# RCC EMT-B Program



## alyssa_ (Feb 13, 2010)

This might be a shot in the dark, but has anyone here taken the EMT program at Riverside Community College? I'm registered to take it this semester starting on the 16th. Other than watching a few videos on Youtube and attending the orientation I haven't heard anything about it.

I'm enrolled and pretty much good to go for my for my first class meeting aside from a few major problems--I haven't been issued my AHA CPR card (though I've completed the class), my TB skin test turned out positive so I don't have medical clearance yet, and I don't have my books yet (went today but the bookstore was closed). I'm hoping they don't drop me out because I'm so ill prepared. :wacko:

Question for anyone that's gone through the program--how bad am I going to get chewed out? Haha.

P.S. I tried doing a search but apparently RCC is too short of a term to use. Sorry.


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## jgmedic (Feb 15, 2010)

alyssa_ said:


> This might be a shot in the dark, but has anyone here taken the EMT program at Riverside Community College? I'm registered to take it this semester starting on the 16th. Other than watching a few videos on Youtube and attending the orientation I haven't heard anything about it.
> 
> I'm enrolled and pretty much good to go for my for my first class meeting aside from a few major problems--I haven't been issued my AHA CPR card (though I've completed the class), my TB skin test turned out positive so I don't have medical clearance yet, and I don't have my books yet (went today but the bookstore was closed). I'm hoping they don't drop me out because I'm so ill prepared. :wacko:
> 
> ...



I went through their medic program 2 years ago, didn't do my Basic there, but we used to help out with the EMT students a lot. Be prepared for an *** chewing when you get there, I don't THINK they'll drop you, but you better get it fast, I remember there were a few that didn;t have their uniforms and all that stuff yet and they were allowed to stay. I have a lot of friends that went through it so you can PM me with any questions and I can find out for you.


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## alyssa_ (Feb 16, 2010)

jgmedic said:


> I went through their medic program 2 years ago, didn't do my Basic there, but we used to help out with the EMT students a lot. Be prepared for an *** chewing when you get there, I don't THINK they'll drop you, but you better get it fast, I remember there were a few that didn;t have their uniforms and all that stuff yet and they were allowed to stay. I have a lot of friends that went through it so you can PM me with any questions and I can find out for you.



Thank you for your help. Right now I don't have any questions but I'll get back to you if I do (and you don't mind). 

I had my first class meeting today and it turns out I didn't have my *** chewed. My skills instructor is giving me 'til next class meeting to get it all together. So far so good. Loving it. I'll probably be eating my words by the middle of the program but I'm not dropping out. I know that. ^_^


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## mct601 (Feb 17, 2010)

alyssa_ said:


> Thank you for your help. Right now I don't have any questions but I'll get back to you if I do (and you don't mind).
> 
> I had my first class meeting today and it turns out I didn't have my *** chewed. My skills instructor is giving me 'til next class meeting to get it all together. So far so good. Loving it. I'll probably be eating my words by the middle of the program but I'm not dropping out. I know that. ^_^



wow? there's programs that give '*** chewings'? I haven't had those since high school , but seriously I thought only the academy-style programs did that.


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## alyssa_ (Feb 17, 2010)

Haha yeah that's the thing--it is academy style.


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## JPINFV (Feb 17, 2010)

mct601 said:


> wow? there's programs that give '*** chewings'? I haven't had those since high school , but seriously I thought only the academy-style programs did that.



...you should see the uniforms they're required to wear also.


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## ihalterman (Feb 18, 2010)

My first class was also on the 16th at a different school.  Our instructors dropped 4 students for not having things like CPR card, HS/College transcripts, or medical clearance.

There were a few that got added to the class late so they were given until next tuesday.

I can tell that these instructors are both prior service, just by the way they handle the classroom.


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## alyssa_ (Feb 18, 2010)

^Tight ship, eh. Congrats for not being one of the 4.  Good luck with your course!

I'm glad my particular instructor wasn't too strict about paperwork. I promised him I'd get my crap together by next class meeting and sure enough I've got my medical clearance, CPR card, and books ready. 

w00t!


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## CombatCasualtyCare21 (Feb 19, 2010)

alyssa_ said:


> ^Tight ship, eh. Congrats for not being one of the 4.  Good luck with your course!
> 
> I'm glad my particular instructor wasn't too strict about paperwork. I promised him I'd get my crap together by next class meeting and sure enough I've got my medical clearance, CPR card, and books ready.
> 
> w00t!



