Education

[medichopeful]

Okay, so I have been reading a lot of posts on here that say that education is key. I completely agree.

Here is my question: how can I make myself the best paramedic possible? Here is my plan as of now:

-Gain experience working with people (by teaching karate), and gain experience with people of lesser fortune than me (by volunteering at a place that provides furniture to the needy)
-Obtain a 4-year degree (B.S. in biology, with a pre-health emphasis. In other words, I will be taking courses like human biology, A&P 1+2, and microbiology, along with other biology courses). I will possibly be minoring in sociology. I will be starting college in the fall.
-Work as an EMT at my college (for approximately 4 years). Please note: medic school is not an option while in college. I have other things to focus on, mainly school work. The EMT class is an elective, so it counts toward college credit. Everything I have heard about the class says that it is very good.

Is there anything else that I can do?

(Before anybody suggests medic school, let me say this: as of now, medic school is not the right thing for me. I am going to try to get on with Boston EMS, who has a different process than most to work as a paramedic. I will be going to paramedic school in the future).

Thanks in advance,
Eric

 

[Summit]

That sounds like a good plan.

Study Spanish at college and take a few psychology classes. Also take some chemisty, physics, and pathophysiology class.

(I am not a medic)

 

[medic3416]

"Advocate for respect"

First of all I love your signature (above). More people should advocate for respect!
As for your question, you have a great plan. However with a great plan like that you should consider PA school when you are done. If you do well in college and follow through with your plan you would be a great candidate. Don’t get me wrong EMS needs educated and competent paramedics but it tends not to be a long term career for most. PA can allow you do both and it is a long term professional career practicing medicine and some PA dabble in EMS also. The PA profession was originally started to train in particular army medics that already had great health care experience, then it expanded to civilian paramedics and now has evolved to take a variety of folks with broad health care and education experience. But the backbone of the training has not changed to much, it is still very much like paramedic programs (just on steroids LOL !).
Just a thought,
Good luck

 

[medichopeful]

That sounds like a good plan.

Study Spanish at college and take a few psychology classes. Also take some chemisty, physics, and pathophysiology class.

(I am not a medic)

Whoops! I forgot to say, I will be taking Spanish as well. I believe I will be taking chemistry, but I am not sure about physics. If the opportunity presents itself, I will look into it.

 

[medichopeful]

"Advocate for respect"

First of all I love your signature (above). More people should advocate for respect!
As for your question, you have a great plan. However with a great plan like that you should consider PA school when you are done. If you do well in college and follow through with your plan you would be a great candidate. Don’t get me wrong EMS needs educated and competent paramedics but it tends not to be a long term career for most. PA can allow you do both and it is a long term professional career practicing medicine and some PA dabble in EMS also. The PA profession was originally started to train in particular army medics that already had great health care experience, then it expanded to civilian paramedics and now has evolved to take a variety of folks with broad health care and education experience. But the backbone of the training has not changed to much, it is still very much like paramedic programs (just on steroids LOL !).
Just a thought,
Good luck

Thanks for the input.

I have actually considered PA school/ medical school, but as of now, I am thinking that I will enjoy being "on the streets" and in the middle of things. Don't get me wrong, PA/M.D. is a great career, and I respect the people who do it, but it isn't the right one for me, as far as I am concerned. I don't really like the idea of being in a building all the time, like most PAs/M.D.s are. I like the idea of interacting with people "in the moment," and helping out in a crisis. Not saying PAs don't do that, but it is a little different. Plus, being a paramedic, you get the cool lights and sirens

I do see your point about paramedicine not being a long-term career for many, but we will see. Some people make it their life-long career, and I am hoping that I will be one of these people. If not, I will have the education to go onto something different, like PA/med school.

Yeah, we definitely need more respect in this world, wherever it may be, either here (EMTLife), or in the "real" world. Thanks for the kind words!

Your input was very helpful as well. I learned some things I didn't know!

Eric

 

[JPINFV]

I don't really like the idea of being in a building all the time, like most PAs/M.D.s are. I like the idea of interacting with people "in the moment," and helping out in a crisis. Not saying PAs don't do that, but it is a little different. Plus, being a paramedic, you get the cool lights and sirens

Medicine at the physician level is what you make of it. Even physicians, from time to time, get to play with the lights and sirens.

http://em.morristownresidency.org/Fellowships/EMS Fellowship Overview.htm

Prehospital Care

A primary role of the fellow is based in the prehospital arena. An authorized vehicle is used by the fellow for prehospital responses in the region surrounding the Atlantic Health System hospitals. The vehicle, “MD-1,” is a specially-equipped truck that contains controlled medications, laboratory equipment, fiberoptic intubation tools, surgical supplies, and many other pieces of equipment that enable a physician to provide the highest level prehospital care. At his discretion, the fellow can respond to mass casualty incidents, entrapments, prolonged extrication times, when requested by the MICUs, or when he thinks the patient may benefit from his expertise. In addition, the fellow will be able to use MD-1 at his discretion for his daily transportation. At any time, if the fellow is going to be unable to respond to calls for an extended period of time or if, for other reasons, he does not want to be “on-call,” the fellowship director or other emergency physician will assume responsibility for the vehicle. A defensive driving class will be taken by the fellow prior to using the vehicle. When possible, the fellow will provide on-line command to the paramedics on scene and by radio.

