Tips for a new EMT-B wanting to go on to medic

[akflightmedic]

In my purely anecdotal reflections...I see a large portion of those who say "do NOT go straight to medic school" are those who never did. In short, they only have THEIR insight to offer...so how could they possibly offer a different opinion?

You need to ask a fair mix of those who waited and those who did not wait and then think about what you want and what is best for you and only you.

I finished EMT school and rolled right over into Paramedic school. I had about 3 months as an EMT at that point before class started. I do not regret how I did it...the only thing which worked against me was my age and how young I looked at that time. Age discrimination is real...I carried myself professioanlly and communicated well, however it still can be a negative.

As I have stated many times before, the "field experience" thing before moving to next level is also dependent on the program you plan on attending. How good are they? What are their reviews? So on and so on...

I always cringe when people say "My EMT instructor or my Paramedic instructor was the best ever...". At that point I have to ask...how do you know? How many other programs have you been through to make a fair comparison? How do you know what you were taught is most proper or most current research? Medicine requires you to actively critique any instructor and any piece of knowledge, continuously. Not many in our field have that level of tenacity. Complacency creeps in, then standards are lowered and we teach to the lowest common denominator.

Anyways, I digress. Evaluate everything, do what is right for YOU at this point in YOUR life. No one else has to own your decision whether it is right or wrong, nor should you give them that responsibility, burden or credit.

The stepped entry program for EMS is bullshyte. How many nursing students have to be CNAs first for X amount of hours?

 

[hometownmedic5]

I was a BLS provider for 11 years before getting my medic. My opinion is based not on my personal journey, but my evaluation of others.

 

[akflightmedic]

Yes, and as I stressed...there are so many factors for consideration, it is very much a personal perspective decision and there is no one size fits all approach, nor should there be.

 

[StCEMT]

I believe the opposite is true. Most paramedic programs require at least 1 year of full time service and a fair number of patient contacts. I think this is a fair requirement. The paramedic education is so compressed that preceptors don't have time to teach candidates how to become competent EMTs along with putting the didactic portion of paramedic education into play in the field. (If you've had a student, you know what I mean.)

For whatever it's worth, my program was tiered into four phases where we did have time to work on basic stuff. 1: BLS only 2: ALS under preceptor 3: begin ALS lead 4: Lead all with a required amount of ALS leads.

This is by no means the only or best way, but it worked for me. The further we got with class/clinicals, the more we got to do, felt more like easing in to things. Phase 2 was hardest for me because of awkward expectation vs knowledge vs what I was allowed. Had a day with a lot of truly sick people that would have been great at the end of 3 or in 4, but it was tough being in 2 at the time. Learned from it though. That being said, my class and clinicals were over the same time period. There was no class and hospital only and then field at the end.

 

[KellyS0317]

My college (in NY) offers an AAS degree in Paramedicine. You take your EMT-B and some other courses as the first part, then you have the opportunity to apply for paramedic school pretty much before you even get your basic cert. That's why I've been accepted but I haven't tested yet.

I am also in EMTB class and am considering going to paramedic as well, where in NY are you located? are you currently in paramedic class as of now?

 

[danfromnaples]

I'm near Rochester. And yes, I'm in week 3 of medic school.

 

[KellyS0317]

Awesome!! I am in the Syracuse Area doing the EMT class through Upstate and the paramedic class is also offered through upstate as well, not sure how tough it is to get into though after EMT class is over. Good for you!! are you working as an EMT currently as well?

 

[Never2Old]

Like all things ... it depends on you. I know Medics who went from zero to hero and did just fine, and are darn good Medics. I also know 5 year EMT's who became Medics and I seriously wonder about their ALS skills. As far I can see, the only drawback is that once you are moving to street time as a Medic Student, you should have already become proficient and comfortable with the BLS side of things. My preceptor once said all great Medics are also great EMTs'.

 

[VentMonkey]

all great Medics are also great EMTs'.

