# Paramedic students, is it worth going to paramedic school if i struggled as emt



## Finest (Nov 22, 2011)

Title, thinking about going back to school after taking a semester off working.


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## Shishkabob (Nov 22, 2011)

What did you struggle with?


Paramedic school goes much more in depth than EMT class did... so if you struggled then, it might be just as hard now.  But at the same time, they're explaining WHY something happens, which for some, myself included, makes it easier to understand.


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## usafmedic45 (Nov 23, 2011)

Probably not.  If EMT was difficult for you, advanced life support training at any program worth bothering with is probably going to be the academic equivalent of a prison shower gang rape after sandpaper condoms are handed out along with Tabasco spiked lubricant.


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## medicnick83 (Nov 23, 2011)

I see people who are BLS who don't even know their work but can't wait to do ILS (EMT-I)

At the end of the day, you make the best of everything, you put the effort in and you find a way to learn - if you struggle with a certain subject, you find a way to learn it.

I remember back in the day, school days, I sucked at doing multiplication and division... hell, I could barely add and subtract.

After I finished school, a friend explained something to me and I have no idea what happened, it's like the light came on... LOL!

I know that stuff so well now I wish I could go back and try get better marks!


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## pa132399 (Nov 23, 2011)

usafmedic45 said:


> Probably not.  If EMT was difficult for you, advanced life support training at any program worth bothering with is probably going to be the academic equivalent of a prison shower gang rape after sandpaper condoms are handed out along with Tabasco spiked lubricant.



haha thats priceless.

If its truly what you want to do and you are willing to study to learn it I will never tell anybody not to make an attempt. I had no trouble with emt school because it is something I was interested in. I am now in medic school and im enjoying it so far and but I will also say I am studying alot more than I've ever done before. Just remember BLS before ALS


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## crazycajun (Nov 23, 2011)

I am not sure about your state but here requires an A&P course to get into P school. If you had issues in EMT school Paramedic school may not be for you. A&P alone can be a nightmare if you have trouble paying attention. Things like cell theory, genetics, neurology and others are things that can be tough to grasp. Try an A&P course first. Understand that even though the things you learn may seem like things you will never use, once you get into P school you will see how it all comes together. Remember this is not just about pushing drugs and a title.


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## mycrofft (Nov 23, 2011)

*Night school*

See if you can take some basic sources like A&P while working. See how that goes. Make sure they are transferable.
Stopping to take a work break will likely get you stuck out of school. I did that and it took me seven years and a winter ride on a tailboard to get me back to school.


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## AlphaButch (Nov 23, 2011)

I agree with most of the folks here. I recommend taking an A&P course and see how that goes.

I think it will really depend on why and in what area you struggled during your EMT course. Some people aren't suited for EMS, some people just need more exposure, etc. Identify the actual problem first.

I highly suggest NOT taking a semester break if you can afford not to, maybe take a very light load (1 class). For many people, they will get stuck in life, and may not have the opportunity to return.


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## Finest (Nov 24, 2011)

Thanks all for the replies. Mine main struggle was concentration in class, so most of the learning Ive done was by myself with a book. I took AP my first year of college, didnt think it was hard. So now I either go to EMT I or EMT P, or keep working as basic.


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## Handsome Robb (Nov 24, 2011)

If you have trouble paying attention you definitely could have trouble in medic school. There's a ton of lecture, it isn't unusual for us to get a solid lecture from 0900-1700 with an hour break for lunch and a 5-10 minute break every 90 minutes or so.


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## julesdamedic (Nov 24, 2011)

Finest said:


> Title, thinking about going back to school after taking a semester off working.



You'll never know unless you try.  ^_^

If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world. - Mercedes Lackey


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## Medic Tim (Nov 30, 2011)

I worked as an EMT-b/I for 4 years before completing my EMT-P. The work experience really helped me in school as I could relate the material to things I had seen and done. It also let me concentrate on my skills and assessments as I was used to talking to pt's and was comfortable in the back of a rig


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## MICP (Dec 1, 2011)

*"Why?"*

Finest,

You really need to look at "why" you struggled.  So far most have focused on the actual content of the course, but there are many more issues why people struggle.  What else did you have going on?  Any life or family challenges?  What was the teaching style and did it match your learning style?  Are you lazy?  Did you do the homework?

I have been teaching EMS for 16 now, and see that most people struggle not because of the difficulty of the course content, but because of a combination of the items listed above.

If it does come down to pure content, then the recommendations of A&P are the absolute best.  The new National Standard Curriculum is heavy on A&P for medics and EMTs.  It is never a wasted course.


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## usafmedic45 (Dec 1, 2011)

> The new National Standard Curriculum is _heavy on A&P_ for medics and EMTs.


:rofl:  Compared to what precisely?  An ARC first aid course?


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