When is a "medic" not a Paramedic, outside the mil

[medic511]

The surprising answer is, when the "medic" works for the National Park Service. Being a federal agency, the NPS does not feel that it is necessary to have their EMS personnel be licensed or certified in any state and they just rely on National Registry status.

But things get really confusing because the National Park Service's official title for NREMT-I's is "Park Medic." (NPS RM-51 at Section 6.3.5) So, when dealing with the National Park Service, it's necessary to remember that their "medics" aren't paramedics at all. The Park Service does, however, call NREMT-P's "Paramedics."

So. I guess the Feds would like us to stop calling ourselves "medics" and start calling ourselves "paras." In the meatime for a quick, painless upgrade from Intermediate to "medic," just join the National Park Service.

[Christopher.Collins]

Yea, good ole' government. I missed the qual for medic on my ASVAB by like 2 or 3 points for the Army. You have to make or beat the score without a wavier for the "healthcare specialist" MOS... I may not be a medic but Ive been in EMS for 5 years, that cant possibly have been worth 2 whole points on a freakin written test that had maybe 2 first aid related questions?

[JPINFV]

I give this rant 3/10. It would have been higher, but Iowa calls their EMT-Intermediates "EMT-Paramedics" as well. (yes, it's Wikipedia. Yes, it's sourced).

[DwayneEMTP]

Actually, I'm solidly on board with the OP.

Don't want to pay for medics? Simply pay for Intermediates and call them medics, bullshitting the public of course. Not to mention you'll have a waiting list of Intermediates that are willing to work for peanuts so that they can be called medics without having to bother with all that additional schoolin'.

It's ridiculous, dishonest, dangerous, and another thing that's holding EMS back.

Great post.

Dwayne

[JPINFV]

Sure, it's misleading, but it's not unheard of at the state level. Where's the outrage that Iowa calls their EMT-I/99s "EMT-Paramedics?" What about military medics using the term "medic" if they aren't a paramedic as well? What I can't get behind, though, is complaining that federal employees aren't necessarily complying with local laws. There is a separation of government levels for a reason.

[BEorP]

It's ridiculous, dishonest, dangerous, and another thing that's holding EMS back.

How do you feel about Ontario where we are all paramedics? (Either Primary, Advanced, or Critical Care Paramedics)

[EMS49393]

The state of Maryland had a designation called the CRT, cardiac rescue technician, which was the old EMT-I program. As of this year, all CRT's had to upgrade to the new EMT-I and they get some fancy new patch that says EMT-Intermediate on it. Fabulous...

What ticks me off is when they call themselves "medics" or worse yet, "paramedics." They went to night class for 8 months, twice a week, a total of 300 hours. I went to college for two years and passed that incredibly easy NREMT exam. The only NREMT exam required in Maryland to become certified is the paramedic level exam. The EMT-I exam is state proctored, and as far as I'm concerned, state doctored. This level is often the highest level of care since it's a whole lot easier to become an I than a P, and they can pay them less.

Want to chap my ass, equate that education to my education.

When are "medics" paramedics? When they graduate from college, pass that cheesy NREMT exam, and are able to treat patients without consulting the Martha Stewart medic wanna be cookie book for help.

[Eydawn]

Uh.... who outside of *us* really knows what a "medic" is versus an EMT?

Sorry... I don't think it's trying to mislead the public at all. You want to know my official title for the last two years within the Boy Scouts of America? CAMP MEDIC. Didn't have a single person assume that I was a paramedic... and those who questioned were usually an EMT or paramedic... and I didn't see any of them having a conniption fit over the fact that my call sign was Medic 4. I personally don't like just using the designation "medic" to refer to paramedics... in my mind, a "medic" is someone who provides medical care (hence the military/BSA useage), and a paramedic is a more educated pre-hospital medical provider.

Am I some impostor trying to pull the wool over the eyes of unsuspecting troop leaders and parents? :roll:

Since both the Parks Service and the Boy Scouts of America aren't really EMS agencies, why are we getting our underwear in a bundle over what they choose to call their medical staff? I would have figured that working with any wilderness type, the word "medic" would engender questioning the individual as to their highest level of certification... and going from there.

But maybe that's just me. I don't think the Parks service is out there to perpetuate our floundering as a profession... I think they probably didn't even think about that at all. I think we need to find more productive things to criticize and vent our energy towards.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[reaper]

Yeah, The only thing that gets me going is being called a Firefighter!!

[firedoc5]

Within the NPS or other agencies, any medical personnel may be considered a Medic, but only in their organization. Outside of their system, be it the State or National certification they are not. I've known of some places that even non-EMT's are still called Medics.

In our system, way back when, an EMT-I was called a Medic. But for trauma radio their Medic number indicated what level of certification they were. An EMT- I's Medic number started at 200, such as Medic 201 and on up. Paramedic numbers were "Medic 001, Medic 10 and so on. MICN's had numbers of 100, 101...

I think it's still the same there.