# End of medic school



## nbas2b (Feb 11, 2009)

Im sorry for the bombardment of topics about medic school. But I have 2 classes left, my final is on the 23rd. I have been hanging around a 75% the whole class(barely passing) and now that I'm about to head into my clinicals, I'm pretty worried that I dont know what I need to know. Everytime I'm on this site reading and trying to learn something new, there are 5 other things that I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Which is another reason, I feel Im not ready to be out there.

I went straight from EMT school to medic school and I think i'm kickin myself for it now. Am I gonna be in for a shell-shock?


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## Sasha (Feb 11, 2009)

nbas2b said:


> Im sorry for the bombardment of topics about medic school. But I have 2 classes left, my final is on the 23rd. I have been hanging around a 75% the whole class(barely passing) and now that I'm about to head into my clinicals, I'm pretty worried that I dont know what I need to know. Everytime I'm on this site reading and trying to learn something new, there are 5 other things that I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Which is another reason, I feel Im not ready to be out there.
> 
> I went straight from EMT school to medic school and I think i'm kickin myself for it now. Am I gonna be in for a shell-shock?



Welcome to the club! I'm about to finish Medic school, the midterm is today, actually. The state practical exam is going to be done in class on the 18th of March, given by our medical director. (as of right now. It's changed about four times now.) and then two days after that, the class written final where all that will be left is to take the state written. 

Do you have a good grasp on a&p? I THOUGHT I did, but floating around on this site made me realize I didn't, and it also made me realize it's nearly impossible to be a good medic with out a good grasp on a&p and pharm. Try studying up on that a little bit. 

I was also stupid enough to attend a medic mill, but that's not the end of the world if you take the intiative on your own and start filling in the voids and expanding your knowledge base.

In my clinical experience, a good preceptor likes to teach and clinicals are a GREAT place to learn. You can go over something in a book a thousand times but until you do it, push it, see it, etc, it may not click, so don't get too discouraged about not knowing what you need to know. 

Also, I've found out if you take the time to ask people here things you don't understand, they will gladly take the time to explain it to you or point you in the direction of where you can find the answer.


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## medic417 (Feb 11, 2009)

I had a 96% in one of the toughest programs nationwide and testing was tough.  Make sure you get a study guide and a tutor or you may have trouble passing.


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## Sasha (Feb 11, 2009)

medic417 said:


> I had a 96% in one of the toughest programs nationwide and testing was tough.  Make sure you get a study guide and a tutor or you may have trouble passing.



Cookie for you, then.


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## VentMedic (Feb 11, 2009)

medic417 said:


> I had a 96% in one of the toughest programs nationwide and testing was tough. Make sure you get a study guide and a tutor or you may have trouble passing.


 
What set your program apart from the others as being one of the toughest?


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## daedalus (Feb 11, 2009)

You owe it to your patients to know more than 75% of the material you are supposed to be learning. Assuming that you are interested in learning the science of the body, you may find it easier to just sit and read for pleasure some of the things you were having a difficult time on. I find that I do not need to study all that much and retain a lot of what I read and highlight, however. Your milage may vary.

If you are struggling on the basic knowledge foundation required to be a paramedic, you may find it difficult to cope with that and the stress of having to preform on real patients. Clinical time is less stressful than the internship so use this opportunity to expand you knowledge base and practice your basic skills.

P.S. before now I laughed at people who highlighted in textbooks and lecture notes, now I am wishing I used that all along, it helps me. Studying and learning are highly individualized processes in my exercise however, so do what ever works for you.


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## VentMedic (Feb 11, 2009)

nbas2b said:


> I went straight from EMT school to medic school and I think i'm kickin myself for it now. Am I gonna be in for a shell-shock?


 
As far as work experience, I doubt it is relevant that you went straight to Paramedic school. What you may or may not learn from working as an EMT will probably not help you academically.

Did you have any college level classes such as A&P or anything prior to EMT or Paramedic? 

Is this a votech or college based program? Is it CoAEMSP accredited with additional resources available?

Edit:
I just saw now where you mentioned NCTI.  Did you at least take the full college A&P option prior to entry and not this school's 2 week abbreviated "Everything you need to know" A&P class?


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## Ridryder911 (Feb 11, 2009)

Experience is great but does NOT replace good study and practice habits. Old habits and bad traits are just as bad as having no experience. 

Yes, it may take you few extra weeks or even months, but don't trade that in with good foundational knowledge. 

As many will confirm; having a better than average science background with emphasis in anatomy and physiology is essential to be good medic. 

R/r 911


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## daedalus (Feb 11, 2009)

Ridryder911 said:


> Experience is great but does NOT replace good study and practice habits. Old habits and bad traits are just as bad as having no experience.
> 
> Yes, it may take you few extra weeks or even months, but don't trade that in with good foundational knowledge.
> 
> ...



My coursework in biology and chem, def a benefit.


