So you Want to be a Paramedic???

[rescue1]

Eh...there are a decent amount of dubious schools that "teach to the test", where everything you learn is geared towards passing the NREMT and not towards actual medicine. That being said, that's not always the case, and looking at a school with a 60% NREMT pass rate may raise some questions as to its effectiveness.

 

[sjlamb77]

So this would probably be a good time to ask something I've been wondering. How can I find out which schools in my area are quality and which aren't?

 

[EMTBHillbilly]

So this would probably be a good time to ask something I've been wondering. How can I find out which schools in my area are quality and which aren't?

Talk to people at different EMS agencies. You'll get a good idea after talking to a dozen or so.

 

[Veneficus]

So this would probably be a good time to ask something I've been wondering. How can I find out which schools in my area are quality and which aren't?

find out if any of the instructors actually have a degree in anything, that is a good place to start.

look at the booklist, that says a lot about a school. Especially if they have no recommended additional reading.

Ask if you can sit in a class. Find out if the instruction is just war stories, reading powerpoints, does the instructor know the material? Is the class fearful of the instructor?

Any worthwhile program should be willing to let you see.

"You have nothing to fear, if you have nothing to hide."

Talk to the students. Get their likes/dislikes.

 

[bigbaldguy]

So this would probably be a good time to ask something I've been wondering. How can I find out which schools in my area are quality and which aren't?

Not sure how your state works but in Texas you can pull up the pass rates for each school. If you look at a school and they have a NREMT pass rate of less than 90 percent that's not so good. When they get down to pass rates under 70ish percent they stop being credible and anything under that try and go somewhere else.

 

[Veneficus]

Not sure how your state works but in Texas you can pull up the pass rates for each school. If you look at a school and they have a NREMT pass rate of less than 90 percent that's not so good. When they get down to pass rates under 70ish percent they stop being credible and anything under that try and go somewhere else.

I must respectfully disagree.

While that may seem intuitive, most medic mills have high pass rates because they teach to the test.

Unfortunately there is more to being a paramedic than what is on the NR test.

Edit:

another trick less than reputable schools do is fail out everyone who doesn't have a high likelyhood of passing NR. So again the pass rates are inflated beyond truth.

 

[EMTBHillbilly]

NR pass rate is 72%.

 

[BigBad]

Nice read and I whole heartedly agree. I went from zero to hero. Only waiting a few months to jump into medic school. But my GPA was 4.0 throughout school. I knew deep down in my heart that this was going to be my life. Despite all odds and people talking down to me about how I was no where near ready I passed. I am now working as a paramedic on als bus. The only reason I have gotten so far so fast is by being humble, constantly learning from peers and my mistakes and being a nice person. Being a paramedic is so much more than practicing cowboy medicine. I'm blessed to have found a job I love.

My schooling didn't truly begin until I ran my first 911 without a preceptor and just an emt-b partner.

 

[bigbaldguy]

You do not have to be a people person to be a competent medic. You can perform every EMS skill and ask every required question w/o any human compassion.

And that's the difference between an artist and a craftsman. One does the job but the other brings passion to it.

 

[bigbaldguy]

I must respectfully disagree.

While that may seem intuitive, most medic mills have high pass rates because they teach to the test.

Unfortunately there is more to being a paramedic than what is on the NR test.

Edit:

another trick less than reputable schools do is fail out everyone who doesn't have a high likelyhood of passing NR. So again the pass rates are inflated beyond truth.

When you're right you're right. I hadn't thought of it from that angle. I would still check the pass rates for the school though. But as vent said take all things into consideration.

 

[Veneficus]

When you're right you're right. I hadn't thought of it from that angle. I would still check the pass rates for the school though. But as vent said take all things into consideration.

No worries my friend,

I have seen every trick in the book (and a few that aren't) from less savory institutions.