paramedic preceptor

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Ballard6250

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Writing on behalf of son: HOW IN THE HECK DOES ONE FIND A PARAMEDIC PRECEPTOR ANYWHERE WITHIN 2-3 HOURS OF SACRAMENTO. TOOK AND FINISHED DIDACTIC AND CLINICAL THROUGH COLLEGE OF SISKIYOUS NCTI PROGAM ONLY TO FIND OUT THEY ONLY HAVE CONTACTS (AND FEW AT THAT) IN MEDFORD, OREGON, REDDING AND REDBLUFF, CALIFORNIA. BEATING THE BUSHES HERE IN SACTO AND STOCKTON, WEST SACRAMENTO AND YOLO COUNTY, HAS TRIED THROUGH OTHER NCTI COORDINATORS BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE CONTRACT PROBLEMS AND NCTI HAS COMPLETELY DROPPED THE BALL HERE. ARE THERE ANY OF YOU OUT THERE WHO ARE PRECEPTORS LOOKING FOR INTERNS? PLEASE ANSWER as soon as possible.
 
Thanks Mike. Seems AMR/NCTI and all the Sac FDs are having contract problems and preceptors are, according to NCTI out at least 6 months, and Sac City Metro says it has no idea when they'll resolve their contract issues. I have seen this story countless times online which makes me think NCTI truly has no intension of backing its own students to the end. The big problem of course was my son's decision to do it through COS and as it turns out their only contracts are in Medford, Redding and Red Bluff. He's run out of unemployment, is broke and no way could we support him in the upper counties or Oregon when living here at our home in Sac gives him not just a wider sphere to search but a better chance of making the right contacts for a future full time job IF HE EVER GETS A PRECEPTOR. Who was your preceptor?
 
I did my internship with the LA city fire Dept. But could have done it with any AMR division. I went to NCTI in Buellton.
 
preceptors

Well, times have, in this economy especially, changed. AMR is just plain not taking interns, period. Where's Buelton? You still down south?
 
Yes I live in southern cal. Buellton is just north of Santa Barbara. There are many factors in not getting a preceptor, one is contract issues ie:expired, about to expire, there isn't one. The other is lack of preceptors and a large number of students. I would suggest finding your own. NCTI is supposed to find one for you.
 
preceptors

NCTI essentiLLY LEFT HIM ON HIS OWN. HE'S AT HIS WITS' END TRYING TO FOLLOW NCTI'S ODD RULES ABOUT NO COMMUNICATION WITH OTHERS OUTSIDE BUT THEN SAYING IF YOU FIND SOMEONE ON YOUR OWN, THAT'S JUST FINE. I'LL SAY NO MORE ABOUT THEM SINCE I SUSPECT YOUR EXPERIENCE WAS MUCH DIFFERENT. HOW FAR FROM SANTA BARBARA? HE HAS A COUPLE OF COUSINS UPON WHOSE COUCHES HE COULD SURF FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS (ONE IN VENTURA THE OTHER IN OJAI (sp?)). If you are or know of a preceptor down there needing an intern, possibly his cousins will house hin between them anyway. Any advice would be helpfull. How long is the usual internship? Two months?
 
Ballard6250 said:
W 2-3 HOURS OF SACRAMENTO.
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I live in Sacramento and Los Rios Community College District, the only campus that has a paramedics program is American River College JC. I would suggest you try and get ahold of Dr. Grant Goold, the Director of the EMS program and coordinator of the paramedics program at ARC. I will PM you with his office number and his e-mail address.

I have not taken the paramedics program so as far as how long it will take, what it will coast, if he will allow your son in if he is not enrolled in the school, or any other questions you might have, only Dr. Goold can answer them.

(PS. The information I am sending Ballard6250 can be found on the internet and is public information. I am not sharing any information that is confidential)
 
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Grant Goold

Since my son acquired his AS in Fire Science at ARC, including his EMT B, I'm betting he knows Prof. Goold. I will suggest that he call him to see if he can help. ARC is a good program. From there my son immediately went on to Sierra for the Academy and his first day on the job at CDF was the big Tahoe fire. It's taken this long to find what we thought was going to be more economical than SAC's NCTI - and it started in October which allowed him to finish out last year's fire season (he took this season off at great financial loss to go straight through he thought, until the dreaded preceptor issue). So, don't bother unless you aren't planning to live and work here. Taking what appeared to be more economical at COS cost significantly more because one must live in Weed. They say you can get a residence, but if you need to study AND YOU WILL, a residence is no help and the few inhabitants in Weed rent lean-tos for big bucks and the weather is killer cold AND THE ONLY CONTRACTS FOR PRECEPTORS ARE IN RED BLUFF, REDDING, AND MEDFORD, OREGON. Once NCTI has talken all your money and the rent in Weed has put you under, the only choice is to come home and hole up with mom and dad to survive. There is a program at CSUS that has great contacts thanks to their nursing program, but my son would have nothing of it because his friends were going to Weed! There's a program in Williams, I believe, cheaper and much better and apparently no difficulty getting preceptors (that culminating experience that gets you to the national exam). Each NCTI entity is like a franchise and each bans communication with others and especially if you are dissatisfied with the services, AND you'll pay a price if you complain. UCLA now has a program. And actually if you look around there are many more programs, more reliable and better than NCTI. NCTI is owned by AMR and AMR's parent company is EMSA (or some such name). NCTI has its eyes on Sierra CC but they are having difficulty getting accredited and frankly WASC should rethink that. Check online and you will see stories that will make your hair curl. It's pathetic and frankly they can break you if one of their coordinators decides you're a problem. If you are in Sac, go to CSUS. It is a tad cheaper, but not, but I guarantee you won't be left in the lurch at that point when you truly need them to help - getting a preceptor for your internship. Good luck!
 
Contact NCTI in Santa Barbara but remember everywhere else has to place their students first. I know NCTI has active contracts with multiple FDs down south that would not be a problem to get to from Ventura.
 
You aren't the only one that's having issues with NCTI. If you search around here you'll find many stories such as your son's. They don't have a great reputation on these boards. I visited one campus, talked to the instructors and several former/current students and am VERY happy I did not attend their program. Unprofessional to say the least.
Good luck to your son.
 
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