EMT certified!!, now.....?

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adlx21

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Hey guys, I just passed my NREMT and got certified in California :). I was wondering what are some good ways of continuing your knowledge as an EMT and also retaining them. Maybe some sites? Couple(important) parts of EMT? Certain methods, i dont know, anything! :P

I would assume being an EMT would be the best way, but in the meantime of getting a job, what else?

Thanks in advance
 
Community college, university extension, or summer school (yea, a little too late. I include it because I know UC Irvine has essentially open enrollment for their summer sessions) courses in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, physics, neurobiology, psychology, etc.
 
What JP said... then paramedic school.
 
Congrats on passing the NREMT :):):)

I hope you not stop learning. :):)
 
adlx21 said:
I would assume being an EMT would be the best way, but in the meantime of getting a job, what else?
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Nothing beats experience. You might want to look at a volunteer service until you can get a career position. A lot of volunteer services provide continuing education to their members.
 
Jems.com, ems1.com, emsresponder.com, allnurses.com, ccmtutorials.com, ems12lead.blogspot.com (a member here runs that site), I'm sure there's plenty more that I'm not familiar with but those will work for starters. Also read books, magazines, journals etc. Another good way of snagging up some CME's is call your state EMS agency and see if they have an annual conference or anything. I can cover 1/2 of my CME's by attending our state conference plus you get to see all the new products coming out and going with a group from work makes it just about the most fun you can have without going to jail.

And I agree with everyone else go to medic school and get a job.
 
Agree with the others. Don't stop at the basic level. Head on to medic school. That is the best way to gain knowledge but also don't wait to long. Let the desire drive you.
 
wyoskibum said:
Nothing beats experience. You might want to look at a volunteer service until you can get a career position. A lot of volunteer services provide continuing education to their members.
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wyo, be careful about suggesting EMS volunteerism to Californians. Depending on where they are, it pretty much doesn't exist.

To the op, go back to college, and, GET A JOB (easier said then done, I know).
 
I agree with trying to get a job. Also there are many private companies out there that keep you up to date and focus in better detail on certain skills. www.occpr.com is just one of them. Some of the classes can also get you CE's which will help when it comes time for certification/license renewal. You can get your PALS certification which is always good to have.
 
adlx21 said:
Hey guys, I just passed my NREMT and got certified in California :). I was wondering what are some good ways of continuing your knowledge as an EMT and also retaining them. Maybe some sites? Couple(important) parts of EMT? Certain methods, i dont know, anything! :P

I would assume being an EMT would be the best way, but in the meantime of getting a job, what else?

Thanks in advance
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Congratz. I would probably get a job for now.

If you really like medicine you could either go for your NREMT-P, RN, or ...

... even go to med-school and become an MD. But if you decide to go for an MD, make sure that you want to do this 150% because the next 10-15 years of your life are strictly only in school and then you will be learning for the rest of your life.
Not that I'm saying being an NREMT-P and RN does not require you to keep learning, and keep refining your skills.

In the world of medicine knowledge never stops. ^_^
 
First of all congrats on making it. Basic service and hospital sponsered classes are the norm across the US. Reading trade journals (JEMS, EMS Magazine, etc) are a good source as well.
 
HotelCo said:
Agreed. But don't forget to look through your basic book from time to time.
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Why?

If one has to stop and look through a first aid manual to remember something, then we have a problem. Don't even proceed into medicine if you can't master the the basic elements. The advanced level builds upon the stance of already understanding the general knowledge.

R/r 911
 
My advice is to read, read, and read. And don't limit yourself to all that is considered BLS. Start to understand on the ALS level. Get a subscription to JEMS and EMS Responder Magazine.... they have some great articles and are a great tool to advance your knowledge.

And there is no substitute for experience. Don't be a clipboard EMT... that is where all they do is ask the patient about their meds, medical history, and how many dogs they have and spend the entire time writing it on the clipboard without actually being hands on and doing a good assessment.
 
hey, thanks for all the information people.
I think learning the side of ALS will help out a lot.
 
If I were you, I would definately continue with the education. Paramedic school is worth going through, definately makes finding a job easier as EMT-B's outnumber medics about 3 to 1.
 
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