Becoming a paramedic

[Bitty]

Im finally taking my emt classes and am over joyed. I live in murrieta ca and i never could find a school that had paramedic classes, once you become an emt, will the company your with help you train to become one?

 

[Rano Pano]

Riverside County has two paramedic programs.
Moreno Valley College
NCTI

AMR "sponsors" its EMTs to go through a program. In reality, you're on your own to make it happen.

::cues Kern cult::

 

[VentMonkey]

Riverside County has two paramedic programs.
Moreno Valley College
NCTI

AMR "sponsors" its EMTs to go through a program. In reality, you're on your own to make it happen.

::cues Kern cult::

Are you referring to Hall's paramedic sponsorship?

 

[CALEMT]

I'd recommend RCC/MVC (whatever the hell its called) or Crafton Hills College. Stay away from NCTI.

 

[VentMonkey]

I'd recommend RCC/MVC (whatever the hell its called) or Crafton Hills College. Stay away from NCTI.

Is it really that bad??

 

[Rano Pano]

Are you referring to Hall's paramedic sponsorship?

Yes.
This is typically the kind of post where I see you Hall guys jump to promote Kern, so I was jokingly referring to what's to come.
Not so funny now that I had to type that out though.

 

[CALEMT]

Is it really that bad??

Hell is what you make of it. From what I've heard from people who go there say stay away. So there's that, and why pay 12 grand when RCC and Crafton give you in my opinion a better education at half the price.

 

[VentMonkey]

Yes.
This is typically the kind of post where I see you Hall guys jump to promote Kern, so I was jokingly referring to what's to come.
Not so funny now that I had to type that out though.

Lol, fair enough. This would be @NPO's department though. I attended the lesser of the two RivCo paramedic programs, lol.

I can joke about it now, this was over a decade ago (holy cow it's been around that long??). I have no clue how it is now, but had a blast then.

 

[DesertMedic66]

$12,000 and over a year of classes (they only meet 2 days a week and sometimes they are unable to find you a preceptor for your field time) for NCTI.

$4,100 and exactly a year long for crafton hills college paramedic program (they have not had issues finding preceptors). All of the primary instructors at crafton have at least a BA with 1-2 having masters, and 1-2 with PhD.

I could do the paramedic program 3 times at crafton for the amount of 1 time at crafton.

 

[CALEMT]

Preceptors was one of the main gripes of NCTI students.

 

[VentMonkey]

I don't buy into the program making you. I think each one teaches fundamentals which is all you really need to function at that level.

I mean lets face it, we've all known crappy cookie cutter medics from "prestigious" schools, and vice versa.

I truly believe it's what you yourself puts into it once your initial education concludes in regards to where you go initially. The money factor is certainly something to consider though.

 

[NPO]

Paramedic sponsorship is why I moved to Bakersfield, in addition to the reputation Hall has.

Sponsorship is completely up to the company that hires you. Few offer this benefit, and most don't help you out much. Many companies take the "tuition reimbursement" style, where they reimburse you once you pass. That doesn't really help the struggling medic student.

Hall has a streamlined program to get you through school. To be eligible you will have to have completed a significant time on both ALS and BLS shifts at Hall, as well as complete an internal Paramedic Prep course that brings you up to speed on A&P, bio, and focus on the various body systems. Following that, assuming you get a letter of recommendation from a supervisor, and pass your interview, you'll be handed a stack of textbooks and given a start date. Welcome to paramedic school, your new 9-5 job 5 days per week. When not in school, you'll be used as a BLS unit, but dispatch lables you differently in CAD so that you're the last to go out. You'll spend many of these on duty hours studying. Following school, you'll have clinicals and internship. Hall allows you to set your clinical schedule, as long as it's full time hours. You'll then be assigned a preceptor. Your internship is also paid for, and, as an employee, you are paid to be an intern, and are not required to work in addition to your internship hours.

It's really the best deal on the West coast.

I have only ever attended one paramedic school, so my opinions are subjective, but Bakersfield College has a good program. I left the school feeling I had a good understanding of the material I was presented. Myself and everyone in my class passed the NREMT first try. FYI, NREMT furst try pass rates for each school are posted online for all to view.

