What should I start studying before my Paramedic program starts?

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nbas2b

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In about 2 weeks, My paramedic program is starting at NCTI. I just become an EMT about a month ago, so I dont have any experience as an EMT. I'm really nervous and excited at the same time, I've heard its pretty much hell for a year, but well worth it. Is that true? Do you guys have any suggestions on how to study or what to study? What worked for you guys and what didn't? A part of the reason why I'm so nervous is because I did struggle in the EMT class, but I wont let my learning disability stop from doing what I want. And I've heard that if I struggled in my EMT class, don't have any experience as an EMT, Im setting myself up for failure.

ANY SUGGESTIONS OR TIPS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
 
Advice? Easy. Don't go just yet. Wait at least a year. In the meantime, get a position with a busy ALS service. The busier, the better. One thing you absolutely cannot learn from a book is experience. If you start medic school now, you will realize that you only thought you struggled in EMT class. You ain't seen nothin' yet. Give it a year. Then go.
 
I disagree. Sure, experience does account for something (albeit a large part), but I've seen first hand what happens when an EMT goes right into medic and I've come to this conclusion: it depends. You'll see some fail, pass and be horrible, pass and be mediocre, or pass and be great. It depends on who you are, how quickly you pick up things, etc. etc. I would suggest working as an EMT while in medic school so you'll at least have that year experience before actually being a medic. Stay focused and study hard and you yourself will determine what kind of medic you will be.


-rye
 
I think either way is fine. I had to work 2 years FT before I could go into my paramedic in which I also start in a month!
I always review the text. Try and refresh my memory of all the material and do quizes to see where my strengths and weaknesses are.
Good Luck!

MDKEMT
 
Thanks a lot guys. Well I do take longer than most people to catch on or absorb the information, so that means I just have to study longer and harder, Kinda sucks when you gotta learning disability.

Do you guys if you have to have an ambulance drivers Cert. to work for AMR as a basic?

That was my plan to work as a basic through medic school, I just wasnt sure if personally I would be able to do it. I guess i'm confused on whats so important to having experience as an Basic, because I know the first 6 months of working with AMR as a basic, your stuck on just transports. What can you possibly learn from that?
 
you can learn a lot on transports, its great time to practice vitals and monitoring etc...transports dont always go to plan....remember that....when your transporting u can look at a patients chart cos theyre in ur care and learn about conditions or if i come across a weird allergy or drug im not familiar with; things like that, ill ask the patient how it effects them...theres always opportunity to learn in the back of an ambulance, even the most mundane transports u mite pick something up, and remember use the time to make sure u can get BP by auscultation etc.. (equipment can always fail) and if ur pt is on a monitor try learn cardiac rhythms etc.......if u have to study longer n harder in the long run you could make a better medic....dont let it get you down, youll do it if you really want to, you can do anything you want....you gotta believe you can....
 
nbas, yes, you have to have the ambulance driver's cert to work for AMR.
 
if your going in with no A&P tehn your going to get blind sided. if you can read an entire 1 year A&P book in 2 weeks and retain most of it...then your good.
 
I also have one other question. What do you guys think would be more beneficial? Working as a ER Tech or working as an EMT.

There are positive and negatives with each. But it seems to me that I would earn a lot more working as a ER Tech just because I would be around doctors and nurses. What do you guys think and where do you guys think I should try to get a job with?
 
i can see the pro's n con's of doing both. if you could get on with a service that you'd be working with medics i think you could learn alot from that. i mean you get street experience, driving experience and also your medic could help you all the way through...it be like doin clinicals all the time...personally i would favour ambulance over ED. thats jus my opinion. go with what will work best for you
 
nbas2b said:
I also have one other question. What do you guys think would be more beneficial? Working as a ER Tech or working as an EMT.

There are positive and negatives with each. But it seems to me that I would earn a lot more working as a ER Tech just because I would be around doctors and nurses. What do you guys think and where do you guys think I should try to get a job with?
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Depends on what you plan on continuing up to be. if you want to work in the hospital one day then ER tech is great. but beware you will learn to do things as an ER tech that you cannot do as a Basic.
 
mikeylikesit said:
Depends on what you plan on continuing up to be. if you want to work in the hospital one day then ER tech is great. but beware you will learn to do things as an ER tech that you cannot do as a Basic.
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Like what? Only thing I came across was foley placement.... it may be different for your area though.
 
Yea but if I got a job with as an EMT, Id be working with AMR, and they require I work BLS transport for atleast 6 months before I can move on to dispatch calls.
 
Jeremy89 said:
Like what? Only thing I came across was foley placement.... it may be different for your area though.
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It is a bit different in every area. Depends on what the ER docs/RN's are willing to let you do. i did sutures as a basic because i got good at it and they always called me in while i was working to do them. i did the foleys but hated that so every time a new RN came in and asked if i could start one i would say "no body has shown me how yet";).
 
I had very little experience as a basic before I took my paramedic, which I just passed, by the way, and I think I'm better for the lack of experience, and that is why I passed. The less experience that I have, the less bad habits I can develop. I had to learn everything by the book right away, that left no room for mistakes in testing due to confusing the way the book says to do things versus the your squad does things. Know what I mean?
 
study material

I too am starting medic school in 3 weeks. Are there any websites I can go to to purchase things like flash cards or study guides for things like drugs and A&P terms?

thanks!
 
awhiting said:
I too am starting medic school in 3 weeks. Are there any websites I can go to to purchase things like flash cards or study guides for things like drugs and A&P terms?

thanks!
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There are a ton, just Google it. There are no sites in particular that i have found to be better than the other. So it is basically as far as i know, just a take your pick type thing.
 
awhiting said:
I too am starting medic school in 3 weeks. Are there any websites I can go to to purchase things like flash cards or study guides for things like drugs and A&P terms?

thanks!
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If your program is any good, they should give you that stuff when you start it.
 
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