nathanawoodward
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i am currently attending EMT-B school and i will be done in december. they are offering a paramedic course in january. would you guys advise going right into being a paramedic or being a emt for a while?
Quick question
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Go straight in if possible. Just my opinion, but I did it and know plenty of other great medics who have also. No reason to waste time as a basic if your goal is paramedic. If you want experience, get a PT job while your in school.
nathanawoodward
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ok thanks! im just nervous that i wont have enough experience as an emt to really understand paramedic. but im considering going right to the paramedic program
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Your experience as an EMT won't help you understand paramedic. Having a good knowledge foundation in sciences, an open mind, and a drive to learn will help you understand paramedic. EMT experience will give you an idea of what to expect in the field as a medic.
nathanawoodward
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ok thank you! im starting to feel more confident about going right into paramedic. thanks for your advise
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I don't wanna be the guy to say it, but search a little bit dude. This topic has been beaten more than a red headed step-child.
I'm one to say you don't need experience as an EMT. I had EMT experience prior to medic school but it was an alternative form. Ski Patrol and Beach Lifeguarding. Although the beach I worked at had ~5000 patrons a day on the days that I worked and we had our fair share of call outs onshore for pretty standard EMS calls, not including off shore water rescues we preformed that were inside our swim area or outside it out on the lake when we were paged by the fire department. It did help me get some flow to my assessments outside of OPQRST and SAMPLE, which is invaluable but not necessarily a deal breaker.
The only thing I will say is make sure you love this job before going into it. It's not about being a hero and saving babies from burning cars or collapsing buildings. I work as an per diem Intermediate now on a 911 ambulance while I am going through school to help get the rhythm of how calls flow. Outside of that I personally don't think you need experience at a BLS/ILS level to be a good ALS provider.
Like Poetic said, a good background in sciences, critical thinking skills, and an open mind will make more of a difference.
I'm one to say you don't need experience as an EMT. I had EMT experience prior to medic school but it was an alternative form. Ski Patrol and Beach Lifeguarding. Although the beach I worked at had ~5000 patrons a day on the days that I worked and we had our fair share of call outs onshore for pretty standard EMS calls, not including off shore water rescues we preformed that were inside our swim area or outside it out on the lake when we were paged by the fire department. It did help me get some flow to my assessments outside of OPQRST and SAMPLE, which is invaluable but not necessarily a deal breaker.
The only thing I will say is make sure you love this job before going into it. It's not about being a hero and saving babies from burning cars or collapsing buildings. I work as an per diem Intermediate now on a 911 ambulance while I am going through school to help get the rhythm of how calls flow. Outside of that I personally don't think you need experience at a BLS/ILS level to be a good ALS provider.
Like Poetic said, a good background in sciences, critical thinking skills, and an open mind will make more of a difference.
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Chief Complaint
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Go for it man. Sure, you will gain some valuable experience working as an EMT first, but if being a paramedic is your goal, why put if off?
In many places working as an EMT you just dont learn all that much to justify taking time off when you could be working on your medic cert/degree.
Life is short, id suggest trying to achieve your goal as soon as possible.
In many places working as an EMT you just dont learn all that much to justify taking time off when you could be working on your medic cert/degree.
Life is short, id suggest trying to achieve your goal as soon as possible.
I say don't do it. I had a couple people in my paramedic program that hadn't been an EMT for very long. Good ALS spans from the foundations of BLS. If you're new to it and haven't run many calls you lack the pertinent experience - not to mention good stories to tell classmates. I've worked with new Paramedics that don't even know how to use a stair chair - embarrassing? Take your time, learn the ropes...
Shishkabob
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If you feel comfortable doing it, do it.
If not, than don't.
If not, than don't.
I predict this thread will go 4 pages...
My opinion? Anyone who says you can't be a good paramedic without EMT experience is either 1) someone trying to make up for there own inadequacies 2)attended a poor medic program. Go to medic school. Take my opinion for what it's worth.
My opinion? Anyone who says you can't be a good paramedic without EMT experience is either 1) someone trying to make up for there own inadequacies 2)attended a poor medic program. Go to medic school. Take my opinion for what it's worth.
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Lady_EMT
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I'm going to go against the tide with this one, and say that you should get a little experience first, for several different reasons. Who knows if you're going to like this field of work? you don't know if this is the right thing for you to do. And I'm sure you don't want to be thrown into a situation where you decide you don't want to do this, but you're in charge of a whole team.
I know that if I ever had a medic who just hopped onto my rig with no field experience, and tried bossing me, and AEMT whose been doing this for several years, around, I'd laugh. Yea, they may have more book smarts, but they don't have a clue of how it works in the real world.
It's up to you. If you want to just jump into it, go for it. But I can tell you now, you won't have nearly as much respect as a medic who has several years experience under their belt.
Good luck either way.
I know that if I ever had a medic who just hopped onto my rig with no field experience, and tried bossing me, and AEMT whose been doing this for several years, around, I'd laugh. Yea, they may have more book smarts, but they don't have a clue of how it works in the real world.
It's up to you. If you want to just jump into it, go for it. But I can tell you now, you won't have nearly as much respect as a medic who has several years experience under their belt.
Good luck either way.
I'm going to go against the tide with this one, and say that you should get a little experience first, for several different reasons. Who knows if you're going to like this field of work? you don't know if this is the right thing for you to do. And I'm sure you don't want to be thrown into a situation where you decide you don't want to do this, but you're in charge of a whole team.
I know that if I ever had a medic who just hopped onto my rig with no field experience, and tried bossing me, and AEMT whose been doing this for several years, around, I'd laugh. Yea, they may have more book smarts, but they don't have a clue of how it works in the real world.
It's up to you. If you want to just jump into it, go for it. But I can tell you now, you won't have nearly as much respect as a medic who has several years experience under their belt.
Good luck either way.
Any decent medic program will give you the field experience. Everyone acts like you can go through medic program without doing field time. That is just not the case.
Several years of doing something incorrectly does not equal doing it right. You'd be shocked at some of the crappy habits I've seen out of 20+ year paramedics while precepting.
JJR512
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Who said anything about doing it incorrectly for several years? Lady_EMT only said she'd been doing it for several years. What is the basis for your assumption, is it something against Lady_EMT specifically or just in general anyone with a different opinion from yours?
Not making an assumption at all. Just making a general statement that I've encountered serious resistance from "experienced" providers when they're made to do something correctly rather than the "real world way".
Field experience is a very double edged sword. Especially in a system that doesn't value quality.
Field experience is a very double edged sword. Especially in a system that doesn't value quality.
Shishkabob
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Awww, you removed it, so my comment won't make sense
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Lady_EMT
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I have to agree with the double edged sword, in that the more you're in the field, you tend to pick up bad habits. ("You" being used in general, not you in particular.)
But you can also gain some real experience and humility. It also really depends on where you're getting your field experience. If it's in a busy area or a slow area, or if you're riding with someone who is to the books and knows what they're doing compared to someone who's lazy and just doesn't care. I think it's all about the structure of the department.
I guess I'm going to have to stay on one edge of the sword, and you'll stay on the other, and we'll agree to disagree.