100% this. I can't emphasize or stress enough how true this is. Which says something about learning the fundamentals well, and executing them well---that is---learning how to become a fundamentally sound basic above all else, even if going from "zero to hero".

To add to this, while competency with the hands on skills are a necessity, the verbal (soft) skills are what separate an average provider regardless of their level of certification from an above average one who can, with words alone, change the dynamic of any call, or patient complaint. It's pretty neat to see when you work with this type of individual.

That's something that can manifest over time, but is rarely harped on enough, if at all.

 

[DrParasite]

My preceptor once said all great Medics are also great EMTs'.

That's not true.... I know many great paramedics who were so so EMTs. And some great EMTs who were horrible paramedics.

The zero to hero paramedic program might put out some decent medics, but as others have said, you are investing 2 years of your life into something you might end up hating. There is a reason most require at least 1 years of EMS experience prior to paramedic school.

If your EMS system always pairs an EMT with a paramedic, than I would agree that you will learn very little being on a truck, except how to be a great paramedic helper, and you should go to paramedic school as soon as you can, because you can only learn so much as a driver and paramedic helper.

If you work in a tiered system, where the paramedic is coming in a flycar and you don't always assess the patient with a paramedic looking over your shoulder, than working in a high volume, with a high # of patient contacts, will benefit you when it comes to doing your clinical time in paramedic school.

 

[VentMonkey]

Heh? Sooo the paramedic with no understanding of basic fundamentals who delves right into P School..that makes him a great paramedic (or potentially) because he'll even out in due time?

I fail to see how one can function adequately without a healthy dose of respect, and understanding of the other.

I'm talking more so the person who completely overlooks the value of the asseessment that guides them into the treatment tree of an ALS provider. Perhaps I am missing something here.

 

[KellyS0317]

Heh? Sooo the paramedic with no understanding of basic fundamentals who delves right into P School..that makes him a great paramedic (or potentially) because he'll even out in due time?

I fail to see how one can function adequately without a healthy dose of respect, and understanding of the other.

I'm talking more so the person who completely overlooks the value of the asseessment that guides them into the treatment tree of an ALS provider. Perhaps I am missing something here.

I'm only 6 classes into EMTB but our instructors have repeatedly stressed to us the importance of BLS and the EMT role

 

[VentMonkey]

I'm not saying going straight to paramedic school after EMT is bad. It really depends on the person themselves. What I am referring to is even if one does, it seems asinine to devalue, down play, or "gut" one's memory of things learned in EMT class.

I have seen this all to often yield the notoriously dubious "paragod" complex.

Remembering what it is an EMT is there to do, and how it should be done, not only puts things into perspective, but will just make your life sooo much easier not only as a competent paramedic, but with your tech co-workers as well.

Bottom line: take your education seriously regardless of what it is you intend to do.

 

[danfromnaples]

Awesome!! I am in the Syracuse Area doing the EMT class through Upstate and the paramedic class is also offered through upstate as well, not sure how tough it is to get into though after EMT class is over. Good for you!! are you working as an EMT currently as well?

Thanks! I'm currently working as a basic at our local volunteer agency (the one who paid for my EMT-B class and books) and I'm in the process of trying to find a paid job as a basic as well. I feel working as a basic until we start our ride time and clinicals (which isn't for a couple of months) has given me a lot of good practice recognizing illnesses, interacting with patients, and simple stuff like how to assemble a neb and use the stretcher. You've got to learn the simple stuff before you got lost in the world of paramedicine!

And if you do decide to go on to medic school, park close to the door on the first day of class. That stack of books gets heavy.

 

[DrParasite]

Heh? Sooo the paramedic with no understanding of basic fundamentals who delves right into P School..that makes him a great paramedic (or potentially) because he'll even out in due time?

No, and that wasn't what I said. What I said was I know some so so EMTs who became great paramedics (it's actually amazing what more education can do for you as a providers), and some great EMTs who went to Paramedic school and didn't really shine when they became ALS providers.

