Just an update on my sit., and some ?s

[LucidResq]

For those who have expressed interest in an update on my situation, sorry if this is lengthy-

After considering various job/p-school opportunities in a wide range of areas such as Louisiana, New Mexico and Minnesota, I have decided to stay in CO and attend paramedic school in January 2010, at the same hospital system/college partnership EMS education institute I attended for my EMT-B.

I made this decision based on my highly satisfactory experience there in EMT school, due largely to the excellent instructors who have 10-35 years field experience as paramedics. The paramedic program is coordinated by Dennis Edgerly (a name that may be familiar as a JEMS columnist), an education supervisor who is an EMT-P with a M.Ed. in adult education currently working on his dissertation for his PhD in adult ed, and several other great instructors.

In the meantime I'll be working and fulfilling the pre-reqs- a second semester of combined anatomy and physiology (I've already done the first semester, and a semester of straight anatomy), basic EKG and IV.

Unsure of what my work situation will be. I will continue working at the amusement park through the season, but will be unable to continue to work at the OB-GYN clinic as it is University student employment and once I'm no longer a student there, I will have to leave. I am interviewing for an EMS/Fire dispatch position that I would die for next week. I think it would be quite compatible with medic school because I'll have plenty of downtime on the job to study, and will also likely be allowed to ride along and get some extra hands-on time.

I'd appreciate some advice.

I feel that my one weakness going into p-school will be a lack of experience on a rig. I know the whole "EMT experience before paramedic school" issue is a dead horse that I do not want to beat, but I'm just wondering what, if anything, can be done to amend that. Now, after 2 years in SAR, a year of direct patient care in OB-GYN, and what will be 6 months working for an ALS service at an amusement park, I definitely don't feel like I'm completely wet behind the ears (I think, most importantly, I have experience talking to patients as a care provider), but I have little or no experience in several things common to traditional EMS like driving an ambulance, dealing with frustrating nursing homes, even operating a pram (EMT school feels like a long time ago!). I'm sure these are things that will come easily with time, but it is an anxiety of mine.

My second question pertains to the courses I take this fall in prep. for medic school. I will likely have room in my schedule for another college course or two. Courses that I'm considering: microbio, pathophys, human growth and development (psych course), and abnormal psych. Any recommendations or suggestions?

Thank you all for your wonderful, continued support and advice. I'm so excited to take it to the next level.

 

[Shishkabob]

Experience wise before medic school, it's a flip of coins for me. Sure, learning how to communicate with pts, which can ONLY be learned in the real world is great. Also, some if the people in my class do know slightly more then someone fresh out of basic.

But the reciprocal to that is the teachers treat everyone as if they all know the same stuff: nothing. We go over it anyhow so all people learn it.

As for dealing with crappy NH, trust me, put that off as long as you can.

As fir your classes thus fall, I'd say patho and pharmocology would benefit you the most (aside from more a&p)

pardon crappy spelling... On phone.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

According to a co-worker of mine (a paramedic for 22 years and one of the gentlemen who reviewed Brady's "Paramedic Care: Principles and Practice") the best thing you can do to prepare for paramedic school is to re-read your EMT textbook cover to cover and get a good college level A&P book with self-quizzes. He said to spend about two weeks re-reading the EMT book and spend six to eight weeks studying up on A&P.

 

[LucidResq]

According to a co-worker of mine (a paramedic for 22 years and one of the gentlemen who reviewed Brady's "Paramedic Care: Principles and Practice") the best thing you can do to prepare for paramedic school is to re-read your EMT textbook cover to cover and get a good college level A&P book with self-quizzes. He said to spend about two weeks re-reading the EMT book and spend six to eight weeks studying up on A&P.

Thanks for the tips! I'll definitely start rereading my EMT text, but I'll be in second semester college A&P right up till the Dec. before I start. I'll look over the stuff we covered first semester too, though.

 

[LucidResq]

PS- Does your coworker have any suggestions as far as additional coursework? I'm leaning towards microbio or pathophys.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

I don't work with him again until Sunday night, but if I run into him before then, I will ask him for you.