If what DesertMedic has to say about the instructors is true, Crafting sounds like a great place to go for an education, and if that's near you, that's good to. I understand moving for work/school is hard.

 

[Qulevrius]

I don't buy into the program making you. I think each one teaches fundamentals which is all you really need to function at that level.

I mean lets face it, we've all known crappy cookie cutter medics from "prestigious" schools, and vice versa.

I truly believe it's what you yourself puts into it once your initial education concludes in regards to where you go initially. The money factor is certainly something to consider though.

I think it's only fair to assume that 80% of the aspiring medics are just regular EMTs who go to a medic school for all the wrong reasons (i.e. paycheck 'increase', more appeal for the Hosedragger Club, 'look ma, I can start IVs !', new trinkets etc). These people will be what the programme will make them to be; if the programme is ok, they'll turn out to be your typical happy-go-lucky mediocre medics. If not... NREMT-P doesn't limit the tries (yet). The other 15% will actually have some higher aspirations, probably do some A&P coursework prior to and want to make EMS a career or otherwise move up in the world. And there's the last 5% who will do the smart thing and invest in the nursing school.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if someone's inherently bad, it doesn't matter what programme they'll attend. They'll just keep being bad, regardless. I've heard some horror stories about Channel Island's medic school, but have also seen some very decent people graduating it. Everyone's mileage may vary.

 

[Bitty]

I think it's only fair to assume that 80% of the aspiring medics are just regular EMTs who go to a medic school for all the wrong reasons (i.e. paycheck 'increase', more appeal for the Hosedragger Club, 'look ma, I can start IVs !', new trinkets etc). These people will be what the programme will make them to be; if the programme is ok, they'll turn out to be your typical happy-go-lucky mediocre medics. If not... NREMT-P doesn't limit the tries (yet). The other 15% will actually have some higher aspirations, probably do some A&P coursework prior to and want to make EMS a career or otherwise move up in the world. And there's the last 5% who will do the smart thing and invest in the nursing school.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if someone's inherently bad, it doesn't matter what programme they'll attend. They'll just keep being bad, regardless. I've heard some horror stories about Channel Island's medic school, but have also seen some very decent people graduating it. Everyone's mileage may vary.

All the wrong reasons is what i can get now at the hospital. Its not what its about, i want to help more then i can as a phlebotomist and we already have cool trinkets and i draw blood from peoples feet, whoop deee doo! People who have that outlook on any medical job will not only do bad but will despise their job and that reflects on patient care

 

[Woodtownemt]

Hello, this is a sidebar but is anyone familiar with the paramedic program at University of Antelope Valley? Instructors, Field internship (who do they ride with often with), etc. The program is 2 days a week and i've been thinking about it. Thanks in advance.

 

[VentMonkey]

Hello, this is a sidebar but is anyone familiar with the paramedic program at University of Antelope Valley? Instructors, Field internship (who do they ride with often with), etc. The program is 2 days a week and i've been thinking about it. Thanks in advance.

We've had a few paramedics up my come from there. I think/ thought they set up their own internships. When talking with a couple of them they each had to find a place that would take them on be it LAFD, a Kern County service, etc.

This is all I really know, good luck.

 

[Qulevrius]

Hello, this is a sidebar but is anyone familiar with the paramedic program at University of Antelope Valley? Instructors, Field internship (who do they ride with often with), etc. The program is 2 days a week and i've been thinking about it. Thanks in advance.

Subpar and expensive. Easy to get into, mostly because they're always desperate for students. The entire didactic part is death by Power Point.

 

[PotatoMedic]

Subpar and expensive. Easy to get into, mostly because they're always desperate for students. The entire didactic part is death by Power Point.

If all you are going to get is death by PPT then you might as well do an online program for half the price.

 

[NPO]

All I know about AV is a guy I know failed out of it in the first unit. But then again, he's failed 4-5 other attempts too, so I can't really blame AV much.

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[luke_31]

Subpar and expensive. Easy to get into, mostly because they're always desperate for students. The entire didactic part is death by Power Point.

Knew a guy who got his paramedic from there, he had trouble passing the LA County accreditation exam. He didn't strike me as too strong a paramedic either. Sounded like the program was not very good ether.