Paramedic programs in LA County

DesertMedic66

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@CALEMT and @DesertMedic66 I have been trying to do research on which medic school I should attend. I have been looking at Crafton Hills, Moreno Valley College (Ben Clark Training Center), and Mt. SAC. I need a good school that teaches a lot of hands on, visual. I have a learning disability that is difficult to learn by just lectures. Traditional college classes (Professor stands up and just talks and you take notes and then test) does not work for me. I'm attending Ben Clark for my EMT class currently. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Paramedic school is a lot of sit down any watch PowerPoint presentations with some hands on stuff mixed in. I doubt you will find any major differences between the programs. Find one that works with your schedule and go for it.
 

CALEMT

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@CALEMT and @DesertMedic66 I have been trying to do research on which medic school I should attend. I have been looking at Crafton Hills, Moreno Valley College (Ben Clark Training Center), and Mt. SAC. I need a good school that teaches a lot of hands on, visual. I have a learning disability that is difficult to learn by just lectures. Traditional college classes (Professor stands up and just talks and you take notes and then test) does not work for me. I'm attending Ben Clark for my EMT class currently. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Paramedic school is a lot of sit down any watch PowerPoint presentations with some hands on stuff mixed in. I doubt you will find any major differences between the programs. Find one that works with your schedule and go for it.

I'm biased... Crafton all the way.
 

MissyMiss

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Paramedic school is a lot of sit down any watch PowerPoint presentations with some hands on stuff mixed in. I doubt you will find any major differences between the programs. Find one that works with your schedule and go for it.
Thank you for your response. I will look into the schedule. I'm hoping and needing to work at least part-time while attending.
 

CALEMT

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Lol. Can you elaborate on why you like Crafton Hills so much? Just trying to make sure I have all information to make a best decision.

Well for starters if you're comparing Crafton to RCC/MVC we don't wear uniforms every day of the week (only on Thursdays for skills T-shirt, pants, boots) its college... board shorts all day. Crafton also doesn't require community service hours. During your field internship you do all 40 or 25 shifts depending on if you ride with AMR or fire with the same preceptor vs RCC/MVC you'll do 20 on a ambulance and 20 with fire. So halfway through your internship you switch preceptors. Can really mess with your "groove" having to learn someone new during that critical period in your internship.

Class starts at 9am and generally goes till 5 or 6. You'll generally run till 6 on skills days and some classroom days you're out earlier, just depends. Class days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday being skills. The midweek schedule is very friendly if you work weekends.

As for me I was part time during medic school living at home. I saved enough money during my fire season to pay for everything including incidentals ie gas, food, etc. You can swing full time work while going to medic school. Several of my classmates pulled this off, not for me though. All in all my experience at Crafton gave me the confidence as a entry level paramedic. No doubt other schools will give you the same confidence like RCC/MVC but I feel as that Crafton is a more student friendly program vs RCC/MVC more academy style. Oh and by the way RCC/MVC starts at 7 but you're there by 6:30 to do colors with the fire academy. Hope this helps. If you have more specific questions feel free to shoot a PM or post on here.
 

jgmedic

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"Academy-style", not academy. I went to RCC, albeit 12 years ago for medic, precepted for them for almost 10 years, as well as NCTI. The academy was lame, uniforms, "PT", community service-which actually was kind of fun. Back when I went, the clinical hours were almost double that of any other program. I know that things have changed since Dr. Nollette isn't running things anymore. However, the one thing I will say is that if you are having issues, RCC has generally been willing to work with you more. I like the two preceptor model, giving you a chance to see paramedicine from the assessment medic side and the transport side, and letting you see different types of providers. That being said, Crafton is an excellent program, some great medics have come out of there, and you can't go wrong with either one. My opinion, apply to both and go to the one that accepts you first.
 

CCCSD

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Adding a Community Service requirement on top of the coursework is a waste of the students time and money. It accomplishes nothing, except more Mickey Mouse...
 

jgmedic

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Adding a Community Service requirement on top of the coursework is a waste of the students time and money. It accomplishes nothing, except more Mickey Mouse...
I accomplished my hours mostly by doing HS career nights, skill demos, and talking about the job at career fairs. I get maybe it doesn't directly do anything for medic, but it makes you interact with people you've met, in places you may not have been, which can help with talking to patients or family members, something a lot of medics I know could use help with.
 

CCCSD

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And all those shows are time you lost studying, with family, or just decompressing from school.
 

MissyMiss

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"Academy-style", not academy. I went to RCC, albeit 12 years ago for medic, precepted for them for almost 10 years, as well as NCTI. The academy was lame, uniforms, "PT", community service-which actually was kind of fun. Back when I went, the clinical hours were almost double that of any other program. I know that things have changed since Dr. Nollette isn't running things anymore. However, the one thing I will say is that if you are having issues, RCC has generally been willing to work with you more. I like the two preceptor model, giving you a chance to see paramedicine from the assessment medic side and the transport side, and letting you see different types of providers. That being said, Crafton is an excellent program, some great medics have come out of there, and you can't go wrong with either one. My opinion, apply to both and go to the one that accepts you first.
Is Dr. Nollette running the EMT program only? Who runs the medic side?
 

CALEMT

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