# so ive decided to go on to paramedic school



## wlamoreemtb (May 31, 2008)

Ok so its been on my mind for a while. I have decided that im definetly doing it. I have an interview with a hospital on monday for sponsorship ( I have a few high ranking people pulling for me!!!) The big question is me getting accepted into the college program. Well wish me luck Ill keep posted on my progress


----------



## firecoins (May 31, 2008)

Are you applying to UMDNJ?  

You could also come into Manhattan and do BMCC medic program or the St. Vinnie's program.


----------



## enjoynz (May 31, 2008)

Good on you!
We are behind you in every way, I'm sure!
I'll cross my fingers and toes!

Cheers Enjoynz


----------



## piranah (May 31, 2008)

i will say one thing.....going into paramedic school is going to be unlike anything youve ever done prepared to give up your social life for school.....it sux im not gunna lie but i think its worth it........congrats


----------



## firecoins (May 31, 2008)

I didn't have a social life to begin with so nothing lost.  Once I joimned medic school old friends came out of the woodwork an d wanted to hang.  Go figure.


----------



## mikeylikesit (Jun 1, 2008)

nah...it's not as bad as people make it out to be.^_^ good luck, i hope you pass your first time.


----------



## wlamoreemtb (Jun 1, 2008)

Thanks everyone I was going to school for forestry but i finnished my associates and didnt wanna go back i want medic school much more. My social life now is my work and rescue squad thats it haha


----------



## Wrecktangle (Jun 2, 2008)

*First post!*

Best of luck in getting in, as a medic student half way through the program I can definately say its been a challenge. We started with 25+ in the class and are now down to 12 after last weeks midterm. As long as you put in your hours of hard studying and reading you will do good. Enjoy!


----------



## GonnaBeEMT (Jun 2, 2008)

I'm starting medic school this fall..........I just passed the NREMT-B test a couple weeks ago.  I am kind of nervous.


----------



## wlamoreemtb (Jun 2, 2008)

im in!!!! i got accepted starting in fall


----------



## mikeylikesit (Jun 2, 2008)

GonnaBeEMT said:


> I'm starting medic school this fall..........I just passed the NREMT-B test a couple weeks ago. I am kind of nervous.


are you sure your ready...did you take your A&P first cause if not this is gonna be one tough calss.


----------



## wlamoreemtb (Jun 2, 2008)

I will be taking a&p this summer and im pretty nervous about it I do believe I'm ready though


----------



## Jeremy89 (Jun 2, 2008)

wlamoreemtb said:


> I will be taking a&p this summer and im pretty nervous about it I do believe I'm ready though



All I can say is study, study, study!  I underestimated the difficulty of the course and the study time required and ended up dropping it with a failing grade.  Gonna try again this Fall though!

Good luck!


----------



## GonnaBeEMT (Jun 3, 2008)

mikeylikesit said:


> are you sure your ready...did you take your A&P first cause if not this is gonna be one tough calss.



I took two semesters of college level A&P this last year along with all the other pre reqs for the associates degree medic program.  I don't have any field experience other than ride times and ER time thats what makes me nervous.


----------



## mikeylikesit (Jun 3, 2008)

GonnaBeEMT said:


> I took two semesters of college level A&P this last year along with all the other pre reqs for the associates degree medic program. I don't have any field experience other than ride times and ER time thats what makes me nervous.


a ton of people will tell you that you need to hone your basic skills first or you will have a hard time making it as a medic. yeah they told me that too and i flew thought the medic program with a 98% and passed the NREMT-P first time. you will be fine don't worry the experience just makes you forget all of the stuff you learned in the book. of coarse then again it makes it harder for instinct to take over and tell you to do basic first then advance. you will be just fine.


----------



## wlamoreemtb (Jun 3, 2008)

Now the question is which stethoscope to get. any suggestions? looking at adc right now


----------



## mikeylikesit (Jun 3, 2008)

wlamoreemtb said:


> Now the question is which stethoscope to get. any suggestions? looking at adc right now


well, if your good with a cheap one then move to the expensive one, if you can't find a good BP on a cheap one then stick with it until you can. But I would go with the Littman Cardiologist II that’s what I use and it makes a huge difference.


----------



## wlamoreemtb (Jun 3, 2008)

mikeylikesit said:


> well, if your good with a cheap one then move to the expensive one, if you can't find a good BP on a cheap one then stick with it until you can. But I would go with the Littman Cardiologist II that’s what I use and it makes a huge difference.


 Thank you kind sir. I hate my sprague <_< now its time for a new one


----------



## mikeylikesit (Jun 3, 2008)

wlamoreemtb said:


> Thank you kind sir. I hate my sprague <_< now its time for a new one


Then you will love a Littman there around $110.00 but they are well worth it, they make a regular heart beat and BP sound like a base drum right next to your head.


----------



## wlamoreemtb (Jun 3, 2008)

awesome! ill take that into consideration thanks for all of your help. How long have you been a medic mikey


----------



## firecoins (Jun 3, 2008)

I don't think they sell the Cardiology II anymore

However Allheart.com has very good scope for cheaper than other places.


