How long were you an EMT-B before Paramedic?

[InNoViSiOn]

I'm taking a EMT-B course at my local college. My plan WAS to get my certification and get a job and 1 year experience in the field to qualify to take the paramedic course. I've never taken an anatomy or physiology class before and I feel overwhelmed with the enormous amount of information that needs to be learned and how complex our body is. I know I can do it, I just don't think I set a realistic long term goal at becoming a paramedic. How long were you an EMT-B before you became a Paramedic?

Maybe I'm just psyching myself out or have a really high expectation at the knowledge that needs to be known to become a paramedic. I don't know...

 

[STXmedic]

I was an EMT for about 6 months, but didn't use it at all until a couple months into paramedic school. I had no problems during school. I did already have an A&P class under my belt, though. If you can take a college A&P course first, it would most certainly benefit you.

 

[Jmo371]

I was an EMT for about 6 months, but didn't use it at all until a couple months into paramedic school. I had no problems during school. I did already have an A&P class under my belt, though. If you can take a college A&P course first, it would most certainly benefit you.

the rule of thumb in my region is about a year...give or take. Some people can make it with less others may need more.

 

[DesertMedic66]

About 3 years. I was told that it would be best and make medic school easier if I was an EMT on a 911 rig for at least 2 years.

 

[InNoViSiOn]

Yeah I'm contemplating taking a anatomy class in the fall. But I will hopefully be working then and not sure what my schedule will be like. Hopefully whatever company I work for will be understanding that I want to further my educations and work in the field part time. I have the luxury of not working this semester to fully commit to my studies, so I'm learning as much as I can because I know I won't have as much free time in the future. A&P seem like they should be a prerequisites for paramedic students. Medical terminology is like another language! I find myself having to slowly read some words, mispronouncing, spelling, and have difficultly remembering the words, but if I see it on paper, I remember it. Hopefully with time the words will spill from my tongue without having to think about it.

So it seems like having a solid understanding of A&P should be my goal after this course.

Diggin this forum guys n gals. I'm glad I found it.

 

[fortsmithman]

Why is EMS the only branch of medicine that requires one to be a lower level provider before advancing. RNs are not required to be LPNs first. Nor are MDs required to be PAs, then why I ask are paramedics required to be EMTs first It should be from zero to hero. Some say you need the experience if that were the case then MDs would have to be PAs and RNs would have to be LPNs.

 

[unleashedfury]

Why is EMS the only branch of medicine that requires one to be a lower level provider before advancing. RNs are not required to be LPNs first. Nor are MDs required to be PAs, then why I ask are paramedics required to be EMTs first It should be from zero to hero. Some say you need the experience if that were the case then MDs would have to be PAs and RNs would have to be LPNs.

I think its due to the short length of training of EMS providers where as RN has 2 years minimum, PA requires a Masters Degree, MD 7+ years training.

To the OP, I was a EMT for 10 years before I attempted paramedic school. not because I felt I needed that much experience life happened and Medic school got put on the back burner. I honestly believe that a well educated EMT can make the jump right from EMT to Paramedic. However I think it helps when you have a little bit of experience under your belt to allow you to see how operations and day to day business goes in EMS.

 

[PotatoMedic]

Why is EMS the only branch of medicine that requires one to be a lower level provider before advancing. RNs are not required to be LPNs first. Nor are MDs required to be PAs, then why I ask are paramedics required to be EMTs first It should be from zero to hero. Some say you need the experience if that were the case then MDs would have to be PAs and RNs would have to be LPNs.

I'm finding a lot of RN schools in my area require CNA.

 

[fortsmithman]

Here in Canada there is a zero to hero program at Medicine Hat College a 4 yr Bachelor of Health Science at the end of it one becomes a paramedic. If we did that required a bachelors degree as is the requirement in Australia. Here in Canada in some places EMT is called Primary Care Paramedic and some couyrses are 6 months with Ontario rerquiring 2 yrs.

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

Two years. And it wasn't enough.

 

[fortsmithman]

One thing surprises me about RNs in the USA they don't require a bachelors degree to be a RN. At the hospital here in town all the RNs have at least a bachelors in nursing with 3 having their masters (they are NPs). EMS and corrections in my view should not be private but in govt hands.

 

[triemal04]

Why is EMS the only branch of medicine that requires one to be a lower level provider before advancing. RNs are not required to be LPNs first. Nor are MDs required to be PAs, then why I ask are paramedics required to be EMTs first It should be from zero to hero. Some say you need the experience if that were the case then MDs would have to be PAs and RNs would have to be LPNs.

You need to remember the difference in minimum requirements (that are usually all that are met) for EMS providers in the US versus Canada.

Regardless, allow me to repeat myself:

I do love when people make arguments about how other medical professions don't require time at a lower level as as it shows a fundamental lack of understanding of both paramedic education, and the education that other medical providers go through.

With the new standards there isn't a hard hour requirement for clinical hours (both within the hospital and in the field); the "recommendation" is for about 250 hours of in-hospital time, and 250 hours of field time. Which isn't to far off from what most schools do; around 500 or so hours total of clinical time.

