Paramedic??

[lilmacstew]

Is it worth to get? I have the option of taking that class this next year.. and was wondering if it would be good to get. I know the patient contact will be good and I will learn alot. What do you guys think? what will med schools thing?

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[Aero047]

It's frustrating. What can a person do to stick out? There aren't enough hours in the day.

 

[oudoc08]

Every applicant and his grandmother is a paramedic these days. Only do it because YOU want to do it.

I think you are making a reference to EMT-Basic which takes only a few months to complete. Out of my class of 150, I am the only paramedic. Out of our entire school population ~600, there is only one other paramedic.

My interviewers indicated that being a paramedic was immeasurably valuable, both as an honest indicator to them as my true desires to pursue medicine, and as one to myself for similar reasons.

In addition, it is also an incredible experience as it gives me a leg up, not on basic sciences, but on clinical correlation.

 

[Robz]

I agree with oudoc. Paramedic is a whole schooling not just a class. Where as an EMT is a much shorter education.

In my class there are a few medics. Myself and at least 3 others I know for sure. Of course this is out of a class of 220 so the ratios are still really low. Being a medic is a big thing in my book and you have to love what you do cause waking up at 3am in the morning and dealing with a unconcious patient in the darkest part of a city isn't for everyone and it shouldn't be done just to make your application look good either. There are easier ways for that.

 

[EMTLizzy]

Being a medic is a big thing in my book and you have to love what you do cause waking up at 3am in the morning and dealing with a unconcious patient in the darkest part of a city isn't for everyone and it shouldn't be done just to make your application look good either. There are easier ways for that.

Hey now, us lowly EMT's do that too. After all, who would carry your stuff down the stairs?

I think if you actually have an interest in prehospital work then being an EMT is great. If you have the time to go through medic school and the drive for that level of work while you're in school then go for it. But don't do it just to boost your application.

Doing volunteer work or working in the medical field is good experience and helps your application. But if you only start doing it just before the application process then it isn't as effective. In other words, 5 years of experience is great. 6 months of experience is nice, but it may look like you just did it for an extra line on your AACOMAS application.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Is it worth to get? I have the option of taking that class this next year.. and was wondering if it would be good to get. I know the patient contact will be good and I will learn alot. What do you guys think? what will med schools thing?

Yes, entering the EMS profession and gaining emergency medicine experience will greatly enhance your medical school application.

 

[daddy2mykids]

Being a paramedic is a rewarding job. However, as stated previously, it is intensive. For people who anticipate applying to med school and want to use the EMS route to gain experience and want to do it in under a year, the EMT-B (EMT basic vs. EMT-P (paramedic)) is the best way to go. But make sure that the area you are planning on working in hires EMT-B in their ED as techs. You will get much more experience, be able to interact more with Physicians and Nurses and get a better feel for the environment in which you will be working in the future.
If however you are planning on getting into med school several years down the road and want something that will pay well and give you experience...go the 2 yr RN route (some programs are even shorter if you already have your Bachelors degree). Before all you paramedics jump on me...I have been a medic for 9 years and love the job...but RNs have more diverse opportunities and as we all know (unfortunately) pays much better. I know a few RNs who are able to moonlight making 45-50/hr while they are in med school. Man, I wish there was a medic job that would do that...that is in this country.
I hope this helps. I am speaking from experience and wish I never had to dissuade anyone from the EMS field. But especially for those who don't plan on doing it forever, and have the time...Nursing is probably a better choice.

 

[lilmacstew]

I guess I phrased the question wrong. I know that it is not just a "class" However the 2 semester series starts this next semester... so that is what I meant. I am not doing it to justput an extra line on my application. I am trying to truly find a way that I can have that patient experience and learn something and be able to participate at the same time.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I guess I phrased the question wrong. I know that it is not just a "class" However the 2 semester series starts this next semester... so that is what I meant. I am not doing it to justput an extra line on my application. I am trying to truly find a way that I can have that patient experience and learn something and be able to participate at the same time.

good

go for it!

 

[Robz]

Hey now, us lowly EMT's do that too. After all, who would carry your stuff down the stairs?

