Paramedic programs

[fakingpatience]

Hello all

This is my first post here, I hope I am posting it in the right place. I have looked for similar topics, but I can't find any, so if you know of one and could give me the link to it that would be great!

I am looking at becoming a paramedic. I have been an EMT for almost a year and absolutely love it. I recently moved, and had to find a job not in EMS, and am yearning to get back to EMS. I love learning, just graduated college with a BA, and am ready to get back for more education. I am trying to find a paramedic program that would be good for me to attend, but I am having trouble narrowing them down! I have moved around a lot, and don't mind moving again for a paramedic program, so I am not limited by geographical concerns (the only place I am not that excited about living is the south... but even there I could be convinced to go to). I just want to find a good program! Here are some of the things that are important to me:

Small class sizes

Lots of hands on work (I learn better through hands on and discussions than through plain lectures and reading the book)

National accreditation (I don't know where I will be living next!)

As I mentioned, I already have a BA, so going to a program where the credits are transferable is not as important to me.

Any ideas how I could start narrowing down the massive amounts of programs there are? If you had a really great experience in your paramedic program, or a really bad one, please share it with me! Are there programs that are known for being consistently amazing? Which programs should I stay far far away from?

Any information I can get on the different programs will help

Thanks in advance!

[tcripp]

Talk about a wide open topic. You are essentially asking about every program that exists. Interesting approach. Have you thought about where you want to work when you are done to help narrow down the field?

I can only speak to Texas (which, yes, is in the south) but think that maybe what I have to say might hold true to other states. In Texas, we all have to do our final testing through National Registry. So, to help to determine the better program, I recommend you do a search online for National Registry pass rates. For Texas, 2008, the link is http://www.dshs.stat...atRegTXPass.pdf. For 2009 - http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/JF10NatRegistryNumbers.pdf. From there, you can start asking questions about specific programs.

I graduated from Austin CC which has had a 100% pass rate for many, many years and, as I understand it is ranked fairly high in the top 10 list of programs. I chose it for that reason. It was a tough course that takes 4-5 semesters with a 3-part final. One of those three parts (the drug calculation part) required 100 to pass. The only downside to this particular program is that, IMHO, it focused more on city response and not quite so much on rural response. Since I am now working full time with a 911-service in a rural area, I'm having to continue my education...but I'm sure that we all have to do that as we graduate.

Good luck in your fact finding and decision making...and then in the program you choose.

Edited July 29, 2010 by tcripp

[Rescue0ne]

Good luck with this dillema.

One thing you may want to take into serious consideration, is when choosing a Medic Program, try to find one at a learning institution that will honor as many of the classes you have already taken, as possible.

When I went through the course, it was 5 semesters long, with a 2 full day final exam. As with most halfway decent Paramedic Programs, it is an Associates Degree progam, which meant I needed English, Math, Sciences, Humanities, Electives, etc. It would be beneficial, on your part, to make sure that as many of the classes you have already taken, as part of your BA, are acceptable for which ever college you attend for your Paramedic Program. Otherwise, you'll end up sitting through English 111 again, or Advanced Basket Weaving, etc. I had to take a PE class AGAIN, as well as a computer class...and I already had an AS in Computer Science.

Be careful when choosing a Paramedic Program. There are many out there that only care about $$$, and tend to graduate half-a$$ed Paramedics.

[fakingpatience]

I can only speak to Texas (which, yes, is in the south) but think that maybe what I have to say might hold true to other states. In Texas, we all have to do our final testing through National Registry. So, to help to determine the better program, I recommend you do a search online for National Registry pass rates. For Texas, 2008, the link is http://www.dshs.stat...atRegTXPass.pdf. For 2009 - http://www.dshs.stat...stryNumbers.pdf. From there, you can start asking questions about specific programs.

Wow, I didn't know there was information available online about a programs national registry pass rates, this should be very helpful! But would you mind sending the link again? The one you attached to the post was broken. Does anyone know if there is data like this available ranking all the programs nationally? You mentioned that your program was consistently in the top 10... where did you find such a ranking?

I know that this topic is so broad, that is why I am having such a hard time researching programs, there are so many out there. As I said before, I really have no idea where I want to live- so far I have liked everywhere I have tried, and I am not afraid to try new places. I do realize that it would be useful to go through a program somewhere I want to continue living, for the connections and such, but I can't see myself living in one place for the rest of my life (or even the next 15 or so years...) anyway.

Again, any information on the different programs is much appreciated

[spenac]

The program that she is with is www.percomonline.com. They provide quality education.

As to accredited. It is not yet required. Many schools are in the process of getting accreditation at this time. On the list of already accredited there are schools I would not hire students from. So accredited does not equal quality. Percom is not accredited yet at least according to the list on my link, but I am sure they will be soon.

http://www.caahep.org/Find-An-Accredited-Program/

http://www.jems.com/resources/directory/Accredited_EMT_and_Paramedic_Programs.html

Edited July 30, 2010 by spenac

[tcripp]

Do a search online for "National Registry pass rates" for other states. I don't know if they exist or not.

For Texas, they are on the DSHS web page at the following addresses:

.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/JF09NatRegTXPass.pdf

.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/JF10NatRegistryNumbers.pdf

Add the www in front. I'm removing it in hopes that it will quit being trunkated.

Now, as to Austin Community College's ranking...I don't know where I saw that posted.

Spenac provided to you links to an online program to which I am affiliated. That link is www.percomonline.com. As to accreditation, they are currently working on that at this time.

I hope this helps.

Edited July 30, 2010 by tcripp

[fiznat]

I really think you should pick a locale before you pick a school. There are good accredited schools all over the place. I think you can at least pick a region you can start to narrow things down quite a bit. I went to the program at Capital Community College in Hartford CT, which was a 1 year accredited program including lots of hands-on training (in hospital rotations are required as well as on-ambulance internships and laboratory sessions). If you're interested in the Northeast, give it a look!

[tylerp1]

fp--

I'm currently attending the University of Iowa's Accelerated Paramedic Specialist Program. It's a 15-week academy-style didactic training within the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and is also nationally accredited. One of our instructors was one of the first medics in the state of Iowa and the others are very, very experienced. I'll provide a link here, but if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

University of Iowa EMS Learning Resource Center

-Tyler

[Rescue0ne]

15 week Paramedic Program?!?!?!

Is that start to finish, or are you required to be an EMT-BAsic prior to enrollment?

Just curious...

[tylerp1]

15 week Paramedic Program?!?!?!

Is that start to finish, or are you required to be an EMT-BAsic prior to enrollment?

Just curious...

That's from start to finish. You have to have your EMT-B. Within the link, there are PDF files that give descriptions of the course, pre-requisites, and an application form.