 

[LucidResq]

When you say work as an EMT for your college, what do you mean by that?

Volunteering?

You probably won't gain much experience working for a volunteer college "rescue squad", honestly.

What school will you be going to? Do they have a health sciences school / university hospital? If so, try to see if you can get student employment or work study doing patient care.

I considered working with a volly ambulance squad out here before getting a student employment job in an OB GYN clinic. While it's not EMS, I believe that this was the better choice as far as gaining relevant experience, believe it or not. I have probably seen and dealt with 800 x more patients in the clinic than I would have on the ambulance squad. And while I may not have experience driving an ambulance or anything like that, I'm happier knowing I have much more experience simply talking to patients and getting good histories.

 

[medichopeful]

When you say work as an EMT for your college, what do you mean by that?

Volunteering?

Yes, volunteering.

You probably won't gain much experience working for a volunteer college "rescue squad", honestly.

I know that unfortunately, I will not get much experience working for a college squad. But any experience is better than none.

What school will you be going to? Do they have a health sciences school / university hospital? If so, try to see if you can get student employment or work study doing patient care.

I will be going to Westfield State in MA. They do not have a hospital or anything like that which is under their control, but they do have a hospital that is very nearby, where I will be volunteering (hopefully, depends on time). They do have internships, and I may be able to get one of these (though they are mostly for research, so I might just do plain volunteering).

I considered working with a volly ambulance squad out here before getting a student employment job in an OB GYN clinic. While it's not EMS, I believe that this was the better choice as far as gaining relevant experience, believe it or not. I have probably seen and dealt with 800 x more patients in the clinic than I would have on the ambulance squad. And while I may not have experience driving an ambulance or anything like that, I'm happier knowing I have much more experience simply talking to patients and getting good histories.

Like I said earlier in this post, I may be volunteering at a hospital that is nearby the school. Hopefully, I will be able to volunteer with the public safety department at the same time. Doing both should (I hope) give me plenty of experience.

I would be happy doing anything that would give me experience with patients. Hopefully, I will be able to do that. I know I will be able to with the volunteer squad (although it may not be very much, but every bit helps), and I will also be able to gain experience from actually working in the hospital.

Thanks for the input!
Eric

 

[medichopeful]

Medicine at the physician level is what you make of it. Even physicians, from time to time, get to play with the lights and sirens.

http://em.morristownresidency.org/Fellowships/EMS Fellowship Overview.htm

That is actually pretty cool. Thanks for the link!

I still don't know if becoming a physician is right for me, though. It is something I just don't know about. But who knows? In the future, I may want to go to med school h34r:

And by the way, I am not entering the field just for the lights and sirens . I feel myself drawn to EMS. Don't worry, not a whacker

 

[Summit]

I believe I will be taking chemistry, but I am not sure about physics. If the opportunity presents itself, I will look into it.

Education is to understand how our patients work and how they work when they don't work, to build the basis for physiology and pathophysiology. Anatomy, biology, and chemistry are parts of that. All of them are built upon physics.

Blood flow and blood pressure and the heart? Hydraulics, fluid dynamics, and electromagnetism

The respiratory system? Gas laws

Temperature regulation and metabolism? Thermodynamics

Biomechanics and Trauma? Kinematics and statics

A semester or two of algebra based physics will improve you understand of the human body and EMS as well as the world around you.

 

[medichopeful]

Education is to understand how our patients work and how they work when they don't work, to build the basis for physiology and pathophysiology. Anatomy, biology, and chemistry are parts of that. All of them are built upon physics.

Blood flow and blood pressure and the heart? Hydraulics, fluid dynamics, and electromagnetism

The respiratory system? Gas laws

Temperature regulation and metabolism? Thermodynamics

Biomechanics and Trauma? Kinematics and statics

A semester or two of algebra based physics will improve you understand of the human body and EMS as well as the world around you.

You have good points there. I think I will end up taking physics, though it is not something I really want to do (I hate math).

I already took physics once (high school) and hated it. But if it will make me a better paramedic, I should probably take it again.

Thanks for the advice!