EMT Questions

[obgyny]

1) Has anyone went through the EMT program while taking on college classes simultaneously? If so, how did you manage?

2) Do you think EMT training by itself look good on a med school application, or actual EMT work experience?

Thoughts?

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[brodaiga]

1) Has anyone went through the EMT program while taking on college classes simultaneously? If so, how did you manage?

2) Do you think EMT training by itself look good on a med school application, or actual EMT work experience?

Thoughts?

I became an EMT-I in a summer program. Yes and Yes.

 

[DrMom]

moving to the pre-hospital/EMS forum...

 

[45408]

EMT training alone is pretty worthless. Do something with it.

 

[thirdunity]

1) Has anyone went through the EMT program while taking on college classes simultaneously? If so, how did you manage?

2) Do you think EMT training by itself look good on a med school application, or actual EMT work experience?

Thoughts?

I can answer question number one.

I am doing it this way - I go to a community college which has the EMT-B program, so I am taking my EMT-B classes while doing my GEs and prerequisites.
In order not to be killing myself in terms of scheduling (I'll also be working as a phlebotomist when not in school) I am only taking two academic courses (math and one of my remaining liberal arts GEs), but come January, I'll be going full-time with the academic courses. Also, since I am enrolled in 12 units (5 of those being EMT courses, 7 being academics), that is enough as far as the student aid people are concerned.

 

[KRiv]

Right now Im going to take this "Quanta" class where I will take one 3 hour block but receive credit for 3 classes and a math class. So I could take it pretty easy. But I think Ill take the EMT in Jan. so I will get used to college first.

 

[carn311]

I took my EMT-B class during a full semester with 14 credits of nothing but science and math and still managed straight As. It was a LOT of work through in addition to all of my regular course work I was at the EMT class 2 days a week for 4 hrs a night and some 8hr saturdays. Just prioritize; if it comes down to studdying for one of your college courses or the EMT course remember that ADCOMS will never see your grades in the EMT course unless you actually take it at a college.

 

[Emergency!]

2) Do you think EMT training by itself look good on a med school application, or actual EMT work experience?

Personally, if you don't plan on using your training for anything, I wouldn't bother with the class. Becoming an EMT seems to be currently popular with pre-meds. So, having the cert in and of itself is not going to give you any edge at all on your application. If anything, taking the EMT class and then not using that training anywhere kind of screams that you just did it in order to put it on your application. That said, EMS is a great way to gain clinical experience (especially if you get to do 911) and, if you can find a place to volunteer as an EMT, you can get volunteering and clinical experience at the same time.

 

[45408]

ADCOMS will never see your grades in the EMT course unless you actually take it at a college.

yeah, unfortunately for me, I figured they wouldn't care about my EMT grades....but AMCAS wanted them anyways.

 

[thirdunity]

yeah, unfortunately for me, I figured they wouldn't care about my EMT grades....but AMCAS wanted them anyways.

That brings up a slightly off-topic question, Prowler.

I am transferring to UC Davis from a JC, and at the school I'm going to, the EMT classes are not transferrable to UC.

As it turns out, some time ago (unfortunately, it's fairly recently) I failed first year algebra. This is not a transferrable course, either. In the UC system at least, math is not transferrable until you reach precalculus. I got tutoring and everything and now am doing well in math (which is why I started thinking that becoming a doctor was actually possible), but my counselor advised me not to bother repeating non-transferrable courses since UC isn't going to look at them anyway.

I'm concerned about this, because in my past I have all kinds of "non-transferrable" courses that I totally hosed. I have gotten mostly As in my transfer stuff.

If the grades don't transfer to my UC transcript, will AMCAS still manage to look at them/find out about them?

Will a steady record of upward improvement help?

Do you think I could get away with taking my EMT classes credit/no credit?

 

[streetdoc]

That brings up a slightly off-topic question, Prowler.

I am transferring to UC Davis from a JC, and at the school I'm going to, the EMT classes are not transferrable to UC.

