Cert or Degree?

Scriptor

Scriptor

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Any paramedics out there, i'm looking at schools for a paramedic program. I am wondering if it is worth it to go for the extra months for the degree or to just deal with the certificate program? I already have an associates degree in liberal arts and sciences, but I really want to get the BA in Paramedicine. If it's not really worth the extra effort then maybe I should just get the certificate? Let me know what you think/have done.
 
See if your Liberal Arts degree + the Paramedic cert meets the entry requirements for the 4 year degree. I will suggest that you take college level A&P not just the overview offered by the Paramedic cert.
 
VentMedic said:
See if your Liberal Arts degree + the Paramedic cert meets the entry requirements for the 4 year degree. I will suggest that you take college level A&P not just the overview offered by the Paramedic cert.
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Over here in Mississippi you have to take real college A&P I and II. Not those watered down A&P's. This is why I think it is great that the NREMT is moving to only allow testing from accredited schools, so medic mills, unless accredited will be a thing of the past.
 
Scriptor said:
Any paramedics out there, i'm looking at schools for a paramedic program. I am wondering if it is worth it to go for the extra months for the degree or to just deal with the certificate program? I already have an associates degree in liberal arts and sciences, but I really want to get the BA in Paramedicine. If it's not really worth the extra effort then maybe I should just get the certificate? Let me know what you think/have done.
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From what I understand, at some point ALL states will be getting rid of the certificate program and going to degree programs, so I'd say go ahead and do it now if you can. According to my school (and I don't know if it's right or not), my state is only one of two so far that offer AS degrees for paramedics (BS is also available).
 
There's plenty of schools around the country that offer associate degree programs. However there's only one state that I know of (Oregon) that requries an associates degree to be licensed.
 
Actually my state, (New Mexico) now requires a degree as well.
 
EMTMama said:
Actually my state, (New Mexico) now requires a degree as well.
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No it does not. Trust me on this.

When I was doing medic at CNM we had just gotten approval for our AAS program. UNM already has one. Both schools are pushing to make it a requirement, but they're pretty far from it still..

Where did you get your info from, just out of curiousity?
 
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EMTMama said:
Actually my state, (New Mexico) now requires a degree as well.
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Do you have a link that states that? The state website is still showing "certificate" and a couple of the colleges still have the 43 semester hour program.

From what I understand, at some point ALL states will be getting rid of the certificate program and going to degree programs, so I'd say go ahead and do it now if you can. According to my school (and I don't know if it's right or not), my state is only one of two so far that offer AS degrees for paramedics (BS is also available).
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That will be nowhere in the near future as some states are having a difficult time accepting the accreditation requirement scheduled for the end of 2012. Others are fretting about the new NREMT levels for 2014.

There have been degree programs, both 2 and 4 year, offered in the EMS since the early 1970s. However, they have not been popular. The colleges have also watered down the science and math course work which is normally required for other health care professions to "A&P for the Paramedic", "Pharmacology for the Paramedic" and "Math for the Paramedic". Looking at couple of the colleges NM, I see they have done this as well.
 
jtpaintball70 said:
No it does not. Trust me on this.

When I was doing medic at CNM we had just gotten approval for our AAS program. UNM already has one. Both schools are pushing to make it a requirement, but they're pretty far from it still..

Where did you get your info from, just out of curiousity?
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Cy Stockoff (director of the program, for those of you not familiar). According to him, New Mexico is only the second state in the nation to now require a degree to be a paramedic. CNM (where I attend), no longer offers a paramedic certificate program, it is now a degree program as of a couple months ago.
 
VentMedic said:
Do you have a link that states that? The state website is still showing "certificate" and a couple of the colleges still have the 43 semester hour program.



That will be nowhere in the near future as some states are having a difficult time accepting the accreditation requirement scheduled for the end of 2012. Others are fretting about the new NREMT levels for 2014.

There have been degree programs, both 2 and 4 year, offered in the EMS since the early 1970s. However, they have not been popular. The colleges have also watered down the science and math course work which is normally required for other health care professions to "A&P for the Paramedic", "Pharmacology for the Paramedic" and "Math for the Paramedic". Looking at couple of the colleges NM, I see they have done this as well.
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I'll see if I can find a link. This is the information that my program director is giving out, so let me see what I can find.