 

[Sasha]

I disagree that rereading an entire book will prepare you for Medic, you work as an EMT at the waterpark, yeah? Time will be better spent focusing your attention on your a&p and not splitting it between two.

All the stuff you feel shaky on will come to you in the first semester of medic school or when you get on your first clinical ride. You are worrying too much, you'll do fine!

 

[EMTinNEPA]

Time will be better spent focusing your attention on your a&p and not splitting it between two.

Which is why you review your EMT textbook first, making sure your BLS is solid, and then spend the majority of your time on the A&P. One, finish, then another, not split.

 

[Shishkabob]

Yeah, not too sure about re-reading it either. Between December when I passed my NR, and May just before I started medic, I didn't read a single medical book.

I did, however, read an A&P book the weeks before class started, and that DID help.


I still say Patho will help more, even if just by a little bit, then microbiology. But Pahrmocology would still be the best (IMO)

 

[Sasha]

Which is why you review your EMT textbook first, making sure your BLS is solid, and then spend the majority of your time on the A&P. One, finish, then another, not split.

Or you can just skip rereading an entire book all together. Plus all the information will be gone over AGAIN in paramedic school. It's not like they just skip going over all that BLS stuff and jump right into ALS.

Why re read? You already know the stuff. Review it, if you feel the need, but to reread the entire book??

 

[Shishkabob]

Atleast, I HOPE you know it.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

I do know it, I'm just passing on the advice I got from one of the gentlemen who reviewed the textbook. It's not my advice, as this is also my first go-around preparing for paramedic school as well, but I'm going to follow it because he's the one with the knowledge, the field experience, and the teaching experience to know what's best.

 

[Shishkabob]

It was a generic "you", not YOU specifically, NEPA ^_^

Atleast I hope "people" know what their EMT class taught.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

It was a generic "you", not YOU specifically, NEPA ^_^

Atleast I hope "people" know what their EMT class taught.

Just checking... you (generic you) never know when somebody on here is taking an opportunity to be patronizing and pedantic. Tone is hard to capture properly through the internet forum medium.

 

[ptemt]

Good choice of school, but of course I feel that way having finished just a year ago. Dennis is excellent, as well is Paul F., a 30 yr ex DG medic who also teaches there. This is an associates degree and/or certificate program through ACC, take the additional classes that will get you the degree. I pre read about 3/4 of the paramedic text book in the two months prior to class beginning, it helped me. This accredited school requires (or did) one year of field work as a basic prior to enrollment. Dennis will own you for six months.

 

[8jimi8]

Here's he long and short on micro. Wear gloves, wash your hands and don't set down or drop anything you are going to use on the patient.

Forget micro and take a serious pharmacology and pathophysiology class. You need to understand NOI more than you need to be doing blind Petrie dish studies.

 

[DrankTheKoolaid]

re

Hopefully nobody takes this the wrong way as im a big proponent for higher education.

You know your EMT-B stuff already even if you dont think you do, it's there just need a reason to pull it out of the vault

As much as i loved microbiology (insert sarcasm here) it helped little in the paramedic program. I'm not saying dont take it, im saying do it after doing the medic program.

If your anatomy and physiology programs are worth their weight in salt it also would have heavily covered histology hence pathophysiology. If anything just pickup Pathophysiology for Dummies and review.

My recommendation would be to take some time for yourself and give your brain a rest and enjoy life. It sounds like the program you will be attending has some great instructors and you will get a great education.

 

[LucidResq]

People! (meaning Linus! mainly) I can't take pharm. It is not offered at the comm. college I'll be attending this fall.

Thank you, everyone.

 

[phabib]

Woot for staying in Denver. If you're planing on switching at any point to another field in medicine (nursing, doctor) then microbiology seems like a good choice. It tends to be a pre-req for those programs.

Either way, good luck!

 

[JPINFV]

I can't think of a single medical school that requires microbiology. It is still, though, an excellent course to take.