# Accelerated 14 day EMT BASIC TRAINING



## Bobcat2016 (Aug 27, 2013)

Has anyone been through/know about this accelerated 14 day EMT basic training?  It's given at Pelham Training in Indiana..pros? cons?  Thanks


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## Mariemt (Aug 28, 2013)

Pros : be done fast. 

Cons: overwhelming amount of information in a small timeframe
Gathering knowledge on the surface, to pass the test but unable to digest it all due to intensity of program.
Stress


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## TechYourself (Aug 28, 2013)

The 4 months that my EMT-B course took still felt like learning-by-firehose.  I can't imagine you'd retain much of your knowledge for very long after cramming for 2 weeks.


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## Mariemt (Aug 28, 2013)

Mine was 9 months. However this y had made into a college full course class.  So I got a lot of credits, etc etc and it was over 2 semesters. What was nice about that is we would have a 4 hour evening of lecture on a Monday. Thursday we would do 4 hours of skills. Monday lecture, Thursday we may take a field trip to do all vitals on nursing home pts etc.
It was such a great program


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## MrJones (Aug 28, 2013)

Pros: Be done fast

Cons: Have the knowledge level and skill set of someone who took a 14 day EMT course.


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## J B (Aug 28, 2013)

My emt-b class lasted ~1 month (I think it was 20 class days).  I found the class to be easy, passed the NREMT written on my first try, and everyone in the class passed the practical with flying colors.  I feel this was the optimal length for me: class went 9-4 M-F, usually with 3 hours of lecture per day, 3 hours practicing skills and assessments, and 1 hour for lunch and other breaks throughout the day.

Cramming the material into 14 days instead of ~20 would be a bit brutal.  It looks like the course runs 8am-8pm every day without a day off, so I guess theoretically that's plenty of time to cover everything.  

It's basically just a question how of quickly you are able to absorb information.  This course will probably have you sitting in lecture for 6 hours per day.  Some people will do fine with that, others will struggle.  How good a student are you?




Mariemt said:


> Gathering knowledge on the surface, to pass the test but unable to digest it all due to intensity of program.



If you do go this route, you will need to practice on your own after the class ends in order to retain info.  Practice your assessments daily (even if it's only mentally running through the steps), review your notes (I especially have trouble keeping straight the pharmacology and legal stuff), and do practice tests.


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## Bobcat2016 (Aug 28, 2013)

Thanks for all ur valuable info! I'm away at school during the year and just come home for the summer so I thought it would be the most efficient way to spend my time. After graduation 2016, I'd like to continue w grad school to b a PA, so I thought this EMT trng would be good as a part time job while home for the summers - plus look good on resume...


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## J B (Aug 28, 2013)

Bobcat2016 said:


> Thanks for all ur valuable info! I'm away at school during the year and just come home for the summer so I thought it would be the most efficient way to spend my time. After graduation 2016, I'd like to continue w grad school to b a PA, so I thought this EMT trng would be good as a part time job while home for the summers - plus look good on resume...



There were a handful of people in my emt class who were hoping to go on to PA or MD school.  Many(/most/all?) PA programs require a pretty significant amount of "direct patient care" experience, sometimes 1-2000 hours of it.  Might put you ahead of the game if you can get a lot of those hours during your summer vacations.

To be competitive for PA programs you will want a 3.5+ gpa while taking college-level science classes.  If you can manage that, a 14-day emt-b class should be no problem.  I think a slightly longer class is ideal, but whatever.


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## Bobcat2016 (Aug 28, 2013)

That's what I'm doing- in sophomore year now. This semester I've got human anatomy, genetics, stats and their labs ... I've already taken chem and bio last year... We'll see how it goes ...thanks again..


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## VFlutter (Aug 28, 2013)

Bobcat2016 said:


> That's what I'm doing- in sophomore year now. This semester I've got human anatomy, genetics, stats and their labs ... I've already taken chem and bio last year... We'll see how it goes ...thanks again..



You should have no problem with an accelerated EMT class then. Just remember not to over think things. EMT exams want specific answers that are very simplified but may not be what you would consider medically correct.


