Point of all the EMT Levels?

johnnyreb132

johnnyreb132

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I didn't see anything blatantly obvious relating to this in the forum so here it is:

Well after nearly a year of setbacks I'm finally able to get into an EMT-B course starting in May. ^_^ However, in the course of finding a class during the summer that was nearby I'm forced to take the EMT-B class situated in the northernmost peninsula in VA, which is a good drive away, while there is an EMT-Enhanced class being offered a lot closer.

This brings rise to my point, I'm unable to take it on account of my age (17), the requirement being 18 and thus the same as a medic and I understand the reason for the limit with the responsibility, drug use, etc. However, what is then the need for all the levels between basic and medic? If by 18 you can potentially already become a paramedic, then why bother going through EMT-E and I? I can understand using it as a stepping stone to becoming a paramedic but then why not just make the paramedic course longer and more detailed?

Just playing devil's advocate, I admit that this is probably a result of the low age requirements VA has for becoming an EMT-B. Personally, I'd like to see a low ALS level for the time after you become a basic till when you're eligible for paramedic, but that's my bias and would just serve to titillate me. :P
 
Most people don't go through all the levels and just become medics. Yes you can do that.

PA is one of the few states that allow someone at the age of 18 to become an EMT-B. In NY you must be18 to become a an EMT-B.
 
firecoins said:
In NY you must be18 to become a an EMT-B.
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To clarify, you can be 17 when you start the EMT-B class, but you have to be 18 when you test out and receive your certification.

To the OP - why not go to college and enhance your medical education before jumping into a medic class if you have a few years to wait? The college A&P, math, Biology, Chemistry, etc. will not only make your medic class a breeze, it will make you a much better medic than you would be if you took a EMT-B class, worked in that capacity for a few years, and took a substandard paramedic class with zero additional education.
 
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Ostensibly, because EMT-B and EMT-P function on different knowledge bases, and different skills. In order to work on ALS skills, you need to have a good foundation with BLS skills. Skills like basic assessment, taking vitals, splinting, boarding, ambulance operations, lifts, etc. Medic courses and skills center around invasive skills for critical patients. How do you expect to manage a victim from a major MVA if you cant board them, or get them into the truck.

Feel free to correct me, but are there any states that allow you to go directly to Medic, without taking a basic class, not passing go, and no collecting $200?

Are you asking about the futility of EMT-E and EMT-I? That is a different and larger issue...

EDIT: fixed spelling mistake
 
Its my understanding (I could be wrong) that the intermediate levels of EMS were originally created when they were having a shortage of medics and they needed providers with ALS skills. So they created a middle ground to make a bunch of ALS providers in a shorter amount of time.
 
emt.dan said:
Feel free to correct me, but are there any states that allow you to go directly to Medic, without taking a basic class, not passing go, and no collecting $200?
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Well, at the same time a medic program could incorporate an EMT-B course into its medic course. After all, it's not exactly like EMT-B is academically or medically rigorous. Then again, maybe I'm a bit confuzzled on how nursing, medicine, respiratory therapy, and physician assistance programs manage to teach all of their students in a single program instead of using multiple levels.
 
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JPINFV said:
Then again, maybe I'm a bit confuzzled on how nursing, medicine, respiratory therapy, and physician assistance programs manage to teach all of their students in a single program instead of using multiple levels.
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1. Solid education foundation with prerequisites before gaining entry into a program

2. Well structured clinicals

3. Good oversight of the clinicals by educated clinical preceptors hand picked by the schools for their educator qualities as well as their clinical abilities.

4. Educators educating the classes and not the minimally trained training the less trained.

5. High minimun education standards required for the educators.

6. A minimum of 2 years of fulltime college to obtain the goals designed for the entry level professional.

7. It is instilled into the students that this is only the beginning of their education. The students will realize that when they graduate, they determine their destiny and worth in their chosen profession.

8. The emphasis is on education for the "whys" and not just technical skills which can be easily obtained once you know the "whys".
 
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To the OP - why not go to college and enhance your medical education before jumping into a medic class if you have a few years to wait? The college A&P, math, Biology, Chemistry, etc. will not only make your medic class a breeze, it will make you a much better medic than you would be if you took a EMT-B class, worked in that capacity for a few years, and took a substandard paramedic class with zero additional education.
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I'm planning on going to medical school following college but, my being somewhat of a pessimist for myself, that seems increasingly unlikely but if prospects change I wouldn't let a paramedic course interfere with that. For that reason, I've already been trying to gear myself up for a medical career by already taking college level calculus and hopefully a healthcare science course for next year though I don't want to do overkill because I haven't even been through EMT-B yet and I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch.

I'm not saying you should be able to hop into a medic course without a basic previous to it. In my time as a ride-along (basically making me the pack mule), I've only met 1 EMT-I, 0 EMT-Es, and the rest being an overwhelming majority of EMT-Bs and the sporadic medic. The EMT-I was able to start IVs, etc. but I wondered why bother going through one of the courses between EMT-B and P, when you can simply take the medic course and save a good deal of time and money if you plan on reaching that level?
 
MagicTyler said:
Its my understanding (I could be wrong) that the intermediate levels of EMS were originally created when they were having a shortage of medics and they needed providers with ALS skills. So they created a middle ground to make a bunch of ALS providers in a shorter amount of time.
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Actually they were developed because most did not have EMT's that finished the curriculum. They were designed as well to allow the rural areas to have "ALS" until those finished the course.. they were NEVER designed to replace or be a stopping ground. Unfortunately, many protested and the rest is history.

Part of the problem is we allowed to continue; what a shame!


JPINFV said:
Then again, maybe I'm a bit confuzzled on how nursing, medicine, respiratory therapy, and physician assistance programs manage to teach all of their students in a single program instead of using multiple levels.
Click to expand...

Actually in can besummed in one word!.... Education.
 
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