Paramedic School with only 20 On-Site Days?

MMiz

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Looking at Paramedic programs in the area, I'm wondering if it's possible to become a competent Paramedic with only 20 days of on-site learning over a nine month period.

What do you think?
 
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MMiz

MMiz

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GMCmedic

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What was your key to being successful with such an abridged program?
Quite honestly, great partners, engaged instrucors and a lot of studying. A lot of studying.

Our class started with 7, finished with 7, 6 became medics, of the 6 we are all still working and 2 of us fly now.
 
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MMiz

MMiz

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Quite honestly, great partners, engaged instrucors and a lot of studying. A lot of studying.

Our class started with 7, finished with 7, 6 became medics, of the 6 we are all still working and 2 of us fly now.

Can you estimate how much time you spent studying per week?
 

StCEMT

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I did the UF CCP program and that was all online except for 5 clinical days. I actually learned a lot from that class. That being said, I didn't have as many skills based things to learn.
 

Carlos Danger

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Looking at Paramedic programs in the area, I'm wondering if it's possible to become a competent Paramedic with only 20 days of on-site learning over a nine month period.

What do you think?
It's absolutely possible. Whether it's likely for you depends on how you learn. Some people learn well mostly teaching themselves and don't need a lot of guidance or interaction. Some people need a lot. The quality and format of the program is a factor too, of course. Is there a lot of online group discussion? Writing? The quality of your preceptors and clinical experience is a huge factor. A good preceptor can help reinforce a lot of the didactic stuff.
 

Jn1232th

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Mine was 18 days or so of on site skills and testing. Rest was online live with a lecturer. I feel as if I learned what I needed to. Lots of self study but skills portion is more of hands on anyways.
 
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MMiz

MMiz

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Mine was 18 days or so of on site skills and testing. Rest was online live with a lecturer. I feel as if I learned what I needed to. Lots of self study but skills portion is more of hands on anyways.
How much time would you say you spent studying in a typical week?
 

Jn1232th

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How much time would you say you spent studying in a typical week?

I say Monday-Friday from 3/4pm-9 or so. Saturday and Sunday I will relax and just do quizzes or module exams. I worked/ still work night shifts 5 days a week. It was hard but doable.
 

DrParasite

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Which program are you looking at?
 

Jn1232th

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Not sure about there but I am going to National medical education and training center in West bridgewater, MA.
Online lecture for about 10 months 2 times a week
Then 16 or 17 days onsite skills training. They had multiple clinical sites near me ( I'm in Los Angeles)
Only issue is Internship. I kinda have to find my own place to intern at but after a bit of looking and calling some numbers it wasn't that difficult at all.

All in all I like the program. It allows me to work full time and pay my bills. At end you do have to return back to school for one more week though. there accredited also. Tuition wise was about $8000ish, but I'm including cost for books and such too. They have a payment plan also.
 

DrParasite

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I suggest you reference the following threads on that topic:


Most people I spoke to who went through their AEMT program were not impressed. The one person I know who went through their paramedic program was severely disappointed. Disorganized, lack of student support, difficult to get a response from the instructor were the three biggest complaints I heard, but this was a few years ago. That and difficulty getting clinical dates.

However, it looks ridiculously cheap, and depending on what book they use, you might be able to get it even cheaper from from the bookstore. As long as you can learn enough on your own, and are prepared to test for your NR-P and pass successfully, what do you have to lose?
 
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MMiz

MMiz

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@DrParasite appreciate the information! I've seen those threads, plus everything I can find online.

I'm not confident that I'll be successful using the self-taught route, and I'm even more concerned if I'll be the black sheap of the clinical world. Not looking to make a career out of EMS at this point, I'm looking at this as a learning experience.
 
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