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## firecoins (Feb 11, 2009)

medic417 said:


> I had a 96% in one of the toughest programs nationwide and testing was tough.


 What is that based on?


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## medic417 (Feb 11, 2009)

firecoins said:


> What is that based on?



Ummmm my grades.:wacko:


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## firecoins (Feb 11, 2009)

medic417 said:


> Ummmm my grades.:wacko:



Fair enough.  

What makes the program tougher than others though?


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## fortsmithman (Feb 11, 2009)

How long are programs leading to EMT-P in the USA.  Here in Canada EMT-P is also called ACP and they are around 2yrs minimum.


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## VentMedic (Feb 11, 2009)

fortsmithman said:


> How long are programs leading to EMT-P in the USA.


 
That depends on which of the 50 states you want to know about. Paramedic education requirements vary state by state with some requiring as little as 500 hours to ONE state requiring a two year degree. The average HOURS for training is between 700 and 1200.


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## TransportJockey (Feb 11, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> That depends on which of the 50 states you want to know about. Paramedic education requirements vary state by state with some requiring as little as 500 hours to ONE state requiring a two year degree. The average HOURS for training is between 700 and 1200.



Hopefully NM will be requiring at least an AAS within the next few years. My college is leading a push to get it required. One school in the state offers a BS in EMS, and my school and another community college are implementing AAS in EMS w/in the next semester.


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## Sasha (Feb 11, 2009)

> How long are programs leading to EMT-P in the USA.





> That depends on which of the 50 states you want to know about. Paramedic education requirements vary state by state with some requiring as little as 500 hours to ONE state requiring a two year degree. The average HOURS for training is between 700 and 1200.



And SOME crappy, milly, dishonest, programs don't even meet their minimum amount required by the state in paramedic class and depend on gen-eds and a forced degree program to meet that hourly requirement, and don't inform their students of such.

Hmph.


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## nbas2b (Feb 12, 2009)

I dont have a biological background. I've never took a college level class of A&P and took NCTI, 6 week A&P course. I wanted to go back to college and take the upper division A&P, microbiology and a few other biological classes, but I feel like I really couldnt apply it, since I would already be working as a medic.


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## VentMedic (Feb 12, 2009)

nbas2b said:


> I dont have a biological background. I've never took a college level class of A&P and took NCTI, 6 week A&P course. I wanted to go back to college and take the upper division A&P, microbiology and a few other biological classes, *but I feel like I really couldnt apply it, since I would already be working as a medic*.


 
So you think your education ends with a Paramedic cert from a trade school like NCTI?


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## nbas2b (Feb 12, 2009)

No, that is not how I meant it to come across. I want to be the best medic I can be and I will do whatever I can to do that. But as of now, I am in a world of disarray(sp?). I guess I was hoping for reassurance to see where you guys were feeling when you guys were just going into clinicals.

Now if I thought my education ended after this program. I'd be scared for other peoples lives. That is exactly why I want to take science classes after I am done.


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## firecoins (Feb 12, 2009)

deleted remarks


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## 41 Duck (Feb 12, 2009)

Wait.  You finish school, THEN go through clinicals?  Hrm.  Here, you've gotta be doing the clinicals throughout the course of the program, meeting benchmarks along the way.  Go figure.

Anyways... clinicals, in general...  Some people in my course really like them and look forward to them, view them as a valuable learning experience.  Others view them as an obstacle to be overcome to get their certification and look forward to their being over.  Personally, I think the truth lies somewhere in between the two, and your real education will be when you get on the street, and start having calls that you want back.


Later!

--Coop


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## VentMedic (Feb 12, 2009)

41 Duck said:


> Personally, I think the truth lies somewhere in between the two, and your real education will be when you get on the street, and start having calls that you want back.


 
There is a big difference between street smarts and education.  Many often confuse the two and use the street smarts concept of education as an excuse not to enhance one's education formally.    Street smarts come a lot easier wihen one knows disease processes and drug interactions rather then "we saw this once before and treated it this way but don't know why."   

If you know something about medicine, you can find an explanation rather than trying to look good with "learned it in the streets".  That explanation doesn't always fly with those who have a medical education and may be reviewing your reports.


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## medic417 (Feb 12, 2009)

41 Duck said:


> Wait.  You finish school, THEN go through clinicals?  Hrm.  Here, you've gotta be doing the clinicals throughout the course of the program, meeting benchmarks along the way.  Go figure.
> 
> --Coop



I hate programs doing that.  By doing clinicals during you are extremely limited in what you can do for the majority of clinicals.  By doing clinicals at the end you can treat every patient from the interview to the cardioversion.


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## 41 Duck (Feb 12, 2009)

I see your point, Vent--and I agree, to an extent.  I wasn't as clear as I should have been, I don't think.  

I do not advocate the robot-like performing of tasks A, B, and C for condition X, Y, and Z without comprehension of why.