----------



## BossyCow (Jun 3, 2008)

If you are entering medic school, make sure your life is ready for the committment. Try to keep your non-school related stress to a minimum. You will find out in the year of school, who your friends are and who were just acquaintences. You will find out if your relationship is strong enough to withstand absence, stress and challenge. 

If there's shakiness anywhere else in your life, you will find out while you are in this process. Medic school will take up all your time, energy, money and leave you sleepless and questioning why you bothered to go through this. You will need a support network to get through it. 

I believe a lot of it is manufactured stress to see how well you can deal with pressure. But, its stress none the less.


----------



## mikeylikesit (Jun 3, 2008)

wlamoreemtb said:


> awesome! ill take that into consideration thanks for all of your help. How long have you been a medic mikey


about a year and a couple of months...went from EMT-B to EMT-P right away. it was easy just more book work.


----------



## mikeylikesit (Jun 3, 2008)

You know there is an accelerated Paramedic program that is 1 year total. 6 months of didactic and 6 months of intern...if you have the time you have the option of doing your internship after call and do the whole thing in 6 months. People knock it who haven't tried it but they are usually IMO the best schools cause you tend not to forget things when they come at you all at one time. I know a lot of medics that took these and they know and retained a lot more than I did when I went. Just something to think about.


----------



## Ridryder911 (Jun 3, 2008)

mikeylikesit said:


> You know there is an accelerated Paramedic program that is 1 year total. 6 months of didactic and 6 months of intern...if you have the time you have the option of doing your internship after call and do the whole thing in 6 months. People knock it who haven't tried it but they are usually IMO the best schools cause you tend not to forget things when they come at you all at one time. I know a lot of medics that took these and they know and retained a lot more than I did when I went. Just something to think about.



Sorry, but for retainment purposes it would be very difficult in learning the didactic, and then the procedures and materials; then three months later attempt to perform the skills. I would hate to be the clinical professor having to review the material for each clinical area. 
Why not integrate the didactic with the clinicals..? Would it not make sense to I.V. therapy then obtain "hands on" for comparison and retainment, the same as ECG's?  I do wonder what advantage this type of programs would offer and why they would consider such? 

As well, I am totally against accellerated Paramedic programs < 2 years. It takes several hours of didactic, lab practice, and clinical settings to even to master the safe phase of Paramedical care. 


R/r 911


----------



## firecoins (Jun 3, 2008)

mikeylikesit said:


> You know there is an accelerated Paramedic program that is 1 year total. 6 months of didactic and 6 months of intern...if you have the time you have the option of doing your internship after call and do the whole thing in 6 months. People knock it who haven't tried it but they are usually IMO the best schools cause you tend not to forget things when they come at you all at one time. I know a lot of medics that took these and they know and retained a lot more than I did when I went. Just something to think about.



My medic is 1 year and it isn't considered accelerated.  And didatic and clinincal are done side by side.


----------



## mikeylikesit (Jun 3, 2008)

Ridryder911 said:


> Sorry, but for retainment purposes it would be very difficult in learning the didactic, and then the procedures and materials; then three months later attempt to perform the skills. I would hate to be the clinical professor having to review the material for each clinical area.
> Why not integrate the didactic with the clinicals..? Would it not make sense to I.V. therapy then obtain "hands on" for comparison and retainment, the same as ECG's? I do wonder what advantage this type of programs would offer and why they would consider such?
> 
> As well, I am totally against accellerated Paramedic programs < 2 years. It takes several hours of didactic, lab practice, and clinical settings to even to master the safe phase of Paramedical care.
> ...


like said if you have the time you do have the option of doing your internship/clinicals at the same time as call and do it all in 6 months. apparently they figure that something is right since they can go to class and learn a skill and then get out of class and see it done or apply it. better than didactic one year then intern the next IMO, except for the fact that each day you can only apply what you just learned and not what else you are going to learn.


----------



## wlamoreemtb (Jun 3, 2008)

well im doing the 2 year 1 year diadetic then clinicals


----------



## Jon (Jun 3, 2008)

*Y'know... Rid is really turning into a parent - the more I grow up, the less I think Rid is crazy.*

Working clinical shifts (in a hospital or ambulance) at the same time as your class seems to be the best way. You get to apply what you've learned immediately after learning it...not 6 months down the road. Additionally, when you have questions, you can go to class the next week and discuss the patient encounter and LEARN from it.

Most programs around here are set up for 2-3 days of class and 1-2 clinical shifts a week. One program teaches class for 2-3 weeks, then has a 2 week break for clinicals, then does class again.

Of course, after you FINISH school, you then do a 2-month field internship, working on a prehospital ALS unit, acting as a paramedic, with limited preceptor support. This is the make-it or break-it time (Trust me... I know).

Jon


----------



## wlamoreemtb (Jun 25, 2008)

so we have a quite lengthy assignment for the summer. WOW lots of work cant wait to start the didactic though! Ive done a bunch of ride alongs too lots of fun


----------

