Paramedic Training & Education
February 12th, 2009
So you’re looking into paramedic schools? What is some key information that you need to know to find a paramedic school that will suit the EMS education needs in your region? Check out the following article and forums to get the answers you need and linked to the places you’re looking for!
Paramedic schools offer an intense course of study that prepares students to provide emergency medical care in an out of hospital environment. If you’re new to EMS education and or the career field I will provide a brief description help you understand what it is that Paramedics do. A paramedic is an advanced life care provider that initiates and assessment and starts providing care to the critically ill or injured. As a paramedic you will perform life saving procedures that manages a patient’s airway and breathing, cardiac circulation, CPR, Intravenous access, medication therapy, electrical cardiac therapy and much and much more. The skills you will learn in school teach you how to medically care for the critically ill and injured as well as how to manage other emergency providers and bystanders on the scene. Being a paramedic is a leadership position, so be prepared to make those tough decisions.
NEED HELP ON THE PRACTICAL SKILL EXAMS?
Selecting a paramedic school can be a bit overwhelming at first! Questions like do I need a Certification, license or degree? which can or will be an issue? With some simple steps you can ease the stress and make the selection process much easier. First you must analyze your EMS education goals and school style. Some people prefer “tech school” or “trade schools” over traditional educational institutions. The” tech” or “trade” schools generally offer a track of education which covers most or all pre-requisites that are required for the paramedic program and accreditation. Examples would be: basic math, anatomy and physiology, biology, pharmacology and so on. The benefits of a “trade” or “tech” school are that they achieve certification in a relatively short period of time and get you into the career field quickly. A drawback to “tech” or “trade” schools are that they don’t offer any transfer credits to other schools, should you want to continue your EMS education or other avenues your training, it will account for very little in the eyes of accredited universities or community colleges. A more traditional approach is to take the paramedic course of study through a community college or university. These programs are generally much longer than paramedic “tech” or “trade” schools. The increase in length is due to the accreditation process that the colleges go through, you will likely take general education, and other prerequisites prior to entering the actual paramedic course of study. These programs generally offer credits that will transfer to other colleges or universities as well as offering a degree with the newly acquired paramedic certification. As you may have guessed one of the draw backs to a traditional education style is that it takes much more time to complete. When selecting paramedic schools evaluate your needs first. If you’re looking for a new long term career where you hope to climb to management levels, you should strongly consider a traditional track of education, getting a degree in EMS management or EMS education while obtaining you paramedic certification. If your looking to remain a field medic and attain lower levels of management like field training officer positions, and need a career quickly perhaps a “trade” or “tech” school is for you. Some people also don’t do well with traditional education styles and prefer the “trade” or “tech” schools, where they get a more personalized experience. Finally you need analyze the financial demands of the training institution you plan to attend. Most “trade” or “tech” schools cost much more than community college programs and offer little or no financial assistance. You will generally find a broader spectrum of financial aid and scholarship programs at traditional educational institutions. Analyze your needs as a prospective student and then analyze the programs in your region and decide based upon the needs you have as a student taking into consideration all the aspects that we discussed above. All paramedic schools are a serious educational and personal challenge that will test your skills and abilities to learn and apply skills gained, to save a life in need. Good luck and enjoy your endeavors in this exciting career.
As a side note you will be required, at some point in your paramedic education to obtain some of the following certifications: ACLS, PALS, CPR, BTLS, PHTLS along with some others. Check out an affiliate for a better description of these courses. vitalethics.org Perhaps if your already a paramedic, you should consider a paramedic to RN course. there are many online paramedic programs as well. take a look and see what suits you best!
Note: Be sure that if you have questions about your school or a prospective school, that you post on the blog directly below the article or in the Forums so that our community of EMT’s and Paramedics can get you the answers you need! you might be surprised at what we know about EMS education! We cant help you if you don’t ask!
