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funkytomtom

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So...I disappeared from the site a little while ago after a certain thread aggravated me to no end. I come to you all now purely as an EMS provider who recognizes all this site has to offer.

I'm strongly considering taking my medic next year (when it is offered again and after I've had time to complete the rest of the pre-reqs). It would put me in college probably an extra year, however, and sadly long term EMS is not an option for me (back injury). Thusly I am conflicted about it.

What I am not conflicted about is my search for more knowledge. I am currently an NREMTI, but I feel woefully unknowledgable relative to the vast amounts of different pts we are expected to care for. Add in minimum 45 minute transport times (that's for an air-ambulance) and I really want to know more; we get stuck with some very sick people for a very long time. I'm trying to fit acronym classes into my schedule and budget (pals, phtls, itls, etc) but I know there has to be other ways. I'm fairly sure there might even be better ways.

So my question is this...how do I gain more knowledge short of taking my medic? I've been re-reading my EMTI book, but I feel like it's fairly low yield at this point. I really want something high-yield and challenging. Thinking of upgrading to a medic book and just teaching myself. Any other ideas besides trolling the city? What medic book?

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I say this with all seriousness...Take a college level AnP I and II class.

I became a medic before doing these courses. If I could redo my education, they would have come first. I am not ashamed to say, I learned many new and useful things relevant to my practice as a paramedic. The amount of understanding the "why" we do something is absolutely amazing. If you are hungry for knowledge this will quench it. Additionally, you will breeze through medic school if you complete these two classes and truly apply yourself.

Your will have a better understanding of how and why medicines work on certain conditions, why some treatments should be withheld, your overall patient care knowledge toolbox will be stuffed!

If you are sincere in your effort to learn more and become better at this career, then college level courses are the answer.

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Tom,

I'm going to have to wholeheartedly concur with AK's assessment. The human body is more complex than we truly realize. Your knowledge base will be greatly enhanced by taking these courses (especially at the collegiate level).

While the biggest obstacle that I’m facing in my A&P classes is trying to understand the professor’s thick East Indian accent.

There’s a wealth of information in Marieb’s “Human Anatomy and Physiology” and it can only serve to help make you the best medic you can be.

Once you obtain your Associate’s Degree, it will make it that much easier to be able to obtain another degree in another field if you find that you cannot do the duties required in the EMS field, or just wish to move into another arena.

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I say this with all seriousness...Take a college level AnP I and II class.

I became a medic before doing these courses. If I could redo my education, they would have come first. I am not ashamed to say, I learned many new and useful things relevant to my practice as a paramedic. The amount of understanding the "why" we do something is absolutely amazing. If you are hungry for knowledge this will quench it. Additionally, you will breeze through medic school if you complete these two classes and truly apply yourself.

Your will have a better understanding of how and why medicines work on certain conditions, why some treatments should be withheld, your overall patient care knowledge toolbox will be stuffed!

If you are sincere in your effort to learn more and become better at this career, then college level courses are the answer.

Absolutely no question that based on your description that ak's response is what you're looking for.

A question, and meant in the spirit of friendship...why are you considering furthering your education in a low paying, limited option field when it's already obvious to you that you will not be able to work there for long?

Dwayne

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Absolutely no question that based on your description that ak's response is what you're looking for.

A question, and meant in the spirit of friendship...why are you considering furthering your education in a low paying, limited option field when it's already obvious to you that you will not be able to work there for long?

Dwayne

I'm aiming at medical school, or at least PA school, so I don't see extra medical education as wasted. The medic would allow me a bachelor of emergency medicine which would set me apart from the crowd. Also, I'm working quite a bit already so I feel like I owe it to my patients not to be that EMT who decided they knew enough.

Thanks for the advice! I was already planning on taking A&P and now I'm even more excited. Still though, any recommendations on a medic book?

Edited by funkytomtom
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I'm aiming at medical school, or at least PA school, so I don't see extra medical education as wasted. The medic would allow me a bachelor of emergency medicine which would set me apart from the crowd. Also, I'm working quite a bit already so I feel like I owe it to my patients not to be that EMT who decided they knew enough.

