# Anyone else's Medic program require uniforms on class days?



## FutureFlightMedic (Jan 9, 2008)

*Hi again everyone! Today was my first day of winter term of my paramedic program; we are starting trauma and RSI. Pretty good first day, and I am excited that I'm almost there! (Done in Sept). My instructor told us that from now on we are required to wear our paramedic student uniforms while in class/lab. He said that it is a better look, as we are professionals now. Does anyone else have to wear uniforms for medic school? What do they look like, and do you LIKE them? I guess lots of medic programs are doing this now...is probably helpful to bring our professionalism out so we can be viewed as that-Medical Professionals. I think our uniforms look sharp, so I'm not complaining....I'm just going to miss all my fun, cute, 'girly' clothes!! If I'm not wearing a medic student uniform, it'll be my F.D. uniform or my hospital scrubs for work in the ER. I guess the good thing is, I'll save money by NOT buying new clothes!:blush:  *


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## Vanatta67 (Jan 9, 2008)

been wearing ours since the first day in september, our class runs till june.


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## Asclepius (Jan 9, 2008)

Not a bad idea necessarily. Hopefully, it will help instill a sense of professionalism. You have to look the part to play the part and vice versa.


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## JPINFV (Jan 9, 2008)

I've never really got the concept of uniforms for classes. If your (generaic "your," not directed at anyone specific) professionalism is lacking to the extent that you need a uniform to help you learn the material then maybe EMS isn't the place for you. Afterall, universities and other professional schools (MD/DO, RN, PA, law school, etc) don't seem to require a uniform for their diadactic courses (to clarify, lecture=no uniform. Clinicals=uniform). 

Maybe what paramedic courses really need is a dressing test. If you can't dress yourself for lecture (t-shirt, jeans, shoes, etc), then you don't get in.


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## firecoins (Jan 9, 2008)

JPINFV said:


> I've never really got the concept of uniforms for classes. If your (generaic "your," not directed at anyone specific) professionalism is lacking to the extent that you need a uniform to help you learn the material then maybe EMS isn't the place for you. Afterall, universities and other professional schools (MD/DO, RN, PA, law school, etc) don't seem to require a uniform for their diadactic courses (to clarify, lecture=no uniform. Clinicals=uniform).
> 
> Maybe what paramedic courses really need is a dressing test. If you can't dress yourself for lecture (t-shirt, jeans, shoes, etc), then you don't get in.



agreed. None of us have time.  Almost all of us commute in. Avg commute is 45 minutes.  We all come from EMS jobs....most come from EMS jobs othr come from whatever other job they have. Some still come in uniforms required by those jobs if we haven't changed out. 

Mine doesn't.  We started in Sept and finish in August.


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## Guardian (Jan 9, 2008)

Studies have shown that people prefer their doctors to be dressed like they dressed in the 50s.  My friend is a medical student, and didn't want to abide by the strict medical student dress code.  They told him as long as people were forced to accept his care in the teaching hospital and didn't have a choice in doctors, he would have to abide by the dress code.  I think the same should apply to paramedic students.  The classroom isn't as important.


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## Ridryder911 (Jan 9, 2008)

Personally, I believe the classic EMT uniform should not be worn in hospital clinical setting.(i.e. ER, ICU, Physician rotations) & only on the EMS rotations. 

We are discussing scrubs for in hospital and alike mine was a professional dress (lab coat/shirt/tie) for physician paramedic internship rotations. Then for the field the usual EMT uniform. 

The first thing in patient care is initial appearance, sorry it is. If one looks like a security guard in the hospital it is hard for the patient and family to understand why they want to treat them. Most family and patients prefer not to have to read the patches or name tag, to see whom and what you are. 

Look the part.. You will be surprised on the results. 

R/r 911


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## Flight-LP (Jan 9, 2008)

We require our Paramedic students to be in uniform, but then again they are getting paid while they are in class. We also have started putting the students in scrubs for their hospital rotations, seems to work well..............


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## enjoynz (Jan 10, 2008)

Here in NZ, we are asked to wear our uniform to classes.

But things are different here, as we can volunteer to work on the ambulance with the paid crew, as we train.
Not clinical time like you have in the States.
We work the 111 (911) or what ever the calls are for the ambulance we are on at the time. So we are given a uniform by the ambulance service, so we look the part at least.
We just don't get the patches on the sleeves, until we qualify for which ever level we are training at.

Cheers Enjoynz


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## Katie (Jan 10, 2008)

We wear uniforms in class, basically the same ones as we wear at the firestation.  Light blue button down top, dark blue trousers and black boots.  For hospital clinicals we wear a dark blue polo shirt instead of the light blue one that says Paramedic Student so that we don't get confused with the hospital staff.  This way the doctors don't get confused and ask us to do something we're not authorised for.


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## MikeRi24 (Jan 10, 2008)

For my EMT calss, we are required to wear black Paramedic Pants and a white polo. then once we complete the class, we get the compnay uniform. I was kinda upset when i had to unload $200 for 2 pairs of pants and a few white polos....o well


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## Epi-do (Jan 10, 2008)

We have the option of wearing our uniforms that we wear on ambulance clinicals, our scrubs from hospital clinicals, class B fire department uniforms (if we work for a fire department), or business casual.


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## patrick239 (Jan 12, 2008)

*I am a current student...*

and we are required to wear the uniform pants, black footwear and a golf style shirt designating us as students.  The shirts for basics are a different color than those of the paramedic students. 
We are required to wear a t-shirt with the same pants and footwear for class and lab sessions.


