EMT vs. Athletic Trainers

emtskibum

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Hey, just a quick question. as a EMT-B and a Athletic Training student. I was just curious if any of you have had experiences in interacting with ATC's while either on standby at games or what not. Positive or negative it doesn't matter, but how were you experiences. Do you feel like we are equally trained in some regards? just wondering...
 
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emtskibum

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we both have different specialties i believe. ATC's are more trained in orthopedic injuries and splinting and spinboarding of athletes. ATC's are also trained well in woundcare. EMT's have more experience in medical emergencies and have more knowledge and administrative power to administer medicine and maintain airways.

I don't want to seem like ATC's are better, because they aren't, we call the EMT's. but I do believe that each has their different area of specialty.
 

medicdan

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Can I add another caveat onto this question? What have your interactions with Ski Patrolers been like in the past? I spent this last summer working along side them doing First Aid, and thought they were too poorly educated for even their small SOP.
 
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emtskibum

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Can I add another caveat onto this question? What have your interactions with Ski Patrolers been like in the past? I spent this last summer working along side them doing First Aid, and thought they were too poorly educated for even their small SOP.

My interaction with ski patrol has been ok. Its basically just a glorified boys club on the Mtn.you have your good ones, and you have your bad ones just like any other sector in the health field.

im getting my bang for my buck on this thread because im starting patrol as well this season. And any new ski patrollers will be EMT certified, because it has been made a prerequisite for OEC.
 

VentMedic

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My Masters is in Excercise Physiology and it definitely went above and beyond EMT. This was almost 15 years ago and they may be provided with much more training for medical emergencies as well as wounds and bones. I was already a working Paramedic during college and was quite amazed at the training. They actually would be my first choice if I was injured in the middle of nowhere due to the extensive A&P as well as handling and moving skills. They know "functionality" better than most anyone else. They are trained to work with "precious" athletes.

My program was more science and research than some of the Athletic trainers path because we did IVs and A-lines in the Masters part for sampling and access on various athletic stress tests. Many at the Masters and Ph.D, as well as some Bachelors, have ACLS and are utillized in hospitals. It all depends on the academic track taken.

Athletic trainers are also licensed (not certified) by most states and have a scope of medical practice that will probably exceed EMT easily by education and number of patients/athletes they will see by the time they finish school.
 

MMiz

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Not to downplay the role of an EMT, but I can't imagine a situation where an EMT would have anywhere near the knowledge of an athletic trainer. If a player went into cardiac arrest, that may be a different story, but athletic trainers generally have extensive formal education in orthopedics.

An EMT-B is just a step above an MFR, which is a step above AHA's First Aid/CPR program. The EMT-Paramedic curriculum is leaps and bounds above that of an EMT-B.
 
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