medic_casey

"Wrong. A degree is not just a random accumulation of semester hours. It is a focused education. It is a testament to a level of maturity and professional commitment that most never achieve because they either don't have what it takes, or else they simply don't have that serious commitment to the profession. If your school is just giving out sheepskins for a given number of hours, your school sucks. " Whoa...I didn't even come close to saying that my school was giving out an AA for the "random" hours...I was merely pointing out how CLOSE someone comes to having a associate's degree. Jeepers. It was just to illustrate a point. I agree that we need a fundamental change if EVERYONE, including lay public and those with whom we work, is to understand our profession and what we do. 'Nuf said. BTW, I have a Master's degree, yet wasn't able to go and get a job in Oregon because I didn't have such AS in paramedicine courses like "Medical Terminology", "CSIM", and "Radio Skills"...wow, that pretty much blew my mind.

Hmmm... Well, I agree that the term "ambulance driver" is somewhat demoralizing, but I also agree that it is a useful term for the lay public. For them, firefighter and police officer are easier concepts around which to wrap their brains...though it shouldn't be this way. :roll: And I don't necessarily agree that paramedicine needs a 2 year degree...what are you going to call yourself then? EMT-A.S., for associate in science degree? C'mon, you know that sounds ludicrous. Besides, in order to get your paramedic, most reputable courses require you to have a semester of A and P, either together or separately, as well as other coursework. Basically, you have an AA due to the requirements to get into the prerequisites. For better or worse, I do call myself a paramedic. Why? Well, maybe it is partly ego, partly because I like the sound of it, or partly because I feel I've earned the right to separate myself due to the rigors of the course. It DOES NOT mean I think I'm better than someone else, though I'm certain there are some out there who embrace the "paragod" notion. On the contrary, I look up to those whose certifications are "lower" than mine because more often than not, they've seen more and done more than me...I respect them and their skills and without question, wouldn't be as good a paramedic as I am without them.

Interesting topic. Being extremely curious and never satisfied without an answer, I tried to quickly look it up online...but you're right. They mention the location of the weight gain, but without explanation. So it got me to thinking...what if the weight gain/fat storage is a result of where the majority of our fatty tissue exists in the first place? That whole "like attracts like" theory...look at "beer bellied" folks! They generally have "chicken legs", do they not? Well, good luck with the presentation, and let us know if you find a definitive answer! [/font:676dedf174]