Just because someone is a great BLS provider, doesn't mean they will become an awesome ALS provider. Similarly, just because someone is a sucky BLS provider doesn't mean they will be a sucky ALS provider.

I was an EMT for 15 years before I went to paramedic school. I know several paramedics who did the Zero to Hero course, and they turned out to be crappy paramedics. I also know of others who had a short time in EMS before going to paramedic school (short being less than 1 year, or a slow volunteer EMS agency). and I also know of one who worked only per diem as a paid 911 EMT who turned out to be a horrible paramedic. as well as one EMT who while in paramedic school became an extremely lazy EMT, and after he became a paramedic, turned out to be okish.

If you want my advise, the better paramedics came from busier 911 systems, had more patient contacts, and were good at performing a patient assessment. the patient assessment is pretty much the same whether you are doing it as an ALS or BLS provider, with a few exception (ALS can use a cardiac monitor, etc). If you do a crappy patient assessment as an EMT, you are going to become a crappy paramedic.

Also take a college level A&P 1 and A&P 2. A&P for paramedics is a joke of a course and barely skimms the surface (despite what one zero to hero told me, he told me he learned everything in two days that I needed almost 8 months to learn; I had a hard time not laughing in his face, and listing exactly what he did not know....)

 

[VentMonkey]

No, and that wasn't what I said. What I said was I know some so so EMTs who became great paramedics (it's actually amazing what more education can do for you as a providers), and some great EMTs who went to Paramedic school and didn't really shine when they became ALS providers.

Just because someone is a great BLS provider, doesn't mean they will become an awesome ALS provider. Similarly, just because someone is a sucky BLS provider doesn't mean they will be a sucky ALS provider.

I was an EMT for 15 years before I went to paramedic school. I know several paramedics who did the Zero to Hero course, and they turned out to be crappy paramedics. I also know of others who had a short time in EMS before going to paramedic school (short being less than 1 year, or a slow volunteer EMS agency). and I also know of one who worked only per diem as a paid 911 EMT who turned out to be a horrible paramedic. as well as one EMT who while in paramedic school became an extremely lazy EMT, and after he became a paramedic, turned out to be okish.

If you want my advise, the better paramedics came from busier 911 systems, had more patient contacts, and were good at performing a patient assessment. the patient assessment is pretty much the same whether you are doing it as an ALS or BLS provider, with a few exception (ALS can use a cardiac monitor, etc). If you do a crappy patient assessment as an EMT, you are going to become a crappy paramedic.

Also take a college level A&P 1 and A&P 2. A&P for paramedics is a joke of a course and barely skimms the surface (despite what one zero to hero told me, he told me he learned everything in two days that I needed almost 8 months to learn; I had a hard time not laughing in his face, and listing exactly what he did not know....)

Perhaps I am missing something here.

Yup, complete misunderstanding.

 

[VFlutter]

Also take a college level A&P 1 and A&P 2. A&P for paramedics is a joke of a course and barely skimms the surface (despite what one zero to hero told me, he told me he learned everything in two days that I needed almost 8 months to learn; I had a hard time not laughing in his face, and listing exactly what he did not know....)

Agreed. If you are a healthcare practitioner and you do not take college A&P, preferably with a cadaver lab, you are really selling yourself short. I would also add in microbiology albeit less important.

 

[Qulevrius]

Microbio adds up to the overall knowledge level, especially when it comes to pathophys. Understanding the way bacteria and viruses work, easily translates into a better understanding of transmission vectors, pathogenesis/incubation periods and replication. Paramedic level pathophys is extremely easy after taking a college level microbio.

 

[DrParasite]

Microbio adds up to the overall knowledge level, especially when it comes to pathophys.

I actually found my pathophysiology course to be more useful than microbiology

 

[NomadicMedic]

I actually found my pathophysiology course to be more useful than microbiology

I think all the science worked together for me. Chem, A&P, micro... it was all useful.