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## CanAmEMTP (Aug 28, 2013)

*ACCB Pelham*

I attended that program. Excellent school, Tim Abrams runs a tight ship. Yes, it is 14 days straight without a break. It would be a challenge for a person with absolutely not background, but not a huge leap for those coming into it with MFR, ski patrol, lifeguard, wilderness first aid / SAR experience, etc. At the end of the day, Pelham has like a 95% first attempt pass rate on National Registry written and practical by their students. Say no more.


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## Tigger (Aug 28, 2013)

MrJones said:


> Pros: Be done fast
> 
> Cons: Have the knowledge level and skill set of someone who took a 14 day EMT course.



As in the knowledge and skill set of someone who takes a 4 month EMT course? How is there a difference?


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## MrJones (Aug 28, 2013)

Tigger said:


> As in the knowledge and skill set of someone who takes a 4 month EMT course? How is there a difference?



What's the difference between a 4 month EMT course and a 9 month EMT course?


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## rmabrey (Aug 28, 2013)

MrJones said:


> What's the difference between a 4 month EMT course and a 9 month EMT course?



Gray hair


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## MrJones (Aug 28, 2013)

rmabrey said:


> Gray hair



:lol:

Seriously, though, the shorter the class the less time there is for ensuring that the students actually understand what's being taught as opposed to effectively just teaching the test by rote. The same holds with psycho-motor skills, where a shorter class leaves less time for demonstration and practice. Again, it becomes little more than "here's how to pass your hands-on test"


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## Tigger (Aug 28, 2013)

MrJones said:


> :lol:
> 
> Seriously, though, the shorter the class the less time there is for ensuring that the students actually understand what's being taught as opposed to effectively just teaching the test by rote. The same holds with psycho-motor skills, where a shorter class leaves less time for demonstration and practice. Again, it becomes little more than "here's how to pass your hands-on test"



Even though the class is the same number of hours? How is there less time? Sure there classes that go above the minimum requirement but they are in the vast minority. Hours are hours. 

The difference is whether or not the student is able to keep up, but students in these classes are not receiving less instructional time, just less "absorption time" which is non issue for many folks especially when one considers the reading level that the course is designed for.


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## Bobcat2016 (Aug 28, 2013)

Thank you for your candid info since attending that specific school.  That's what I was looking for, hoping someone had attended Pelham. Didn't know if it was a scam or not, it sounded good on their website, but you never know these days. Thank You!!!


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## MrJones (Aug 28, 2013)

Tigger said:


> Even though the class is the same number of hours? How is there less time? Sure there classes that go above the minimum requirement but they are in the vast minority. Hours are hours.
> 
> The difference is whether or not the student is able to keep up, but students in these classes are not receiving less instructional time, just less "absorption time" which is non issue for many folks especially when one considers the reading level that the course is designed for.



If only it were that simple....

Bottom line: you apparently don't consider a 14 day EMT course to be a problem & I do. Life goes on.


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## VFlutter (Aug 28, 2013)

MrJones said:


> If only it were that simple....
> 
> Bottom line: you apparently don't consider a 14 day EMT course to be a problem & I do. Life goes on.



What exactly is so difficult in an EMT course that can not be learned in 14 days? Especially for a person who has already taken advanced college courses. All of the medical information is going to be a joke compared to what he already knows. It is only a matter of learning a few, fairly simple, procedures and basic EMS information. 

Just because a person takes a 4 or 9 month EMT program does not mean they are going to understand or retain the information either.


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## chaz90 (Aug 28, 2013)

The months immediately following my EMT course were far more beneficial to me than the course itself. It took me a couple weeks to stop trying to backboard and throw oxygen at everyone I saw. Honestly, like others have said, the EMT course of today is almost a joke. If you have any background in basic biology or physiology, you may not get any concrete knowledge out of the course. A couple technical skills and first aid procedures, and boom. Suddenly, an EMT is created.


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## unleashedfury (Aug 29, 2013)

EMT Boot Camps.. 

This is a bit faster than most I've seen But I know a lot of the local places offer it to college students during the summer months usually a month and a half Monday thru Friday, 8hrs a day 

14 days of EMT school seems a bit quick and I can't speak for said programs But it seems more like a scratch the surface to get the minimum requirements to pass the test. 

