Get those degrees in EMS/Paramedicine

[CTXMEDIC]

makes sense to me. the sticking point would be the pay that medics would command with the degree. higher pay would mean higer cost which eventually gets transferred to the taxpayer. also, a degree requirement beyond an associates degree would mean a higher level of care. im not sure what more we can do at this point in a prehospital environment that we dont already do. im sure there are those that want to crack a chest in the back of a truck, however, i aint one of em.

[ERDoc]

makes sense to me. the sticking point would be the pay that medics would command with the degree. higher pay would mean higer cost which eventually gets transferred to the taxpayer. also, a degree requirement beyond an associates degree would mean a higher level of care. im not sure what more we can do at this point in a prehospital environment that we dont already do. im sure there are those that want to crack a chest in the back of a truck, however, i aint one of em.

With the proper education maybe it would save lives. Hey, I feel a research project coming on. :wink:

[Christopher.Collins]

How about this for a solution (of course this plan only applys to the US, sorry to all of our foreign friends). Start out by making a college like the rest of medicine has. Let's call it the American College of Prehospital Medicine (ACPM), similar to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Initially, to gain any strength or legitimacy this college would have to fall under the auspicies of a stronger, more established organization such as ACEP. They will set the standards as to what it takes to become board certified. Let's establish the requirements as:

1. obtain a bachelors degree in prehospital medicine from an accredited college/university (not Joe's Online College).

2. pass a written and oral exam

The requirements for the bachelors degree would be established by ACPM/ACEP and would obviously encompass necessary courses but at the same time the student would be required to meet the college/university's general education requirements. Those who have been working in the field would be allowed to be grandfathered in by a process to be determined by ACPM/ACEP but would include the written and oral board exams. The grandfather clause would be closed at a predetermined point in time.

So, now we have a bunch of college educated, board certified paramedics running around. How do we get the ambulance companies to hire them? Seems simple enough. We have ACPM/ACEP lobby congress to change the billing/fee process (all that money that I donate to ACEP/EMPAC might as well go somewhere). Make it mandatory for full payment that a pt be cared for by a board certified paramedic. Those that are not will only recover, say, 25-33% of what the board certified medic would recover. Set the payment schedule up similar to what we have in the ER. There would be certain levels of billing depending on the severity of the pt. No company would want to collect up to 75% less so they would be forced to hire the board certified medics. With the small supply of board certified medics the salary would go up. Given the current economic climate in the US, congress would love to be able to cut costs.

Eventually as it aged, ACPM would become an independent entity in the American Board of Medical Specialities. I've only given the topic a little thought, but it might work. I'd love to hear some feedback.

Great idea Doc... seriously. Whats holding you up from getting started? This may be a few paragraphs of banter but it could be something big.

Perhaps free tuition should be offered to thoes of us members of the city who have been here prior to your posting this idea :wink: Or well, at least a 50% off voucher lol

[ERDoc]

With the proper education maybe it would save lives. Hey, I feel a research project coming on. :wink:

Man, someone beat me to it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1130316...Pubmed_RVDocSum

Hmmmm...this is an interesting case study

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8295241...ogdbfrom=pubmed

[JPINFV]

Eventually as it aged, ACPM would become an independent entity in the American Board of Medical Specialities. I've only given the topic a little thought, but it might work. I'd love to hear some feedback.

Quick question, would the fact that this would be the only non-physician board in the ABMS cause undue friction? Would it be more feasible for the eventual spin off from ABEM be independent instead?

[ERDoc]

Quick question, would the fact that this would be the only non-physician board in the ABMS cause undue friction? Would it be more feasible for the eventual spin off from ABEM be independent instead?

Good point, JP. Maybe it would be better for the spin off to be independent from ABMS, sort of like the American Board of PAs.

[Christopher.Collins]

How do you all feel about online colleges? Its the new things these days and frankly Im considering it. Not nessecarilly to get a Medic or RN though, just in general.

It seems more and more that places of employment dont even care that you have a degree unless its from an accredited college.

So is an online degree of any nature worth pursuing?

[crotchitymedic1986]

I think the vote is still out on that one, as online schools are as varied in quality as paramedic schools are.

There are probably some degree MILLS out there, as well as some outstanding schools. I think most colleges have come to the conclusion that it is better to pass 80% and keep the money rolling in, instead of flunking 50% in the first year. I hear that Univ. of Phoenix online is very reputable. With that being said, I do not know if I would have to ability to do online, i am a classroom kind of guy.

[Christopher.Collins]

...

I do not know if I would have to ability to do online, i am a classroom kind of guy.

As am I, and I have a hard enough time sitting at the computer for an hour just BS'ing. But being newly married with the thought of trying to start a family and activley seeking a full time job... its just out of the question to go back to school. It sounds like online college may be geard towards me, but I just dont know anyone doing it... and I wouldnt want to waste what little money we have on something that maybe a flop.

[Lone Star]

I can see the point that CTXMEDIC is trying to make.

I recently looked into going back to reestablish my education in EMS. I was stuck outside of my 'home state' and couldn't renew my license because I couldn't get the required continuing education credits (CEU's) that I needed.

I looked into the 'EMS mill' type school and found that their EMT-B/EMT-I course was actually LESS time than I spent acquiring my original BLS license in Michigan.

I am also looking to get into the local Technical College. What I found for the requirements for an Associates Degree in Paramedicine was that it also required an 'computer science' class. The way the course was described, I fail to see how knowing how to write/diagnose and repair a computer operating system (like Windows or Linux) will help increase my knowlege and performance of patient care.

ERDoc:

I would LOVE to see the scenario you described come to light!

I'm all for higher education, (that's why I decided to look into the Technical College as opposed to attending the "EMS mill" school)