EMT-B & Clinical Support Degree

[Zalan]

Earlier this year I had discussion going on here about Accelerated Paramedic program. However, finishing my EMT-B course with an A. It has left me wanting to know more, & learn more. I was thinking about taking the Clinical Support Degree program before jumping into the Paramedic program.

Below I`m going to post the Degree Program. Would you take this program as a EMT-B? or would you skip it & go straight into Paramedic? Would you take an Ambulance Intership that is 200 hrs if you have no other way of getting EMS Experience? Would being a Pharmacy Tech, Phelobotmy, or Qualified Medical Aide, or Electrocardiography Tech be beneficial experience prior to EMS?

 

[Zalan]

General Education
APHY 101 Anatomy and Physiology I 3
APHY 102 Anatomy and Physiology II 3
ENGL 111 English Composition 3
IVYT 1XX Life Skills Elective 1 - 3
MATH 1XX Mathematics Elective 3
XXXX XXX Humanities/Social & Behavioral Sciences Elective 3
Select 1 of the following courses.
COMM 101 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 3
COMM 102 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication 3
General Education: 19 - 21


Professional-Technical
CINS 101 Introduction to Microcomputers 3
HLHS 100 Introduction to Health Careers 3
HLHS 101 Medical Terminology 3
HLHS 105 Medical Law and Ethics 3
HLHS 111 Health and Wellness for Life 3
HLHS 211 Nutrition 3
Professional-Technical: 18


Concentration Electives - Choose 1 to 6 Courses
HLHS 106 Health Care Support Certifications 3
>> HLHS 115 Pharmacology for Health Care Support 3
HLHS 118 Diversity in Health Care 3
HLHS 202 Community Resources 3
HLHS 203 Disability Awareness in Health Care 3
HUMS 120 Health and Aging 3
HUMS 140 Loss and Grief 3
MEAS 242 Disease Conditions 3
Concentration Electives - Choose 1 to 6 Courses: 24


Certification - Certified Nursing Assistant
HLHS 107 CNA Preparation 5
Certification - Certified Nursing Assistant: 5


Certification - Dementia Care
HLHS 113 Dementia Care 3
Certification - Dementia Care: 3


Certification - Electrocardiography
CARD 205 Introduction to Electrocardiography 3
CARD 206 Advanced Electrocardiograph Technique 3
CARD 207 ECG Externship 3
Certification - Electrocardiography: 9


Certification - Emergency Medical Technician
PARM 102 Emergency Medical Technician - Basic Training 7.5
Certification - Emergency Medical Technician: 7.5


Certification - Home Health Aide
HLHS 114 Home Health Aide 5
Certification - Home Health Aide: 5


Certification - Pharmacy Technician
PHAR 101 Pharmacy Technician I 3
PHAR 201 Pharmacy Technician II 3
PHAR 202 Pharmacy Technician Experiential Seminar 3
Certification - Pharmacy Technician: 9


Certification - Phlebotomy
MEAS 219 Medical Assisting Laboratory Techniques 3
PHLB 212 Phlebotomy 3
PHLB 257 Phlebotomy Externship 3
Certification - Phlebotomy: 9


Certification - Qualified Medication Aide
HLHS 117 QMA Preparation 5
Certification - Qualified Medication Aide: 5

Total: 113.5 - 115.5

 

[RALS504]

I would at the bare minimum do the A&P I & A&P II prior to Medic school. The Clinical Support Degree route looks good & you will be able to transition to other degrees & programs if you change your mind. You don't need the other certs but will not hurt you. One suggestion I always tell EMT-B before Medic or Intermediate school is to donate blood a few times to experience being a pin cushion, I mean a patient. Good Luck!

 

[rook901]

Let me preface my post by saying that no education is wasted, and it's always great to experience different areas of healthcare.

Having said that... to be perfectly honest at the risk of sounding rude, I wouldn't waste my time on this program. It looks like you get a lot of certifications for a lot of low-paying, low-level jobs with very limited upward mobility. The overall degree isn't going to get you any more money in any of these jobs.

Now, if you have a genuine interest in one of the certifications offered, I would definitely take the individual course, but would not spend that much time on a program like this where you're kind of jumping all over the place.