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## TheDoll (Jan 13, 2008)

i just started paramedic school on friday, and thank GOODNESS we don't have to wear our uniforms in class. we can wear pretty much whatever we want


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## patrick239 (Jan 13, 2008)

The fact that I have had to spend more money on the uniform does not make me happy.  Other than that, I personally think it is a good idea to have uniforms.  But I can certainly understand those of you who don't want to wear them.


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## JPINFV (Jan 13, 2008)

patrick239 said:


> Other than that, I personally think it is a good idea to have uniforms.



Just wondering, what advantage do you view uniforms have in a class room enviroment?


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## KEVD18 (Jan 13, 2008)

i see no benefit to being in uniform for class. its the students and the instructor. no patients, no public, nobody else. clinicals and ride time are another story all together but there is no reason to be suited and booted to sit in your chair and take a lecture.


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## patrick239 (Jan 13, 2008)

Let me first say that we have to wear them for class and lab.

If you took a look around the classroom the first night of my class, you would not be asking me this question.  I think wearing the uniforms gets people in the right mindset for the experience.  It limits the amount of potential distractions in the learning environment.  We are not there to make fashion statements we are there to learn the "business" of saving lives.  It is a very serious thing to me.  
I don't know about your area but the EMS professionals in my area look and act the part.  They have a very good reputation and always look the part.  It is a county run third service that is not easy to get hired at and they want the people who are training those of us who will be in the job market to look and act the part.
In my opinion, it is a good idea.  I am not saying you are wrong, just saying what I believe.


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## JPINFV (Jan 13, 2008)

I guess it's a large part of perception. After 4 years of undergrad and going into my second semester in a masters program, I never felt that my education has been compromised by not requiring a uniform. Is it an issue of maturity in some places? Similiarly, the medical students whom my master's program takes classes with only are in "uniform" (suit and tie) if they are going into the hospital for a class (ex: Interviewing).


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## patrick239 (Jan 13, 2008)

I think it is different if you are in medical school or even a bachelor's program.  I should have specified that I am referring to an EMT-B program like the one I am in.  It only lasts one semester and some of these "kids" probably plan to go to fire academy or get a job in EMS.


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## fm_emt (Jan 15, 2008)

Yup. The medic program i'm going into does, and so do the ones I know of back in California.


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## JPINFV (Jan 15, 2008)

patrick239 said:


> I think it is different if you are in medical school or even a bachelor's program.



I must pose the question again, though. If you can't dress yourself properly for class, do you have a place in the medical/health care field? Alternatively, is there an inherent difference between paramedic education and the other health care fields and could this be one of the reasons why EMS is the red headed stepchild of health care? 

Finally, am I just increadibly ignorant (I'm not rulling this out since I've never attended a community college outside of a refresher course) of the kind of population that makes up a large enough population of students at a community college to affect the rules of their courses?


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## patrick239 (Jan 15, 2008)

> If you can't dress yourself properly for class, do you have a place in the medical/health care field?



Probably not, but no one told some of the people in my class that.  



> Finally, am I just increadibly ignorant (I'm not rulling this out since I've never attended a community college outside of a refresher course) of the kind of population that makes up a large enough population of students at a community college to affect the rules of their courses?



Not really following you there, must be b/c I have an associates degree from a CC. J/K
The college I am at now actually offers numerous bachelors programs now, including one in the public safety area for those who want to move up the ranks in their field.  So not all places that offer EMT-B are CCs.


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## JPINFV (Jan 15, 2008)

patrick239 said:


> So not all places that offer EMT-B are CCs.









I got my cert out of a crackerjack box (regional training program geared more towards high school seniors actually, but for $120 including books, I can stand the little whipper snappers for the 120 or so hours that the course was). It just seems that around So. California most of the medic programs are community college based (yea, ok, UCLA School of Prehospital Care, but if you claim to be a "UCLA student" because of that everyone will laugh at you) and like to take the paramilitary/uniform style of training.


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## CAMedicJohn (Jan 19, 2008)

*Uniforms are mandatory*

I completed my medic and my wife is enrolled in the EMT-B class and we were both required to wear our uniform on class days. The Jr. College has a public safety program that is run by mostly active and retired FD instructors. I guess they like the uniform look and it prevents distraction during class. I took a refresher class off campus and saw people dressed in beach wear, sweats, and mini-skirts, jeezzz(for class ??) Also most of the instructors teach the FD academy on the same campus and they are required to be in uniform all during the academy. 

At least it eliminates the need to figure out what to wear..


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## mcvey7218 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Uniforms*

I just completed Intermediate in December and we were required to wear uniforms to class and to every clinical site-- black duty pants, grey shirt with the star of life and our name embroidered, black belt, black boots... no exceptions.  I am now enrolled in our Paramedic program, and it is going to be the same requirement for uniforms.  As bad as I hated wearing uniforms to class, I do have to admit that it did instill pride in me for the profession and the skill.


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## patrick239 (Jan 24, 2008)

> It just seems that around So. California most of the medic programs are community college based (yea, ok, UCLA School of Prehospital Care, but if you claim to be a "UCLA student" because of that everyone will laugh at you) and like to take the paramilitary/uniform style of training.



People can laugh all they want at my uniform, I don't care.  I am proud of the education I am getting and I have confidence in my instructors and the program I am attending...


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