I went to a very strict academy in Texas for my Basic and they had us stand at attention when instructors entered the room, and dropped students from class if they fell asleep. I guess they too believe that if you want it you have to deserve it. 
I can see why they do it though, you dont want to be "running into battle" with a partner thats ill prepared or falls asleep


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## jgmedic (Feb 19, 2010)

OK, so I get that some people have a problem with academy style with the whole we're not Fire thing, but with the rampant unprofessionalism that plagues this industry as a whole, is it so bad to enforce rules like clean, pressed uniforms, attention to detail(paperwork, etc.) and physical fitness(RCC medic students do PT, not hard PT, but physical activity nonetheless). A lot of people in this area don't like RCC for those reasons, saying "oh, I could go somewhere else and wear flip-flops and shorts to class" but personally, I liked the mandatory community service and all the other stuff.


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## JPINFV (Feb 19, 2010)

If you need the school to tell you how to dress then you shouldn't be in EMS. If wearing uniforms in the class room is so important, why wasn't there no day to day dress code when I was in undergrad and grad school and no day to day dress code now that I'm in medical school? If the only reason why a licensed provider wears a uniform is because they wore a uniform in class, why would I trust them to provide care to me?


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## Veneficus (Feb 19, 2010)

I went to the website to check this place out.

If there is any chance you can get your money back? This place looks like a farse to me. Aside from playing dress up, ( The uniform is absolutely outrageous for a student. I wonder who is a partner in the uniform shop.)I cannot imagine what could possibly make this worth the money. I won't even get into academy style instruction, usually for instructors who need to distract you from what they don't know. 

The cost of the EMT uniform alone could probably pay for another 1-2 academic classes.

I couldn't find the paramedic class or the prep class in the college catalog. But looking at the rest from their FAQ, I doubt there is much substance to it. Even if there is, you could probably better place yourself with actual basic science courses. 

They are having you spend nearly $500 in books, including what looks to be an abridged Patho book (for EMS providers). a paramedic text that was cut down from a better one to compete in the price category and then top it off with a full version of Bate's guide of physical exam and history taking? The last being an outstanding text for sure, but I am sure the pocket guide would more than suffice for paramedic students. Many of the exams techniques (probably 3/4ths the book) are way out of the scope of practice of paramedics. So they are going to teach you partial pathology and how to perform a full pelvic exam? 


The prereq classes I saw was A&P but no biology or chemistry. Recommended was med term and english? Bates was certainly not written for a 10th grade reading level like most EMS texts. You're probably going to need a little more than this. 

Then they finish it off with a bunch of merit badge courses. How inspiring. 

They ought to pay you. You'd get a better deal enlisting in the military.


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## AdventEMT (Feb 20, 2010)

*Same here*

Yea, I am in Tuesday, Thursday class.  Having a good time so far, teachers are nice and are willing to go out of their way to help.  Great sense of family with the students.  They are also willing to help you whenever you need it.  The uniform requirements kinda suck but teach something that is nice...especially if you dont have those things already built into you.


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## alyssa_ (Feb 20, 2010)

Veneficus said:


> I went to the website to check this place out
> ...
> 
> They ought to pay you. You'd get a better deal enlisting in the military.



I can't comment on the medic program since I'm in the basic program, but for now, to their defense, they don't advocate that they're the best. The people that are enrolled in the class are there because they want to be there. They aren't being misled. At the orientations they do take the time to repeatedly say "There's other programs. If you don't like ours, you don't have to take it."

We have a lot of returning students in our class that are back for more after either failing or dropping the class. Why? I don't know but it's their choice. Maybe they see something they like in the RCC program that they don't see in others, or maybe they're just ignorant of the other (much cheaper) paths they could take.

As for me, one of the reasons why I chose the program because I'm a huge introvert. It's no secret. I'm _very_ shy and the academy style scares the crap out of me, but I'm done with trying to motivate myself to talk. The program requires that you stand when speaking (or get 2 hours extra community service if you don't) which is a freaking nightmare to me. I'd rather get over it, or drop out and fail because of it, in EMT-B school than on the job where it'll have more consequences. Am I just being naive? Dunno, I'll find out soon enough. 

I guess all I'm saying that people find their own various reason for taking the class. No like, no take.


