How was Paramedic School?

[MMiz]

Like many "Basics" I think about attending paramedic school. I'm wondering if anyone could share their experiences.

• How hard was it?
• How would you compare it to learning to be a EMT-B?
• Did you work part time?
• How long did it take you?
• Did you take it through a local community college or did you go through a program?

Just a few of the many questions I have

Thanks!

 

[ResTech]

How is Paramedic school... hmm... For me it doesn't seem as tough as I was led to believe it was going to be. Don't get me wrong it's no walk in the park but as long as you put fourth some effort and read your book alot you should do ok. The class that was really tough for me was Anatomy & Physiology I. That is a tough course and I dread about having to take A&P II which is a program requirement.

Clinicals are what I have to say I dislike the most. They are very time consuming and are like a part-time job. Alot of the time spent in the ED at local hospitals is spent being non-productive for a number of reasons usually just from low patient flow in the ED or BS stuff coming in or usually nurses not wanting to be bothered. But the time spent on the medic unit is always fun and very beneficial.

I am taking my course through a community college and it is a two years associates degree program in Maryland. I currently work full-time in EMS and have two small kids so time is nothing I have an overabundance of as you can imagine.

In comparison to EMT-B... big difference. I am really disappointed though at how the EMT-B program has went down hill over the years. They have really dumbed it down and took out what I consider some critical elements with the major one being an emphesis on anatomy and physiology. They no longer teach you to think things out about your patient and use that "cookbook medicine" or "if-then" approach. If the patient has this then do this, if they have this then do that with no clue as to why you are doing it or what real effect it is going to have physiologically.

So it really is a night and day difference.