As it turns out, some time ago (unfortunately, it's fairly recently) I failed first year algebra. This is not a transferrable course, either. In the UC system at least, math is not transferrable until you reach precalculus. I got tutoring and everything and now am doing well in math (which is why I started thinking that becoming a doctor was actually possible), but my counselor advised me not to bother repeating non-transferrable courses since UC isn't going to look at them anyway.

I'm concerned about this, because in my past I have all kinds of "non-transferrable" courses that I totally hosed. I have gotten mostly As in my transfer stuff.

If the grades don't transfer to my UC transcript, will AMCAS still manage to look at them/find out about them?

Will a steady record of upward improvement help?

Do you think I could get away with taking my EMT classes credit/no credit?

if you took those "non-transferable classes " and received grades for them, then AMCAS will ask for them. i suppose you could neglect to submit them, but that would open a can of worms that would not be good.
your upward trend is good help!
Basic class is easy, take it for credit and do well. if you don't do well in basic class, reconsider medicine...if you don't do well in math-don't worry-i can barely add and med school has never required me to be without a calculator
good luck!
streetdoc

 

[EissMachine]

I'll be starting Pre-Med in the fall and I'll be taking my EMT class until November. I don't forsee any problems considering the EMT class teaches basic stuff which I've done in the field many many times before as a CFR. I've been riding for my local volunteer ambulance since I was 16, and I'll be joining my college ambulance along with trying to get a paid EMT job on one of the commercial ambulances in the area. I've been doing this since before I thought about doing Pre-med, infact, EMS sort of made me realize I should do it. If you're going to do the job just to have something on a med school application, then you're doing it for the wrong reason.

 

[obgyny]

I'll be starting Pre-Med in the fall and I'll be taking my EMT class until November. I don't forsee any problems considering the EMT class teaches basic stuff which I've done in the field many many times before as a CFR. I've been riding for my local volunteer ambulance since I was 16, and I'll be joining my college ambulance along with trying to get a paid EMT job on one of the commercial ambulances in the area. I've been doing this since before I thought about doing Pre-med, infact, EMS sort of made me realize I should do it. If you're going to do the job just to have something on a med school application, then you're doing it for the wrong reason.

Well I do want to get some practical experience, and learn how do to basic things (such as IVs, etc). I'm just concerned it'll interfere with my grades, which is my priority. I just wanted to do something "medical" with all these non-medical classes I'm taking. Does that make any sense?

Plus there are no pre-med programs (or anything close) in the city where I live, and only one hospital I used to volunteer at. I liked volunteering, but I couldn't stand the volunteer coordinator. So I don't really have that many options.

 

[EissMachine]

Well I do want to get some practical experience, and learn how do to basic things (such as IVs, etc). I'm just concerned it'll interfere with my grades, which is my priority. I just wanted to do something "medical" with all these non-medical classes I'm taking. Does that make any sense?

Plus there are no pre-med programs (or anything close) in the city where I live, and only one hospital I used to volunteer at. I liked volunteering, but I couldn't stand the volunteer coordinator. So I don't really have that many options.

If you take an EMT-Basic class it shouldn't be bad at all. I think you should look for a local volunteer ambulance in your area first, because they usually pay for your training. A class usually runs 4-6 months, two-three nights a week for a few hours. For me, the EMT class is pretty straightfoward. There's alot or a little reading involved depending on how much you already know and are comfortable with, and practical skills are a big part of it. To pass the course you have to take a state written and a state practical. It's nothing too complicated considering we don't push drugs or give IV's.

 

[obgyny]

If you take an EMT-Basic class it shouldn't be bad at all. I think you should look for a local volunteer ambulance in your area first, because they usually pay for your training. A class usually runs 4-6 months, two-three nights a week for a few hours. For me, the EMT class is pretty straightfoward. There's alot or a little reading involved depending on how much you already know and are comfortable with, and practical skills are a big part of it. To pass the course you have to take a state written and a state practical. It's nothing too complicated considering we don't push drugs or give IV's.

Oh yeah, you don't start IVs and stuff until EMT-I, isn't it? Then what sort of things do you learn in EMT-B? What did you get to do when you were volunteering? What's a CFR?

