Are they called "Paramedics" or "Medics"?

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mattyb

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What's the difference and why do I see Paramedics referring to themselves as medics?
 
mattyb said:
What's the difference and why do I see Paramedics referring to themselves as medics?
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Because we are too cool to say anything with more than 2 syllables.
 
because it beats being called ambulance drivers
 
akflightmedic said:
When alone, we are a "Medic"...

When with another "Medic", we become a "Pair O' Medic".
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Such a dad joke...
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I typically say bandaid slinger but to each their own I guess.
 
In the strictest sense para is a prefix meaning along side, in the absence of, under a ... of the base word. In this sense the medic is from the Latin medicus, which was the term for a physician. So in this sense a medic is a medical physician, the paramedic works along/in the absence of/under a physician.

Same general idea for paralegals and all other kinds of paraprofessionals.

In the real world, nobody cares. I personally almost always use the term medic in the same way I usually use the term nurse instead of registered nurse, child life instead of certified child life specialist, or respiratory therapist instead of registered respiratory therapist. I'm a typical American in that I'm pretty lazy articulating the English language, and I like shortcuts.

Medics are also a bit more of an all encompassing term. It could include fire medic, street medics, transfer medics, flight medics, critical care paramedics, and military medics (who often have ALS training that in some ways exceeds stateside paramedic training, but may be less advanced in other topics).
 
Peak said:
In the strictest sense para is a prefix meaning along side, in the absence of, under a ... of the base word. In this sense the medic is from the Latin medicus, which was the term for a physician. So in this sense a medic is a medical physician, the paramedic works along/in the absence of/under a physician.

Same general idea for paralegals and all other kinds of paraprofessionals.

In the real world, nobody cares. I personally almost always use the term medic in the same way I usually use the term nurse instead of registered nurse, child life instead of certified child life specialist, or respiratory therapist instead of registered respiratory therapist. I'm a typical American in that I'm pretty lazy articulating the English language, and I like shortcuts.

Medics are also a bit more of an all encompassing term. It could include fire medic, street medics, transfer medics, flight medics, critical care paramedics, and military medics (who often have ALS training that in some ways exceeds stateside paramedic training, but may be less advanced in other topics).
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Well, shucks, I just learned something.
 
Peak said:
In the strictest sense para is a prefix meaning along side, in the absence of, under a ... of the base word. In this sense the medic is from the Latin medicus, which was the term for a physician. So in this sense a medic is a medical physician, the paramedic works along/in the absence of/under a physician.

Same general idea for paralegals and all other kinds of paraprofessionals.
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Huh, I always kinda wondered where the "Para-" came from.

Especially since I started off in the Army where medics were just that, Medics.
And "Para-" almost always had something to do with parachuting and Paratroopers (in the British Army, they're just the Paras)...
So I always kinda wondered how civilian medics who didn't do any parachuting came to be known as Paramedics lol
 
Me? I'm a First Class All American Hero With Heart and Mind Wired Full Tilt Boogie for Freedom and Justice!
 
They just call me daddy.
 
Some people call me the space cowboy.... some call me the gangster of love... some people call me Maurice...
 
They call the wind Moriah.
 
Military Medics straight out of training are usually trained more in trauma, but no where near as much in medical, but then they get more medical as time goes on
 
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