OTOH EMT school is just that basic requirements and skills to get your started its your experience time that will make you a better EMT,


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## Tigger (Aug 29, 2013)

MrJones said:


> If only it were that simple....
> 
> Bottom line: you apparently don't consider a 14 day EMT course to be a problem & I do. Life goes on.



Indeed it does. However it is more than reasonable to request that someone actually explain their position and supply some evidence in a discussion. 

Such time intensive models of education are in fact proven to be just as successful when it comes to information acquisition and retention. Every college class I took for my undergrad was 3.5 weeks long, 15 hours of class per week. The college compares very well to similar sized institutions with (for lack of a better term) similar rankings when it comes to standardized tests administered to hard science majors nation wide that specifically help assess retention. 

At the end of the day it's all about the quality of the instruction. A good instructor does not care how many days of class he has, he cares about how he delivers his content during the actual hours in which class is in session.


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## CanAmEMTP (Aug 29, 2013)

Ladies and gentleman. Im reading more responses and Id like to clear up a few things with regard to accelerated EMS training, and training in general. Im not the type of paramedic who will say "Ive seen it all" on the streets. That would be time to retire. However, I am confident I can give you an unbiased assessment as to this type of training. This is year 21 on the trucks working in EMS and year 28 in the Army Reserve as an infantry officer. Having been an NCO instructor and now a Captain responsible for training plans and instructor evaluations, I will give it to you straight. Yes it is possible to create an EMT-B in 14 days. The Pelham program for example, starts at 8am, breaks for a quick lunch and supper then comes back in the evening for lab work or remediation as needed. I'm a current US Registry certified paramedic and I hold Advance Care Paramedic (ACP) certification in 3 of our Canadian provinces (Canada has a national association, but no national registry). In most of Canada, our BLS Primary Care Paramedics (PCP) are educated between a year and two years (depending on clinical hours needed) and operate "kind of" like US intermediates, minus the advanced airway (intubating dead people), and the associated ALS pharmacology (narcotics, etc) of an intermediates scope. Typically our PCPs have a broader symptom relief package at their disposal, and some regions will allow them to use IV   D50, and maybe some route of diazepam to break a seizure. That's about it, and its not in every region. Oh, they may be allowed to bolus in some salt water if hypovolemic from trauma.  So ,similar to the US, a basic cert is well, pretty basic! Some schools like to fluff in a crammed "paramedic level" A&P course as part of their basic program, which is usually poorly presented and nobody remembers a week after the written test. This I know from quizzing the NEOs (new employee orienting) on the trucks several months out of school. Don't get me wrong, I will be the first to advocate training, and I have seen every horror story out there (on both sides of the border). That  arrogant instructor trying to talk over the class to stroke their own ego, the idiot instructor trying to teach who doesn't understand the material themselves, the "instructor" who has no instructional technique certification (or ability), and just sticks in that damn Mosby/Brady/AAOP instructors disk then reads 120 powerpoint slides outloud in a 40 minute class,  the "instructor" of the day brought in because the regular guy/girl was out the night before (with the students), and was too hung over to come in, the preceptor on the truck who should still be mentored themselves let alone be allowed to mentor anybody, and on and on and on it goes! Yes, we as instructors can put you on an ambo, car, truck, rig, unit, bus, whatever you guys call them, for hundreds and hundreds of hours. The more time on car the more experience..... but isn't that what actually working is supposed to do? And.... if you work in a system where supervisors have their :censored::censored::censored::censored: together.... aren't we supposed to be pairing rookies with senior staff for the first year on the job anyway? (I know.. what SHOULD be done rarely is in EMS management). ANYWAY..... if a student HAS A GOOD BACKGROUND in first aid already, yes you can bump them up with ambulance operations, AED use, IV maintenance,  symptom relief meds, KED/spine board/traction splinting, and polish up their medical / trauma exam skills in 14 days and evenings. ONLY with a good first aid background. Now...... the most important bit of my rant I will leave you with is this: Every National Registry accredited program in those United States has the same core curriculum objectives, so what makes one school amazing and another suck? After all, its the same material, right?Its the QUALITY OF THAT LEAD INSTRUCTOR and her or his lab instructors and the preceptors in the field! Buyer beware!!!... just because somebody is the local badass EMT or Paramedic who's seen more blood than Dracula DOES NOT MEAN THEY HAVE ANY BUSINESS being in a classroom or precepting students! Never shortchange your EMS education by picking crappy instructors just because they are the cheapest or close by. Research the instructors! The amazing ones always have a reputation and are known throughout your state or province. Go to them!. This is about peoples lives, and you need to UNDERSTAND the material, not just learn it to spit back on a test. In the US Midwest, Pelham Training, run by Tim Abrams as lead, is a superior school at the basic and medic level. On the US east coast, the Advanced Life Support Institute (ALSI) has David Tauber over in New Hampshire, who is also a Senior Paramedic and amazing lead instructor. On the Canadian east coast, Holland College in Prince Edward Island (PEI) offers a solid program that has been around forever. Their new grads at least knew what sick was and could take an accurate blood pressure when I had them ride with me. I'll end with a shout out to my fellow senior medics to post the names of amazing lead instructors all over the world to help the new kids out. There are way too many idiots who couldn't do the job on the trucks , or good medics that cant teach worth a damn, pretending to be instructors and influencing the education of our rookies. It has to stop.