Would this program benefit you in EMS? Minimally. You would learn a bit about medications, interpreting EKG's, and venipuncture. But, you'll learn these things in medic school. Otherwise, much of what you'll learn will not directly apply to EMS.

If I were in your position, I would focus on medic school if that were my current goal.

 

[Veneficus]

I agree with rook901

I am all for EMS providers having a 4 year degree, but this one doesn't seem to get you anything except perhaps a lot of college debt and no mobility.

There is no basic science that I can see which would be prereqs for nursing, PA, or medical school. (or any other healthcare field I can think of)

Not sure that generations that grew up with computers needs a class in them. They could probably teach it better than the instructor.

The concentration electives look like interesting classes by title, but never judge a class by title. I have had basic classes that exceeded their mandate considerably.

If I were you I would look into a bio/chm/basic science degree. Take paramedic class after your first year. The basic sciences in bio/chm/physics, will make medic class much easier.

You will also probably have all the prereqs for any other healthcare field you may aspire to after.

 

[rook901]

I am all for EMS providers having a 4 year degree, but this one doesn't seem to get you anything except perhaps a lot of college debt and no mobility.

In skimming through the course listing, I hadn't even noticed that this appears to be a Bachelor's degree program. Didn't pay attention to the actual number of hours for each course. Wow. I had assumed that this was an AAS program! 113-115 hours? Yikes! :wacko:

 

[Aerin-Sol]

I will also add that if you really want to take some of the classes, and it is an option for you, I would highly encourage you to take them at the university level, especially anything in the first 3 categories. I'm not an intellectual snob and I appreciate the value of community colleges, but it's been my experience that university level courses, at least in the humanites, tend to provide much more education, and you seem interested in getting a good education.

 

[Zalan]

I guess I should clarify a few things. Sorry, for not giving all the info.

The program only requires you to get two certifications out of the list from EMT-B, CNA, QMA, Phelobotmist, Pharmacy Tech, HHA, & Electrocardiography Tech. Its only a 2 yr degree program.

Required Credits are:
General Education
Professional-Technical (Intro to Comps- teaches excel, office 2007 etc)
Concentration Electives (Only have to do 1 but can pick up to 6)
2- Certifications from the above mentioned professions.

37 Credits - Is the Bare Bone Minium + Certs.

Probable only take about 50 Credit hours to get the degree. Already completed the EMT-B class just got to get certified.

Thanks for taking the time to look & answer questions. I was really curious if any of the things outside of the Cert. would be helpfull in the field.

 

[Veneficus]

knowledge is power.

Any information you get in your education should be applicable, it is just a question of finding out how it applies.

I have found that I use the information from even my most basic courses regularly.

I hear a lot of people say that such basic information is irrelevant to the practical aspects of a job, but I don't see it that way. If something you learn isn't working for you, then you have to try harder to figure out the application.

It has also been my experience university level classes are more indepth and useful too.

 

[rook901]

I guess I should clarify a few things. Sorry, for not giving all the info.

Well, that makes a lot more sense, only having two of the certs.

However, at this time, I still believe that it isn't conducive to your goal of becoming a medic. It certainly wouldn't hurt, but I don't believe that it would help that much in preparing for EMS, aside from what I mentioned above.

I can't say it enough -- I am all for more education, but I don't believe that this program will give you the edge you're looking for, and I believe that you would be better served getting your Paramedic sooner and doing something like this later for career mobility (although an AAS in Paramedicine or a BS in Emergency Management or Public Health would serve you better if you want to advance in EMS).

 

[SerumK]

Any knowledge is good, but try to find a real set of A&P classes. 6 hours doesn't seem right for a full A&P class.

 

[Zalan]

Thats Credit Hours not actual class hours. Its actually 4hrs/wk for 16 wks for A&P 1, then repeat that for A&P 2.

 

[rook901]

Any knowledge is good, but try to find a real set of A&P classes. 6 hours doesn't seem right for a full A&P class.

6 semester hours of A&P is pretty standard, either as 3 hours A&P I and 3 hours A&P II, or 3 hours of Anatomy and 3 hour of Physiology. Some universities offer it as 4 and 4. But, most universities I've looked at offer it as 3 + 3 (and I've looked at waaay too many different programs across the country to count).