills, and more than likely can be credited with far more field saves. I know many awesome medics. Great people, highly skilled. I also know many wonderful EMT's, but I certainly won't diminish a basic, because they are a basic. It took me a little while to get over that "I'm just a basic" attitude....and I can thank a medic for that, who sat me down and explained the facts to me, that we all matter. Every one of us has a set of skills and a role to play within our respective departments. Every one of us is important. To all in the forum, whether paramedic, EMT, firefighter or police officer (or combination thereof) THANK YOU, THANK YOU! All of you have my respect and gratitude.*


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## gradygirl (Aug 12, 2006)

JDFEMS said:
			
		

> In "Saved" Harper was going to be interviewed, and the newsies asked Angela a few questions. She's the one that said "Paramedic...means hands of a doctor". I like that way of thinking, Paramedics are after all, an outward extention of the physician him(her)self. EMT's are cool and all, but let's be honest, we EMT's are a dime a dozen, the Medics are the real "Golden Children" of EMS. No offense to any medics here, I respect and one day will become a medic myself.



Look, all medics were once EMTs, so don't try to knock the importance of your MRTs, EMT-Bs, or EMT-Is. We're all doing the same thing, helping people. It doesn't matter what your training level is, we can all save people's lives. And trust me, I'd much rather work with a darn good Basic than a half-a$$ed medic.


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## MariaCatEMT (Aug 12, 2006)

TCERT1987 said:
			
		

> I'm on MSN, I'm lieser17@hotmail.com.
> 
> AIM is trinitydazed.




*I'm MariaCat2003 on AIM, hit me up  *


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## c-spine (Aug 12, 2006)

Ok Probie... we may be a dime a dozen, but someone's got to do the grunt work. I plan on working my way up to Paramedic. I'm going to start some goofy program like 'adopt an EMT.' Like a tutoring program or something. Like big brothers/big sisters... you know? 

ok, so I'm half asleep right now and am dying for a nap. I think I'll do that, actually. 

Oh... the moral of that story was don't diss Basics. Please.


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## gradygirl (Aug 12, 2006)

c-spine said:
			
		

> Ok Probie... we may be a dime a dozen, but someone's got to do the grunt work. I plan on working my way up to Paramedic. I'm going to start some goofy program like 'adopt an EMT.' Like a tutoring program or something. Like big brothers/big sisters... you know?
> 
> ok, so I'm half asleep right now and am dying for a nap. I think I'll do that, actually.
> 
> Oh... the moral of that story was don't diss Basics. Please.





			
				TCER1987 said:
			
		

> Look, all medics were once EMTs, so don't try to knock the importance of your MRTs, EMT-Bs, or EMT-Is. We're all doing the same thing, helping people. It doesn't matter what your training level is, we can all save people's lives. And trust me, I'd much rather work with a darn good Basic than a half-a$$ed medic.



We might just be Basics, but...


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## c-spine (Aug 12, 2006)

Amen to that, chica!


oh yeah... "EMTs save Paramedics."


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