ETA: It's possible I'm mixing SCHOOL requirement with STATE requirement...my understanding was that NM was going to be next on the list to require a degree for paramedics - but maybe the school has acted pre-emptively in anticipation of that change??
 
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jtpaintball70 said:
No it does not. Trust me on this.

When I was doing medic at CNM we had just gotten approval for our AAS program. UNM already has one. Both schools are pushing to make it a requirement, but they're pretty far from it still..

Where did you get your info from, just out of curiousity?
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You know what, I think that's exactly what I did - when Cy was talking about NM requiring a degree for paramedic, I was thinking it ALREADY requires the degree, not that it WILL.

Honest mistake. :blush:
 
Oh well, maybe soon. At least you will be good to go when it happens
 
JPINFV said:
Happens from time to time...
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:lol:

The way I was looking at it, too, was since at this college they only offer an AS degree for paramedics, and you have to be NREMT to practice in NM (correct me if I'm wrong on that as well), that that in essence is stating that a degree is required.
 
EMTMama said:
I'll see if I can find a link. This is the information that my program director is giving out, so let me see what I can find.

ETA: It's possible I'm mixing SCHOOL requirement with STATE requirement...my understanding was that NM was going to be next on the list to require a degree for paramedics - but maybe the school has acted pre-emptively in anticipation of that change??
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Nope you are mixing them. I was part of Cohort 6 and we were the last certificate option class. We could go back and retroactively do the humanities pre reqs and get our AAS. All cohorts after ours are AAS only, with no certificate option

EDIT: Shows what happens when I don't read all the rest of the responses :P Good luck on your training at CNM. Cy is one of the best guys that I've ever had class with. Is he your Intermediate instructor as well?
 
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jtpaintball70 said:
Nope you are mixing them. I was part of Cohort 6 and we were the last certificate option class. We could go back and retroactively do the humanities pre reqs and get our AAS. All cohorts after ours are AAS only, with no certificate option
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Exactly. No more certificates. I thought I would get grandfathered in but I didn't, the last class to do that was last summer, wasn't it?

So what I'm saying is, since no more certificate programs are available, and you HAVE to have a degree (as a paramedic) and become NREMT, isn't that the same as stating a degree is required?

I'm not arguing, I'm genuinely interested if there is a distinction.
 
jtpaintball70 said:
Nope you are mixing them. I was part of Cohort 6 and we were the last certificate option class. We could go back and retroactively do the humanities pre reqs and get our AAS. All cohorts after ours are AAS only, with no certificate option

EDIT: Shows what happens when I don't read all the rest of the responses :P Good luck on your training at CNM. Cy is one of the best guys that I've ever had class with. Is he your Intermediate instructor as well?
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He comes in from time to time. Jessica Medrano is technically my instructor. :)
 
EMTMama said:
So what I'm saying is, since no more certificate programs are available, and you HAVE to have a degree (as a paramedic) and become NREMT, isn't that the same as stating a degree is required?

I'm not arguing, I'm genuinely interested if there is a distinction.
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The NREMT does not require a degree. The only thing the NREMT will be looking for at the beginning of 2013 is a Paramedic cert from an accredited program.
 
EMTMama said:
Exactly. No more certificates. I thought I would get grandfathered in but I didn't, the last class to do that was last summer, wasn't it?

So what I'm saying is, since no more certificate programs are available, and you HAVE to have a degree (as a paramedic) and become NREMT, isn't that the same as stating a degree is required?

I'm not arguing, I'm genuinely interested if there is a distinction.
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IIRC the new NREMT standards don't have an AAS required yet. But those don't kick in for another two years anyways. NM DOES use NREMT-P for initial licensing, but to maintain licensure in this state you don't have to keep your NREMT-P current, just your NM EMT-P license. And of course we don't use NR for any other levels (which as I can attest, makes moving a :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: and a half).

Yea, they didn't do too good a job on the grandfathering when it comes to putting out info. My cohort knew from the beginning we were the last grandfathered class, but they didn't really let anyone else know.

And Jessica is great too. She was preceptor for some of my tested scenarios and skills.
 
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