I think the street would teach you what you don't know --by means of the calls you want back-- and the astute individual would take steps to fill in those gaps.  It's hard to learn when you don't know the questions to ask.


Later!

--Coop


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## VentMedic (Feb 12, 2009)

41 Duck said:


> I think the street would teach you what you don't know --by means of the calls you want back-- and the astute individual would take steps to fill in those gaps. It's hard to learn when you don't know the questions to ask.


 
And that takes us back to medic417's post about clinicals.


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## MSDeltaFlt (Feb 12, 2009)

nbas2b said:


> No, that is not how I meant it to come across. I want to be the best medic I can be and I will do whatever I can to do that. But as of now, I am in a world of disarray(sp?). *I guess I was hoping for reassurance to see where you guys were feeling when you guys were just going into clinicals.*
> 
> Now if I thought my education ended after this program. I'd be scared for other peoples lives. That is exactly why I want to take science classes after I am done.



OK.  Going straight from basic to medic with no field experience, depending on the individual (the vast majority, me included), you will be lacking a lot of prehospital confidence.

Vent, don't have a coronary, but I lacked a lot from not having college A&P.  I'm votech trained on respiratory and medic.  And I suffered because of it.

Remember, it ain't the dawg in the fight, it's the fight in the dawg.  How bad do you want it?


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## wehttam (Feb 12, 2009)

nbas2b said:


> I dont have a biological background. I've never took a college level class of A&P and took NCTI, 6 week A&P course. I wanted to go back to college and take the upper division A&P, microbiology and a few other biological classes, but I feel like I really couldnt apply it, since I would already be working as a medic.



how much A&P can u really learn in six weeeks thats crazy
u can still benefit from upper division A&P and microbiology classes after uve gained your medic certificate may help u have a better understand of some of those concepts u were having problems with


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## Sasha (Feb 12, 2009)

medic417 said:


> I hate programs doing that.  By doing clinicals during you are extremely limited in what you can do for the majority of clinicals.  By doing clinicals at the end you can treat every patient from the interview to the cardioversion.



My "school" gives you a "choice". You can do them throughout class time, or pay for an extra semester and do them all at the end. Bites, right? I would have prefered them at the end just because... you're absolutely right (God... This is getting scary, we are starting to make agreeing with eachother a habit..) you're very limited in what you can do, especially until you learn the drugs. My class was limited to IVs and ACLS algorithims. Made for really boring, uneventful clinicals.


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## VentMedic (Feb 12, 2009)

wehttam said:


> *how much A&P can u really learn in six weeeks thats crazy*
> u can still benefit from upper division A&P and microbiology classes after uve gained your medic certificate may help u have a better understand of some of those concepts u were having problems with


 
6 weeks is actually a long time for NCTI, the school he is attending.

From the NCTI website:

_NCTI offers an accelerated pre-paramedic Anatomy & Physiology class which is designed to help prepare students for their entrance into paramedic school. The course is five days long and focuses on the related studies involved within paramedicine._

At least it states they may also accept A&P from the colleges.


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## Sasha (Feb 12, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> 6 weeks is actually a long time for NCTI, the school he is attending.
> 
> From the NCTI website:
> 
> ...



You mean 5 days isn't enough!? Blasphemy.


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## wehttam (Feb 13, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> 6 weeks is actually a long time for NCTI, the school he is attending.
> 
> From the NCTI website:
> 
> ...



no wonder paramedicine is in the state that it is in today how much can u really learn in 5 days and i cant believe people actually fall for this kinda crap it really makes me sick


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## MedicReneeInstructor (Feb 13, 2009)

nbas2b said:


> Im sorry for the bombardment of topics about medic school. But I have 2 classes left, my final is on the 23rd. I have been hanging around a 75% the whole class(barely passing) and now that I'm about to head into my clinicals, I'm pretty worried that I dont know what I need to know. Everytime I'm on this site reading and trying to learn something new, there are 5 other things that I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Which is another reason, I feel Im not ready to be out there.
> 
> I went straight from EMT school to medic school and I think i'm kickin myself for it now. Am I gonna be in for a shell-shock?



I totally understand the nerves of ending Medic class and freaking out about your clinicals.  When you talk about your clinicals do you mean taking the final practicals?  There is a ton of stuff on the internet that helped me to study for the National Registry test and even grasp a better feeling about my final.  One site that I fully recommend is http://www.emt-national-training.com .   I tell all of my students to use this to study.  It is AWESOME!   As you keep using it you may run into repetitive questions but it will get your ready for NREMT and your final.

Another thing I wanted to say is:  You can't expect to have a full grasp on what you have learned in Medic class until you can use it on your own.  This is why life is the best teacher.  Do you have another Medic that you can run with or learn from in your area?  This can be a HUGE help!  If you feel you need more time to learn then shadow a medic.  They should be fully understanding and if they aren't..it's not the right Medic to shadow.  Don't give up and never be afraid to ask another Medic, nurse, dr or instructor questions.


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