Hello all,
I'm hoping someone here can give me some better insight into the field of para-medicine. I'm currently a 27 year old attending the university for engineering, and I don't really like the direction the engineering field is heading. However, a few years ago I took an EMT-B class and loved it. I'm strongly considering obtaining a BS degree in para-medicine (EMT-P) (our university offers it with specialization in clinical care, management/admin, or teaching).
I spoke with my uncle whom is a cardiologist and also is on the EMS board for a rural area. He says that the field of para-medicine is changing and actually becoming "dumbed down". He explained that the EMS system is shifting generally to focus more on policy and protocol (i.e. reading computer interpretations of EKG versus actually learning how to read EKG). He said there is no problem solving and that it would probably become extremely boring.
A few questions I hope some of you might answer for me:
1) Do you feel that your abilities to make decisions as a paramedic are becoming more and more limited?
2) Is there truly no problem solving ability required for this field?
3) I'm very hands on oriented, is this field just that?
4) I'm kind of a "jack of all trades" type person. I'm very adaptable to situations, I am very good with technology and used to do tech support (which I loved until they dumbed it down and made me use a computerized diagnostic program). This "dumbing down" concept truly scares me, I need autonomy and the ability to adapt to changing situations. I don't want to read off some stupid diagnostic chart that says "OK, this didn't work, try this" type set-up. Would this field be good for me in these respects?
5) Could some of you give me a day-in-the-life description of a paramedic? What do you do in the downtime? Do you guys just chill and play game-boys or something or what? I really don't know so I'm just taking shots in the dark.
6) What additional advice or suggestions might you give someone like me who is completely new and ignorant to the field?
Thank you so much for reading and for any and all responses. You won't believe how much of a positive potential you might have in really influencing my decision to look deeper into this field.
Best, eagerly awaiting your input.
I'm hoping someone here can give me some better insight into the field of para-medicine. I'm currently a 27 year old attending the university for engineering, and I don't really like the direction the engineering field is heading. However, a few years ago I took an EMT-B class and loved it. I'm strongly considering obtaining a BS degree in para-medicine (EMT-P) (our university offers it with specialization in clinical care, management/admin, or teaching).
I spoke with my uncle whom is a cardiologist and also is on the EMS board for a rural area. He says that the field of para-medicine is changing and actually becoming "dumbed down". He explained that the EMS system is shifting generally to focus more on policy and protocol (i.e. reading computer interpretations of EKG versus actually learning how to read EKG). He said there is no problem solving and that it would probably become extremely boring.
A few questions I hope some of you might answer for me:
1) Do you feel that your abilities to make decisions as a paramedic are becoming more and more limited?
2) Is there truly no problem solving ability required for this field?
3) I'm very hands on oriented, is this field just that?
4) I'm kind of a "jack of all trades" type person. I'm very adaptable to situations, I am very good with technology and used to do tech support (which I loved until they dumbed it down and made me use a computerized diagnostic program). This "dumbing down" concept truly scares me, I need autonomy and the ability to adapt to changing situations. I don't want to read off some stupid diagnostic chart that says "OK, this didn't work, try this" type set-up. Would this field be good for me in these respects?
5) Could some of you give me a day-in-the-life description of a paramedic? What do you do in the downtime? Do you guys just chill and play game-boys or something or what? I really don't know so I'm just taking shots in the dark.
6) What additional advice or suggestions might you give someone like me who is completely new and ignorant to the field?
Thank you so much for reading and for any and all responses. You won't believe how much of a positive potential you might have in really influencing my decision to look deeper into this field.
Best, eagerly awaiting your input.