Thanks for the advice! I was already planning on taking A&P and now I'm even more excited. Still though, any recommendations on a medic book?

I'm aiming at medical school, or at least PA school, so I don't see extra medical education as wasted. The medic would allow me a bachelor of emergency medicine which would set me apart from the crowd. Also, I'm working quite a bit already so I feel like I owe it to my patients not to be that EMT who decided they knew enough.

Thanks for the advice! I was already planning on taking A&P and now I'm even more excited. Still though, any recommendations on a medic book?

Here's where I'm getting confused...

If your goal is medical school or at least PA, why even bother with EMS?

I would suggest that you bypass all of the EMS education and concentrate your studies on what is and will be required to reach your goal.

It only stands to reason that what you will learn there will surpass what you'll need for EMS, and such; the EMS education will only be putting off what you'll still have to do.

By no means am I trying to discourage you, I'm just trying to understand your reasoning based on your stated intended goals.

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I agree. If you are looking to go the medical school why not take a bachelors degree program that will help you get into medical school

The bachelor of EMS I don't think will give you enough of the pre-requisites to get into medical school. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't see a bachelors of EMS giving you chemistry, biochem, biology 1 and 2, a&p 1 and 2 and any other pre-med level classes except maybe a&P and biology.

I see a bachelors of ems as giving you management style classes on EMS and the occasional medical class.

I could be wrong.

I do think you are going about it the wrong way if you are wanting to get into medical school.

It's sort of like the guy who went to the Gates bbq rib tech when he really wanted to be a master chef for a french restaurant in paris. I don't see that the rib tech classes will teach you anything about french quisine.

Just my 2 cents.

Plus you will save a lot of money if you forego the ems classes because I'll bet the medical school won't accept a lot of the credits you get when in ems education.

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A little surprised at this flak...I've done my homework guys...

Why even bother with EMS? I guess a fair question, but truth be told, EMS is where I discovered my love for medicine and I do love what I do. Plus it does pay some small pittance and I could use the cash and the job.

As far as the bachelors degree and pre-med requirements go, there is no pre-med major, you simply add those classes in to whatever you're already doing. You are encouraged to study "what you love." Many people go the biology route because much of the pre-med coursework applies directly to that degree. The other school of thought is to do something unique as biology majors are dime a dozen for admission committees and you truly need every leg up you can get. My thinking is it would be something incredibly unique that could make my application stand out. That being said I haven't picked a major and the emergency medicine degree is more of a pipe dream if we're getting right down to it. In my fantasy world (where my intervertebral discs are intact) I would love to take my medic and wait a few years to do the med-school thing.

And to truly explain EMS's continued relevance...there are essentially six extracurricular areas required for medical school in addition to the mcat. These include leadership, healthcare experience (this takes many forms for many different pre-meds) involving actual patient care, and volunteering. You have to show convincingly and be able to explain succinctly such as things as "why you're a leader," or relate pertinent stories about caring for people. I feel EMS makes me extremely competitive in all these fields as well as allowing me a great deal of personal growth. And if I decide to go PA, those schools specifically select for people with a prior medical background. Hell, I even got in to shadow an MD not normally fond of undergrad shadows because of my EMS experience. It has turned out to be a great shadowing experience and will hopefully turn into a great letter of rec.

I have more to say, but I feel I've made my point. Thanks for the continued input.

Edited by funkytomtom
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I am familiar with a doctor, a PA, and several nurses who became Paramedics after their original education. For the doctor, it was to get a better feel of what his medics go through (he is a med director). I don't know why the PA did. The nurses all have varying reasons for it.

I see nothing wrong with cross-training yourself. If you have done the research to know what it takes to get yourself into medical school, then follow what you are called to do, as long as it assists you in meeting your goals.

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I would take you a whole different route. Do the medic thing, get an ER job as medic instead of ambulance (save your back). Use that experience to learn more (instead of a class), hopefully you will find a hospital that would be willing to pay or reimburse you for your PA school. To those who do not know, those who already have a medical background, have a leg up on other candidates trying to get into PA school, so doing Paramedic school is not a bad idea other than it delays PA school, but if that is the poster's long term plan than so be it.

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