Years ago I stumbled onto the biggest scam money maker in EMS...become an Instructor!!! (i.e. AHA, NAEMT, etc, etc, etc)
There needs to be a more standardized system for Instructors, such as a clearinghouse system, that does not require you to pay exorbitant fees to have to be classified by EACH independent body...even for their multiple disciplines. NAEMT and AHA are the worst of all of them. If you want to teach PHTLS...pay for a Provider AND an Instructor course...AMLS...pay for a Provider AND ANOTHER Instructor course...EPC...pay for a Provider AND ANOTHER Instructor course. Ditto for AHA
NAEMS has at least figured this out as they will recognize other courses, such as FI1, to meet their reqs and let you go ahead and test.
Every time you want to get an Instructor rating from some other "specialty" course you must pay much, even hundreds, of dollars to attend the same xerox copy "how to teach adult learners" courses. The only difference between the "Instructor" courses is the logos on the PowerPoint and the paperwork...which is also so similar it's ridiculously humerous. If you live in a very remote area like I do it can cost a fortune for travel, rooms and meals. And the rural areas is where the Instructors and courses are really needed.
If you have taken the Provider courses (more money), and have the level of certification necessary, already instruct other disciplines you would think that a better system could be designed. AAOP is the only one that has made it reasonable to gain more instructors and in turn get their PEPP courses out. Be recommended, take a free online course/test, and start teaching.
It's not like we're trying to reinvent the wheel here people! And it's also not like you need to have a M Ed to understand how boilerplate Powerpoint courses work!!! Even Paramedics can figure that out..(though we may need a Basic to show us how the projector works!!!) .
Until they realize that the very folks trying to get their programs out are the ones getting gouged the worst this is not likely to change.
So....who has some ideas how to break this squeaky wheel with spokes missing?