driver's license required

[moomix906]

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does anyone know, do you have to have a driver's license to complete medical school?

Also, apparently UVa requires BLS/EMT-B before you matriculate - is this common?

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

does anyone know, do you have to have a driver's license to complete medical school?

Also, apparently UVa requires BLS/EMT-B before you matriculate - is this common?

Gotta have some kind of gov't ID, but not necessarily a driver's license. It's not like you're going to be driving an ambulance or anything. Most schools have you complete a BLS course by second year and an ACLS course by 4th year, but I don't think it's common to require BLS before matriculation.

 

[SupergreenMnM]

...and BLS and EMT-B are totally different things 🙂

 

[ggman]

What is BLS and EMT-B?

 

[Kfire326]

does anyone know, do you have to have a driver's license to complete medical school?

Also, apparently UVa requires BLS/EMT-B before you matriculate - is this common?

SUNY Downstate requires BLS for Healthcare Providers. I think all schools will end up putting their students thru that anyway... some just want the student to come in with it done beforehand... (my theory, at least)

 

[moomix906]

Emergency Medical Technician - Basic training
and Basic Life Support

 

[Tired]

does anyone know, do you have to have a driver's license to complete medical school?

If you don't drive, you may find it difficult to get from one facility to another during your MS3 and MS4 years. There were some rotations where I would have to go to three different hospitals in a single day, and since many of them I was by myself, I couldn't count on catching a ride with a classmate or anything.

I would get one. And a car.

 

[Soggun]

SUNY Downstate requires BLS for Healthcare Providers. I think all schools will end up putting their students thru that anyway... some just want the student to come in with it done beforehand... (my theory, at least)

actually i have a question about that - though i may just wind up calling the office to find out. I took a course and was licensed as an EMT-B in Mass. two years ago (expiring at the end of this month) and, through that same endeavor, was certified by AHA for CPR/AED (recommended renewal date was 9/06. I know that Downstate requires, at minimum, CPR cert by AHA. I'm just not sure if I have to take another course over the summer to renew that or if they'll accept my current cert given that the recommended renewal date. Was gonna just play it safe and do another course this summer, but worth asking.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Not as far as I know. Depending on where you go to school, you might need one just to get around.

 

[Tired]

actually i have a question about that - though i may just wind up calling the office to find out. I took a course and was licensed as an EMT-B in Mass. two years ago (expiring at the end of this month) and, through that same endeavor, was certified by AHA for CPR/AED (recommended renewal date was 9/06. I know that Downstate requires, at minimum, CPR cert by AHA. I'm just not sure if I have to take another course over the summer to renew that or if they'll accept my current cert given that the recommended renewal date. Was gonna just play it safe and do another course this summer, but worth asking.

The deal is that you have to keep it up to date. Most likely the school won't get on you about it, but when you go to do anything clinical, they will ask for it. It's always easier to renew than to repeat the course, so I would recommend just keeping it up to date. You never know when someone will ask you for it.

 

[jaydoc07]

you can go online and renew with a review/quiz and print out a certificate, then just go take a "skills test" for ~20 min to show you know the maneuvers. Only takes about an hour or so, and you get the same AHA card you had before. I know this because I did it yesterday.

 

[facewait]

BLS= you took a CPR class one afternoon
EMT-B= you took a semester long course consisting of classroom time and clinicals after which you take a certification test.

You can get BLS certified at your local Red Cross, your school, sometimes your church etc. I seriously doubt that UVa requires you to be EMT-B certified and most schools offer BLS training the first week of school/orientation.

 

[BuckerPark]

BLS= you took a CPR class one afternoon

BLS is more than just CPR. Yes, it usually lasts only a day but more is taught than just CPR (splinting, trauma assessment, some airway management, etc.)

 

[moomix906]

I wasn't clear - UVa requires BLS or EMT-B training - the slash was supposed to signify either was good

 

[moomix906]

oops, accidently posted twice

 

[Instatewaiter]

As for the driver's licence, some schools have preceptorships in the first two years where you go to a PCP's office for shadowing and practicing exams. So you have to drive to the office.

 

[Law2Doc]

As for the driver's licence, some schools have preceptorships in the first two years where you go to a PCP's office for shadowing and practicing exams. So you have to drive to the office.

Agree with this. Some places will work with you if you don't have a car, others, not so much. Check with the school on their away location policy. Pretty much any school that is affiliated with suburban hospitals, or has a committment to helping the underserved in different parts of the state (esp state schools) is going to expect you to get out there eventually.

 

[GreenShirt]

CPR certification is only good for one year. If you've had it before there are many abbreviated course options through Red Cross or AHA. Yes, it's pretty standard to require BLS before matriculation or w/in the first year thereof.

I doubt your school requires EMT-B. They may accept an EMT-B certificate in lieu of a CPR card, since BLS is required of EMT-Bs. However, I doubt that as well b/c EMT-Bs receive separate BLS training through RC or AHA as well.

 

[Tired]

CPR certification is only good for one year. If you've had it before there are many abbreviated course options through Red Cross or AHA. Yes, it's pretty standard to require BLS before matriculation or w/in the first year thereof.

No, AHA BLS is good for two years. ARC BLS is good for one year. Don't take the ARC BLS, because PALS/ACLS/NRP (all AHA) are good for two years as well, so you can renew all your certifications every two years at the same time.

 

[Kfire326]

actually i have a question about that - though i may just wind up calling the office to find out. I took a course and was licensed as an EMT-B in Mass. two years ago (expiring at the end of this month) and, through that same endeavor, was certified by AHA for CPR/AED (recommended renewal date was 9/06. I know that Downstate requires, at minimum, CPR cert by AHA. I'm just not sure if I have to take another course over the summer to renew that or if they'll accept my current cert given that the recommended renewal date. Was gonna just play it safe and do another course this summer, but worth asking.

Yea, I'm not sure, I would just email Ilana Levine about that. Sorry.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Agree with this. Some places will work with you if you don't have a car, others, not so much. Check with the school on their away location policy. Pretty much any school that is affiliated with suburban hospitals, or has a committment to helping the underserved in different parts of the state (esp state schools) is going to expect you to get out there eventually.

I suspect any school will work with you if you have a medical reason for not driving (seizures, vision problems, etc.). Otherwise, yeah, just get a license or go to school in NYC.

 

[LizzyM]

go to school in NYC.

So true. There are New Yorkers (and Chicagoans) who reach 30 without having taken driver's ed!😱