Point noted...I was a basic for a while and I did my fair share of lugging stuff around and lifting. I considered it a right of passage in a way. There was absolutly no way I could do my job without the help of very talented EMT's

 

[medic170]

My interviewers indicated that being a paramedic was immeasurably valuable, both as an honest indicator to them as my true desires to pursue medicine, and as one to myself for similar reasons.

In addition, it is also an incredible experience as it gives me a leg up, not on basic sciences, but on clinical correlation.

Same here.

 

[Static Line]

Is it worth to get? I have the option of taking that class this next year.. and was wondering if it would be good to get. I know the patient contact will be good and I will learn alot. What do you guys think? what will med schools thing?

I would prefer the paramedic training, however, I am biased having 10 years
paramedic experience. My former EMS medical director for 9 years is a DO which is 1 of many reasons I preferred a DO school over allopath (nothing wrong with MD though).

The benefit of your paramedic over RN is this: At times (in between all the drunks, drug addicts, and pregnant for the 3rd time 16 year olds), you will develop a thought process where you have to think critically and act real fast to save a life. You don’t have time to get the opinion of the doctor, you just have to do it. My medical director says we are trained like physicians; albeit, we don’t have anywhere near the knowledge base of one. This type of decisive thinking will serve you well as a doctor.

As a nurse: you are not trained to act like this. A good ER nurse knows what they are looking at many times, but they can’t do anything about it because the doctor has to give the order. That type of dependency on someone else, in some people is hard to break, so, they don’t develop the type of decisive action taking that you develop as a paramedic. As a doctor, that is training that you don't want to follow you. However, RN’s learn more book knowledge and have a better handle on many disease processes that as a paramedic you receive no training about, but are expected to know. Plus they make better $$$$$$$. I am not degrading the nursing profession by any means, you will see how important to your practice that they are.

Personally, I think the instinct you learn as a paramedic will carry you farther than knowing a disease process. You have to learn those in med school anyhow. I say go for the paramedic as long as it is an intermediate step in your career and not a career choice itself. I don’t know how some of the old timers in EMS do it, it is a hard lifestyle. Good luck in you choice.

 

[medic170]

I would prefer the paramedic training, however, I am biased having 10 years
paramedic experience. My former EMS medical director for 9 years is a DO which is 1 of many reasons I preferred a DO school over allopath (nothing wrong with MD though).

The benefit of your paramedic over RN is this: At times (in between all the drunks, drug addicts, and pregnant for the 3rd time 16 year olds), you will develop a thought process where you have to think critically and act real fast to save a life. You don’t have time to get the opinion of the doctor, you just have to do it. My medical director says we are trained like physicians; albeit, we don’t have anywhere near the knowledge base of one. This type of decisive thinking will serve you well as a doctor.

As a nurse: you are not trained to act like this. A good ER nurse knows what they are looking at many times, but they can’t do anything about it because the doctor has to give the order. That type of dependency on someone else, in some people is hard to break, so, they don’t develop the type of decisive action taking that you develop as a paramedic. As a doctor, that is training that you don't want to follow you. However, RN’s learn more book knowledge and have a better handle on many disease processes that as a paramedic you receive no training about, but are expected to know. Plus they make better $$$$$$$. I am not degrading the nursing profession by any means, you will see how important to your practice that they are.

Personally, I think the instinct you learn as a paramedic will carry you farther than knowing a disease process. You have to learn those in med school anyhow. I say go for the paramedic as long as it is an intermediate step in your career and not a career choice itself. I don’t know how some of the old timers in EMS do it, it is a hard lifestyle. Good luck in you choice.

I agree totally. BTW, my EMS Medical Control Director is a DO too!

 

[EMTLizzy]

Personally, I think the instinct you learn as a paramedic will carry you farther than knowing a disease process. You have to learn those in med school anyhow. I say go for the paramedic as long as it is an intermediate step in your career and not a career choice itself. I don’t know how some of the old timers in EMS do it, it is a hard lifestyle. Good luck in you choice.

Along these same lines.... I think the most important thing I've learned as an EMT is "people skills". I've worked with old people, young people, babies, drunk people, people high as a kite, people sober as a judge, rich, poor, angry, scared, and everything in between. Learning how to talk to people is something that comes with experience and can't be just taught in a class. I'm glad I can go into medical school with that knowledge already behind me.