 

[EissMachine]

Oh yeah, you don't start IVs and stuff until EMT-I, isn't it? Then what sort of things do you learn in EMT-B? What did you get to do when you were volunteering? What's a CFR?

Depends on what state you're in as to what EMT-I's can do. Paramedics usually do the IV's and all the good stuff. In New York State as an EMT-B you learn how to assess a patient and be able to treat simple injuries and medical problems. If a paramedic or higher EMT isn't with you, you basically are in charge of the patient's welfare until they get to the hospital. You'll do splints, bandaging, CPR, give oxygen etc. You can basically do everything except give IV's, push drugs, read ECG strips, or intubate. EMT-B's are the backbone of EMS. As a member of a volunteer EMS service, I get to do everything in the scope of my training as a CFR. a Certified First Responder is basically a simplified version of an EMT-B. They're trained to come onto a scene and start stabilizing the situation until higher care comes. You will usually find them in Fire Departments who arrive at the scene before the ambulance does. I'm a CFR because to be an EMT you have to be 18, and I was 16 when I got my CFR. With my ambulance squad, I basically do everything the EMT does except for the fact that I can't be the sole EMS person on a call because of the way our organization is setup.

 

[jendc08]

I took an EMT-B class as a class at college my first semester. It was easy an A so that was a great way to start the GPA! I dont think just being certified would matter much to your application, but I'm sure all my volunteer EMT experienced helped me. I mean it counted for lots of volunteer time and some great medical experiences. Good luck.

1) Has anyone went through the EMT program while taking on college classes simultaneously? If so, how did you manage?

2) Do you think EMT training by itself look good on a med school application, or actual EMT work experience?

Thoughts?

 

[hlchess]

My friend who is taking the EMT-B class said it's hard for college students who want to apply to med school to get a job because they are looking for a long-term commitment.

What else would you be able to do with an EMT certification other than working on an ambulance or in the ER? How/where do you work as a volunteer EMT?

 

[ockhamsRzr]

I did 13 credits of sciences at Umass Boston while also taking the
EMT-B course at Northeastern. Other than the class time (3 days a week, 3 hours a day, some all day saturdays for 15 weeks) it was a total breeze. Although we had tests every week and many "skills" (traction splint, bandaging, CPR, AED, assessments, assessments, assessments!) you would have to be a scalding ***** to fail an EMT-basic course.

I found the course, however, to be hugely useful not just from a practical point of view (like hey the guy next to me on the elevator just collapsed, what should I do) but also from a premed perspective where theory meets practice. It can be hard when studying enzymes or the krebs cycle to remember that all this junk is related to medicine and health care somehow. But knowing about glycolosis and ATP defintely augmented clinical street concepts for say hypo/hyperglycemia in a useful way.

As for the BEST premed use for the EMT certification, hands down you can't get a better gig then as a tech in an ER. You will be able to learn from ER docs on the floor, setup EKG machines, prep lines and get an awesome view into healthcare from both a nurse and doc perspective. You will also make about $15/hr and gain tons of clinical experience (you will also meet a ton of docs to make connections and opportunities to shaodw alongside).

Please don't take this is as an afront to the the guys and gals who drive the bus (they're heros with incredibly strong backs), but I wouldn't work on the vomit van for a second. The sad irony is that if you want to do it for a decent wage, you need to do transports not 911, and if you do transports folks like adcoms will not think you have clinical experience.

I have done ride alongs with the dedicated paramedic team at one of the best childrens hospitals in the country (I work at the hospital as a clinical researcher) and those cats are a very impressive group. But for me, I would rather watch the diagnosis, triage, and on-going critical care that happens in an ED then work the front lines of EMS. It all REALLY depends on what kind of experience you seek and what your personality type is.

All in all, I feel very strongly that the EMT-B course should be a mandatory requirement in order to graduate high school. It was, I feel, one of the most valuable and practical courses I've ever taken.

And never forget: air goes in and out, blood goes round and round; if one of those things stops, there's a problem. This is the gospel at every level of medicine

Ockham