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## jgmedic (Feb 21, 2010)

alyssa_ said:


> I can't comment on the medic program since I'm in the basic program, but for now, to their defense, they don't advocate that they're the best. The people that are enrolled in the class are there because they want to be there. They aren't being misled. At the orientations they do take the time to repeatedly say "There's other programs. If you don't like ours, you don't have to take it."
> 
> We have a lot of returning students in our class that are back for more after either failing or dropping the class. Why? I don't know but it's their choice. Maybe they see something they like in the RCC program that they don't see in others, or maybe they're just ignorant of the other (much cheaper) paths they could take.
> 
> ...



Is some of what they do BS? Yes, absolutely, is it still one of the best programs in the area, Yes, and even with the added uniform expense is still a third of the cost of a private program. Like any program there are great instructors and terrible ones. You find out very quickly which is which. Also, while not as good as a full 2 year AAS program, with the completion of the general education, you can get a degree from RCC's medic program.


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## Veneficus (Feb 21, 2010)

jgmedic said:


> Is some of what they do BS? Yes, absolutely, is it still one of the best programs in the area, Yes, and even with the added uniform expense is still a third of the cost of a private program. Like any program there are great instructors and terrible ones. You find out very quickly which is which. Also, while not as good as a full 2 year AAS program, with the completion of the general education, you can get a degree from RCC's medic program.



did you get $100 worht out of your bates guide? WHat did they use it for?


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## jgmedic (Feb 21, 2010)

The Bates guide was put in mostly because there are several instructors there who moved onto PA school and they use it at RCC's PA program. Did I get my 100 dollars, I think so, we did go through a lot of assessments we won't ever use(pelvic exams, etc.) but I like the book a lot, has plenty of great diagnostic tools that most medics don't even touch on. I agree that most of it is way over our scope, but why not learn more than we "need" to know.For the few of us in SoCal who aren't medics just trying to get on with FD, it was nice to get a taste of real medical education, in fact it made me eager to move up within the medical field, maybe to PA or RN.


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## Veneficus (Feb 21, 2010)

jgmedic said:


> The Bates guide was put in mostly because there are several instructors there who moved onto PA school and they use it at RCC's PA program. Did I get my 100 dollars, I think so, we did go through a lot of assessments we won't ever use(pelvic exams, etc.) but I like the book a lot, has plenty of great diagnostic tools that most medics don't even touch on. I agree that most of it is way over our scope, but why not learn more than we "need" to know.For the few of us in SoCal who aren't medics just trying to get on with FD, it was nice to get a taste of real medical education, in fact it made me eager to move up within the medical field, maybe to PA or RN.



Its not that I am against learning more, I actually support it. But If you are going to learn more, there is much better use of time. 

A second rate EMS text combined with an abridged patho book, seems to me much better time and money spent upgrading than adding a book that is mostly beyond the scope of the people using it. 

Like I said, Bate's is a great book, but a high level physical exam book and low level text for everything else seems like a waste.


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## mct601 (Feb 21, 2010)

I don't think the academy style class is a bad idea at all.  

We have two academies that I know of around here - National EMS Academy and East Baton Rouge Parish EMS (both in Louisiana).  NEMSA costs a good bit, and EBR pays you to attend. EBR is a 'zero to hero' program held at the barracks of the Louisiana State Police. I almost went to EBR's academy but I'm sure they require you to work for their EMS, and I did not want to work around Baton Rouge as my first job. EBR is held like the LSP training, but I don't believe NEMSA is military style outside of wearing uniforms.


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## jgmedic (Feb 21, 2010)

Veneficus said:


> Its not that I am against learning more, I actually support it. But If you are going to learn more, there is much better use of time.
> 
> A second rate EMS text combined with an abridged patho book, seems to me much better time and money spent upgrading than adding a book that is mostly beyond the scope of the people using it.
> 
> Like I said, Bate's is a great book, but a high level physical exam book and low level text for everything else seems like a waste.



I get what you're saying but around here a lot of medic programs only use the Brady book, so while it may not be the best book, at least it's something. Bates' is at least a start towards something better. I do wish the patho book was better, it reminds me of my 8th grade science class.


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## JPINFV (Feb 21, 2010)

Trade Bates for Robbins and Cotrans "Pathological Basis of Disease" then. Just as overkill, but infinitely more useful.


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## Veneficus (Feb 21, 2010)

JPINFV said:


> Trade Bates for Robbins and Cotrans "Pathological Basis of Disease" then. Just as overkill, but infinitely more useful.



Robbins basic pathology would be less overkill.

Having read the entirety of Patho basis of disease in a semester, I think it is overkill for anyone who is not a pathologist.


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