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## Christopher (Aug 29, 2013)

CanAmEMTP said:


> Ladies and gentleman. Im reading more responses and Id like to clear up a few things with regard to accelerated EMS training, and training in general. ...



Can a brotha get a carriage return?


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## akflightmedic (Aug 29, 2013)

You lost me on line 3 when I realized your keyboard lacked a return/enter key.

Too difficult to read and that's a shame as you may have made some valid points.


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## CanAmEMTP (Aug 29, 2013)

Yeah... that's why you never rant typing from a cell phone! lol Trust me, theres no point mentioned that hasn't been said over and over by many a medic out there.


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## Summit (Aug 30, 2013)

Tigger said:


> Indeed it does. However it is more than reasonable to request that someone actually explain their position and supply some evidence in a discussion.
> 
> Such time intensive models of education are in fact proven to be just as successful when it comes to information acquisition and retention. Every college class I took for my undergrad was 3.5 weeks long, 15 hours of class per week. The college compares very well to similar sized institutions with (for lack of a better term) similar rankings when it comes to standardized tests administered to hard science majors nation wide that specifically help assess retention.
> 
> At the end of the day it's all about the quality of the instruction. A good instructor does not care how many days of class he has, he cares about how he delivers his content during the actual hours in which class is in session.



Someone went to CC


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## MrJones (Aug 30, 2013)

Summit said:


> Someone went to CC



Not me.


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## J B (Aug 30, 2013)

Summit said:


> Someone went to CC





MrJones said:


> Not me.


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## Summit (Aug 31, 2013)

In this case CC doesn't mean community college, but Colorado College which uses the Block System, the one-intensive-class-at-a-time model. By the way, many nursing and medical schools use the block system.


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## Tigger (Aug 31, 2013)

Summit said:


> In this case CC doesn't mean community college, but Colorado College which uses the Block System, the one-intensive-class-at-a-time model. By the way, many nursing and medical schools use the block system.



Proud 2013 graduate and defender of the block type academic calendar!

Ironically I took my EMT through the college at night on a regular semester plan.

Seriously though, while there were many times that the block plan was rather overwhelming, it taught to be a) become more efficient with my time, b) that sleep is really not that important, and c) value your free time and no matter how hard classes are you'll still be a happy person.

I have no doubt that if I can learn general chemistry in two months to an above national standard level that most people can make it through a two week EMT basic course and develop an adequate foundation for further learning in EMS.


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## J B (Aug 31, 2013)

Summit said:


> In this case CC doesn't mean community college, but Colorado College which uses the Block System, the one-intensive-class-at-a-time model. By the way, many nursing and medical schools use the block system.



Ahhhhhhhhh...  Cool.  Thought you guys were engaging in some high level snobbery


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