Contrast that with RN's; anywhere from 800 to over 1000 hours seem pretty standard. (and just listen to the complaints about new nurses not being competent...lot's of those going around)

Or PA's; 12-14 months of full or near fulltime experience. (and just listen to the complaints about new PA's not being fully competent...it's why the PA "residencies" are starting)

Or MD's; the shortest way to be board-certified is a 3 year residency of fulltime work.

Then you get paramedics...after 3 months or so of the equivalent of working fulltime (half of which will not involve treating patients in the field but more job shadowing) you are good to go.

So no...these other professions don't require someone to work at a lower level (though the PA kind of does), but they do require a much longer time to be spent actually learning how to perform their job than paramedic's do. And many would argue that they don't spend enough time on it either.

The time spent in the field internship during a paramedic class is not meant to be spent perfecting the things that you should have learned and perfected as an EMT, but all the new things that were just learned in class. And the list of non-medical skills that can be learned before starting is extensive; being skilled at those only makes it easier to learn how to function as a paramedic.

Can you successfully become a paramedic without working as an EMT? Absolutely. Can you make it much easier to become a paramedic and likely learn more at the same time by working as an EMT first? Absolutely.

And to answer the original question I was an EMT for about 15 months before getting my paramedic certification.

 

[Handsome Robb]

Zero years, I never worked as a B. Worked as an I for about a year before I started working as a medic. Started working as an I during my second mod of paramedic school and my grades actually fell.

 

[fortsmithman]

Maybe Canada and the USA should do what Australia does and require a Bachelors degree in paramedicine to be a paramedic just a suggestion.

 

[TheLocalMedic]

Maybe Canada and the USA should do what Australia does and require a Bachelors degree in paramedicine to be a paramedic just a suggestion.

There are some areas that seem to be moving in that direction.

I put in 5 years as an EMT before going to paramedic school, and I would absolutely recommend at least 2 years of experience before moving up. Being able to experience EMS as a basic gives you the opportunity to participate in calls and see sick people without the stress of "being in charge". You can watch how your partners operate, see how they talk to patients and decide which styles you like best or seem to work better. It also gives you time to do all those basic skills that you are supposed to not have to think about once you're operating at the paramedic level.

Experience absolutely makes a difference once you're in paramedic school as well. Perhaps not as much in the didactic phase, but certainly in clinicals and the internship. Having had interns both with and without EMT experience, I can absolutely say that the differences are apparent. It's not impossible to pass an internship without EMT experience, but there's no question that those with experience have a much better chance at succeeding.

 

[bill williams]

I was an EMT for 7 years before I became a paramedic. I would have done medic school sooner, but I couldnt afford tuition. Im glad I waited, the experience helped out alot during school and clinical time.

 

[SuprMedic]

I think it depends on the person, some people learn quick and may only need a few months. On the other side of things, I've seen people who are so used to being a "paramedic's assistant" on calls after years of being an EMT that they cant get used to being a leader and being the guy in charge. The thing experience really gives you in paramedic school is the ability to take what you learn in class and say "I've seen that on a call before." If you feel ready for paramedic school you probably are, if you don't, you probably need more time.

 

[chaz90]

3 years for me. I know opinions vary, but I wouldn't trade my EMT experience for anything. Rather than diving head first into the deep end during paramedic school, I felt like I was leisurely swimming into deeper water. To be honest, I didn't feel like any part of paramedic school was challenging in the slightest since I was simply applying scientific and practical concepts I had seen before. Like others have said before, I've met great paramedics who never worked a shift as an EMT and career long EMTs turned medics who I wouldn't trust to do a 4-lead on my hampster.

 

[DrParasite]

Why is EMS the only branch of medicine that requires one to be a lower level provider before advancing. RNs are not required to be LPNs first. Nor are MDs required to be PAs, then why I ask are paramedics required to be EMTs first It should be from zero to hero. Some say you need the experience if that were the case then MDs would have to be PAs and RNs would have to be LPNs.

I throw the BS flag on this (again). yes, it's true that RNs and PA school doesn't require a lower licensure, but many are required health care experience prior to even applying. and med school is at least 7 years (4 for undergrad and at least 3 for med school), you think maybe during that time you will have some hands on training before you graduate? and those that don't often treat those lower level providers like crap (been there, seen that)

I am looking to go to medic school in the next year. after 14 years as an EMT.

The biggest difference I see among experienced EMTs who become paramedics vs zero to hero paramedics is the operational abilities and communicaiton skills. By operational abilities, I mean working in a moving ambulance, being familiar with lifting and moving equipment, being able to drive an ambulance with lights and sirens, being able to perform an assessment, and being familiar with the general EMS system. For communication skills, I mean interacting with other agencies on multi-agency scenes, being used to dealing with dispatch, and communicating between other EMS providers and other healthcare professionals.

Are their exceptions? absolutely. But most senior paramedics tell me that having BLS 911 experience will make you a better paramedic.

 

[TransportJockey]

I was a basic for two years and an intermediate for almost three. Which is about five years too long as an EMT before I moved up.