I know the philosophy of getting a degree is primarily that the source is irrelevant, as long as you have the piece of paper, but is medic school an exception to that rule? One medic told me to go to the cheapest school I could find because ultimately the curriculum is state mandated and i'll get the same education either way. In my situation, I'm actually registered to go to a 9k tuition only program that I hear good things about, one hour away. It's also at a L2 trauma center in a city that has some good calls so my clinical time there will be excellent. On the other hand there's a 6.5k semester that is about 30 mins away that according to a friend doesn't challenge their students, and the didactic is not that difficult. So one school that essentially meets expectations and another that exceeds it, thoughts?
Choosing a medic school
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Shishkabob
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Go to the better school.
A good school will have teachers that teach beyond the minimum and don't spend half the class talking about war stories of when they were in the field.
My school was an hour away, and most of my clinicals were 1.5 hours away. I chose the right school as the main teacher was not only experienced, but expected well past the minimum. The school final was much tougher than the NREMT (but not as nerve-wracking)
A good school will have teachers that teach beyond the minimum and don't spend half the class talking about war stories of when they were in the field.
My school was an hour away, and most of my clinicals were 1.5 hours away. I chose the right school as the main teacher was not only experienced, but expected well past the minimum. The school final was much tougher than the NREMT (but not as nerve-wracking)
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All medic schools are not created equal. Go to an accredited program.
Shishkabob
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Hold up.
While I'd recommended accredited over non accredited if all other things were equal, the fact that a school is accredited doesn't make it better.
My school was not accredited when I went (they were finishing up the process), but will anyone here argue that I did not receive a good education? (You dont count, JPIN)
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I'll agree Linuss. Im in the same situation with my school working on becoming accredited as I attend, and the patch factory Houston sends their FFs to is accredited if I remember correctly, so that just proves your point even more.
And no i think your education was sub par!
:rofl:
I kid I kid
And no i think your education was sub par!
:rofl:I kid I kid
dstevens58
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I had basically two schools in this area (three if I counted the university with the two-year program).
I asked the paramedics I rode with. There were some preferences, but I concentrated on a couple of paramedics that had attended both schools to some point.
I chose the school with the best pass/fail ratio. I want to attend the school where they concentrate on study, the student and getting them to understand and pass the standards set by the State.
I know this is not going to be a picnic or a gimmee school, but I do like to know that I will be a good medic once I graduate.
I asked the paramedics I rode with. There were some preferences, but I concentrated on a couple of paramedics that had attended both schools to some point.
I chose the school with the best pass/fail ratio. I want to attend the school where they concentrate on study, the student and getting them to understand and pass the standards set by the State.
I know this is not going to be a picnic or a gimmee school, but I do like to know that I will be a good medic once I graduate.
mistertheatre
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does anyone know anything, positive or negative, about the NEMSA Acadian Academy? Looking into their Paramedic program.
Thanks
Thanks
Flightorbust
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High pass rate doesnt mean good. I can make a class so easy that any one can pass it. It doesnt mean I taught you everything you need. I could have givin you the bare min. I would go off of what people say that went to the schools.
If you want to look at pass/fail rate, I think it is a better gauge if you look at NREMT pass/fail rate.
I agree a school can give false assumptions if they make the curriculum so easy anybody can pass it. Sure it makes them look good on the surface, but if the students can't pass the NR, what good is it?
I agree a school can give false assumptions if they make the curriculum so easy anybody can pass it. Sure it makes them look good on the surface, but if the students can't pass the NR, what good is it?
dstevens58
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That was part of my gauge also. I looked at not only the school's pass/fail, but the national. I also went on the recommendations of a couple of paramedics that had attended some portion of either school. One school placed emphasis on skills through clinical practice, the other placing emphasis on learning, seeing and doing.
I'm ready for the challenge ahead of me.