Online Certifications?

sass

sass

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Hi, this is my first post. I am currently in an EMT training program in PA and love it! I like many things and yeah, Luke Skywalker is one of them haha.

Now to the reason for this post:
I have online certificates for 4 NIMS: 100, 200, 700, 800 and Hazmat Awareness. These were all free and done within the course of a week. I really like the prospect of having certifications (even if it doesn't increase my draft stock in the hiring field, they're fun, informative, and I look at them like "achievements" on an X-Box). I want to do as many free online ones as possible, and a few payed ones (such as Hazmat Operations). If you guys know any, I would love some links!! I'll post what I've found so far in the comments(some of these may be required, but I don't know because I'm still in training, so if they are required, that would be sweet to have).
 
Site says I need 5 posts to post links, so here they are with spaces around the periods:
training.fema . gov/nims/
saferesponse . com/online_courses
 
Online certifications are generally a waste of time. They can be used to pad a resume order meet minimum requirements but a too many people don't take them seriously and don't retain any of the things they learn.

Case in point, my EMT class took ICS 100 and 200, and two weeks later were given a quiz on the content... the highest grade was a 40%.... Yet they all passed both classes with the certifications to prove it.

If you're just looking to pad your resume knock yourself out. If you're looking to actually learn the content and become proficient in it take the class in person
 
There's lots of free CE to be had. Tons at boundtreeuniversity.com.
 
No reason not to do online CE if you've got the time, @sass. That said, there are two main issues with it:
1) It may not be taken seriously (i.e. the online FEMA courses are easy and don't really impart much knowledge)
2) It might not count for CEUs needed for re-certification (depends on your state of licensure - but for NREMT purposes there is a limit to how much you can use)
 
sass said:
they're fun
Click to expand...
Never heard FEMA ICS classes being described as "fun". But if you enjoy doing them, knock yourself out- there are literally hundreds out there to do. But keep in mind, really there isn't much information useful to you as an EMT beyond ICS-100, if even that.

The most valuble knowledge you will obtain will not be from clicking through a website and printing a certificate. It will be from gaining field experience, learning from more experienced providers, and through higher education.
 
I took a CME class from Medscape on penile fractures, and I got a professional looking certificate that almost looked like a college diploma. It was proudly presented with my name in bold and stated I had completed 1 CME in penile fractures. I think it was probably the funniest certificate I ever got from online CME. www.medscape.org
 
ExpatMedic0 said:
I took a CME class from Medscape on penile fractures, and I got a professional looking certificate that almost looked like a college diploma. It was proudly presented with my name in bold and stated I had completed 1 CME in penile fractures. I think it was probably the funniest certificate I ever got from online CME. www.medscape.org
Click to expand...
Frame it and hang it on your wall
 
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