bstone
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Sorry, but you just said you don't work with them and have never formally assessed their competency level. That doesn't strike me as being authoritative.
Online paramedic program?
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Sorry, but you just said you don't work with them and have never formally assessed their competency level. That doesn't strike me as being authoritative.
Nothing I have said strikes me as Authoritative, it strikes me as opinion.
Cept for the numbers I posted.
That being said, since I am here and you are there and we are talking about Texas. I feel I am in a better position to judge.
bstone
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I can respect your personal opinion, but of course you realize I do not and cannot accept it as fact. It is respected.
I have stated, it is only opinion.
bstone
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It is respected.
polisciaggie
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I too took my Intermediate through PERCOM and I can attest that it is not a "shortcut" to getting certified. The homework assignments/case studies/exams are far more in depth than any other program I've come across. Gene Gandy, who along with being a Paramedic is also a lawyer and he is amazingly knowledgeable about anything EMS related, teaches the Intermediate and Paramedic courses. He occasionally writes columns for the EMS World magazine.
Before you even start working on EMS stuff you have to pass their A&P course witch is included in the prince. You are required to participate in a number of chat sessions with your instructor and fellow students that can sometimes last as long as two hours. Along with the didactic portions we were also required to attend three, two-day, weekend classes to learn, practice, and test-out on skills.
Without a doubt, I learned far more and had a better understanding of the concepts being taught in my Intermediate class, than I ever did in my classroom based Basic course. I see no difference between sitting in a physical classroom listening to an instructor lecture out of a book/powerpoint for multiple hours at a time and doing the same course work at your own pace on your own time. In fact I prefer the latter, but maybe it's because I've been in college for almost four years now and am tired of the lecture based classroom setting. :wacko:
Before you even start working on EMS stuff you have to pass their A&P course witch is included in the prince. You are required to participate in a number of chat sessions with your instructor and fellow students that can sometimes last as long as two hours. Along with the didactic portions we were also required to attend three, two-day, weekend classes to learn, practice, and test-out on skills.
Without a doubt, I learned far more and had a better understanding of the concepts being taught in my Intermediate class, than I ever did in my classroom based Basic course. I see no difference between sitting in a physical classroom listening to an instructor lecture out of a book/powerpoint for multiple hours at a time and doing the same course work at your own pace on your own time. In fact I prefer the latter, but maybe it's because I've been in college for almost four years now and am tired of the lecture based classroom setting. :wacko:
polisciaggie
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Most up-to-date numbers that TX DSHS has is from 2009, which I believe is around when PERCOM was started, but:
EMT-B: First time pass rate: 100%, 10/10
No one took the Intermediate or Paramedic exam in 2009. (Not sure they even offered the I or P courses then)
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/JF10NatRegistryNumbers.pdf
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That is a good number, PERCOM might be the one reputable online course yet.
polisciaggie
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As far as I know they are probably the only one. I did extensive research on all the programs I found, because I was at first quite leery of online programs since I didn't even know they existed until I stumbled across Training Divisions website then PERCOM's.
Also, I know they were in the process of applying for accreditation when I was enrolled. Not sure if they are finished with the process yet.
polisciaggie
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Just got an email saying that the 2011 pass percentages were just posted today. So for 2011 they were:
ECA: 100%, 1/1
EMT-B: 92%, 36/39 (looks like the 3 that didn't pass the first time didn't retest)
EMT-I: 100%, 7/7
EMT-P: 67%, 4/6.
EMT-P Second Attempt: 100%, 6/6
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=8589962610
bstone
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This is all for PERCOM? If so then those percentages look very good.
polisciaggie
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Yep, those are all PERCOM's percentages.
For a comparison, the 2011 Texas first time pass rate was 74%, 67%, 76%, and 62% respectively, with the overall pass percentages being 78%, 77%, 83%, and 76%.
bstone
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So PERCOM's online school has higher pass rates than the tradition in-class schools. Interesting.
medic417
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Jane really cares about her students and their future patients. Give her a call at Percom .
Here's the contact info (WITH phone #): http://percomonline.com/Contact-Us.php
I think one of our writers here should interview them and talk about how they feel the online class relates to a real class, along with the pass rates of their program vs other programs, etc. It would probably bring to light the flaws of many programs compared to theirs.
And I know with Gene, if he thinks you're skimping by bare minimum with your assignment, he'll kick it back and make you re-do it. As well as any research you do on your own for an assignment, you must provide all of your sources and they must be credible.
I think one of our writers here should interview them and talk about how they feel the online class relates to a real class, along with the pass rates of their program vs other programs, etc. It would probably bring to light the flaws of many programs compared to theirs.
And I know with Gene, if he thinks you're skimping by bare minimum with your assignment, he'll kick it back and make you re-do it. As well as any research you do on your own for an assignment, you must provide all of your sources and they must be credible.
medic417
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You got that right. Dare any students to use Wikipedia as the only reference. Jane and Gene would send paper back failed in a hurry.
bstone
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It is unwise to use wikipedia as a source in an academic paper. It is wise to use the references that wikipedia uses, assuming they are reliable and authoritative to the topic.
18G
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There is a Community College in PA that offer's a hybrid Paramedic program. The didactic portion is online with skills labs a day or so a week plus clinicals. I have never heard anything bad about this program. If you do choose the hybrid program and decide it's not for you, you are than able to transition into the traditional program at the College.
For me personally, I am not disciplined enough to do an entire Paramedic program online but that is just me. I feel it takes more of a student to do the program online than a classroom setting.
I see no lesser value in education delivered online. What's it matter if the same information comes from a human being standing in front of you or if you receive the same information through your computer in a written, audio, and video format?
For me personally, I am not disciplined enough to do an entire Paramedic program online but that is just me. I feel it takes more of a student to do the program online than a classroom setting.
I see no lesser value in education delivered online. What's it matter if the same information comes from a human being standing in front of you or if you receive the same information through your computer in a written, audio, and video format?
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