Direct EMT-B to EMT-I

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bertropolis

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I plan to attend one of the EMT-B bootcamp courses that last 2 or 3 weeks and cost less. It seems there's a number of disadvantages to taking this course, though. First, seeing as it will be out of state, I won't have established a network within the area I want to work. And secondly, given it's partially online and a quicker course, I assume they don't hold as good of a reputation. I'll be working in Michigan but am traveling north through the US in the spring, so I can choose from a number of these bootcamp courses in various locations.

However, to offset the negatives and take advantage of the saved money, I plan to enroll in an EMT-I course near my potential job district. I will hopefully establish some sort of network and improve the appeal of my resume. With no experience, I don't hope to find jobs offered to EMT-I and not EMT-Bs, but simply to improve my appeal above that of an EMT-B, and to do it in an economically efficient manner.

Further, I am looking into adding a wilderness token to my EMT certification, hoping that in my travels I'll be able to snag an outdoor EMT-like position.


So, I have a few questions.

Does the educational institution at which you take an EMT - B course and it's location have a large influence when applying for a job? In other words, do employers care where an EMT was certified?

Given this, are some bootcamp courses better than others?

Is it possible to get a EMT-I certification without any work experience as an EMT-B?

Would taking a wilderness EMT course really open up wilderness EMT job opportunities? More generally, is what they teach useful?

And, is my plan crazy?
 
Sorry...

For posting about such varied and general topics in one thread. I couldn't find simple answers to my questions throughout the forum.
 
Depends on the agency on whether or not they look at where you graduated basic from. Most seem to care about how well you can do your skills vs. whether or not you spent 16 weeks getting your basic.


Yes you can go from EMT-B to intermediate immediately with no work experience.
 
I've searched more and found some concerning feedback regarding the effectivenet of these bootcamp courses. Would it help that I have a bachelors degree in cell and molecular biology, have taken all prerequisite medical school courses (chems, bios with physiology, physics, math, englsh), and studied for and did well on the MCAT. If you're interested in knowing, I've decided on a different path and don't intend to go to medical school any more.
 
bertropolis said:
I've searched more and found some concerning feedback regarding the effectivenet of these bootcamp courses. Would it help that I have a bachelors degree in cell and molecular biology, have taken all prerequisite medical school courses (chems, bios with physiology, physics, math, englsh), and studied for and did well on the MCAT. If you're interested in knowing, I've decided on a different path and don't intend to go to medical school any more.
Click to expand...

I took my EMT course at SOLO -- I was in college at the time, not for a hard science degree, but I had some Bio under my belt, and I know it helped me. There was another guy in the class with a similar background to yours and he did quite well. I would say that since you have a bachelors degree -- especially a science one -- you'll find any EMT course to be fun, rather than challenging. I loved my course, but for me the big challenge was the kinesthetic rather than the cognitive aspect.
 
Sure, you can do it. It might be a little harder for you to put together what you are learning in terms of actual practice just because you don't have much pt care under your belt. But, you can do it.

Now wether you should or not is another story. I will not comment here because I really don't know what I think yet. There are some very strong opinions on this issue however.
 
With your background, you should have no trouble with an accelerated EMT course.
 
bertropolis said:
I plan to attend one of the EMT-B bootcamp courses that last 2 or 3 weeks and cost less. It seems there's a number of disadvantages to taking this course, though. First, seeing as it will be out of state, I won't have established a network within the area I want to work. And secondly, given it's partially online and a quicker course, I assume they don't hold as good of a reputation. I'll be working in Michigan but am traveling north through the US in the spring, so I can choose from a number of these bootcamp courses in various locations.

However, to offset the negatives and take advantage of the saved money, I plan to enroll in an EMT-I course near my potential job district. I will hopefully establish some sort of network and improve the appeal of my resume. With no experience, I don't hope to find jobs offered to EMT-I and not EMT-Bs, but simply to improve my appeal above that of an EMT-B, and to do it in an economically efficient manner.

Further, I am looking into adding a wilderness token to my EMT certification, hoping that in my travels I'll be able to snag an outdoor EMT-like position.


So, I have a few questions.

Does the educational institution at which you take an EMT - B course and it's location have a large influence when applying for a job? In other words, do employers care where an EMT was certified?

Given this, are some bootcamp courses better than others?

Is it possible to get a EMT-I certification without any work experience as an EMT-B?

Would taking a wilderness EMT course really open up wilderness EMT job opportunities? More generally, is what they teach useful?

And, is my plan crazy?
Click to expand...

One small kink in your plan. If not already, soon its going to be very difficult to find an intermediate class, as they're being phased out and replaced with the Advanced EMT level.
 
medicdan said:
One small kink in your plan. If not already, soon its going to be very difficult to find an intermediate class, as they're being phased out and replaced with the Advanced EMT level.
Click to expand...

Semantics. Nm is still calling them intermediate classes.

Some states are just keeping the old name.
 
WMA "boot camps"

fwiw - I took a WFR class with the Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA) curriculum last year on Hurricane Island in Maine. It was one of their "hybrid" courses where I was required to do hours on line and in the book before attending a 5-day 40 hour field class. It was more like 50 hours and was split pretty evenly between classroom and field scenarios. My instructors were a high altitude mountain guide/paramedic/flight medic, a mountain clinic PA/former Outward Bound instructor/mountain rescue team member, and an international WFR program instructor/EMT. I can't speak highly enough of WMA and their hybrid classes. Google them. Oh - that PA was also the author of our text book, Jeff Isaacs, which, if I understand correctly is the gold standard book for WFR. There is an organization in Michigan called Northern Cairn that offers the WMA curriculum hybrid W/EMT and hybrid W/AEMT classes. I am going to take their W/AEMT class in 2014. My WFR meets the prerequisite requirements.

I am in the process of trying to figure out if I should commit to the 16 week ski patrol OEC course or just go for the W/AEMT and then challenge the OEC test.

Good discussion... thanks for starting it.

kev
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just rethinking this... I said it was 50 hours "live" class work for the WFR cert on Hurricane Island. It was easily 60.

- k
 
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