EMT Basic course

[VentMedic]

I LOVED History too! I wish my chem and physics grades had been as good as my History grades, lol! But, as much as I love it, I can't honestly say it was terribly relevant to my medical education. On the other hand, I would never call it a waste of time either though.

Although, at my age, I've lived enough history to not really need a course in it.

It is always a pleasure to read your opinions Dustdevil, especially on education.

I would like to see more history especially as it has pertained to taking care of the people and where the U.S. system has gone to heck. We could start with the Revolution and taxation especially after reading the volunteer/paid threads. Then we could exam Hoover's Bonus Plan and his betrayal of veterans right into FDR and the Depression era. The legislation passed during the early decades set precedence to the fiasco we now have called healthcare. Maybe we could start learning from all the mistakes made through history when setting policies or electing idiots to make decisions.

Political Science should be a must also. The easiest way to get funds for a paid EMS service is to elect a politician sympathetic to EMS who is well connected and corrupt enough to divert funds from another infrastructure budget or another corrupt politician's pork project. Those that have been successful in doing this usually can afford 3 ALS trucks to every sprained ankle. However, the school system that trusted the honest politician will have cutbacks.

The Icelandic literature requirement sounds like the 5 Spanish language and culture classes I had to take in Miami (small country just south of the U.S. and north of Cuba).

Excuse my attitude today. I was just on a different forum reading another thread bashing education again.

[Dustdevil]

I would like to see more history especially as it has pertained to taking care of the people and where the U.S. system has gone to heck.

You allude to a really good point that I have pondered at length. It's so silly that the EMT curriculum still includes totally useless information about radio repeaters and duplex communications systems, but has nothing about the history of our profession. I think that is sorely needed. People enter this field with absolutely no concept of where we came from, where we have been, how we got there, or that we are still trying to get somewhere else. All they know is the present, and assume that things are as they have always been. Consequently, it is difficult to get them on board with progress. And those who do decide that change is in order don't know enough about what has already been done to put it into perspective. They don't know how the first paramedics and EMTs came about, or why. They don't know how we became associated with the fire service or why. They don't know how much (or more appropriately, how little) we have progressed from those early days or why. Therefore, we hear a lot of ideas being rehashed that have been old news for decades.

As was discussed in another thread, medics would also benefit greatly by having a historical understanding of the other allied health professions and how they have handled professional growth. And, as you suggested, an understanding of the history of healthcare in general would give us an extremely useful perspective for planning our own future.

I think a nice semester long mandatory course on healthcare history and professional perspectives would be a seriously helpful addition to the EMS curriculum. The first week would be spent watching and discussing "Mother, Juggs & Speed", and episodes of "Emergency!"

[Michael]

justify the mandatory 5 courses on Icelandic literature

Forgive me for saying so, but this sounds like a Mickey Mouse curriculum. Surely there are more than 5 ways your patient might have landed on the ice!

[riskynremtp]

My apologies, if it would be taken that my comments would ruffle a feather or two. That was nor is my intention. Unfortunately, I must say that I feel pretty strong about the "senseless education" issue. I base this on when I obtained my Associates in Business Admin. I can't think of one single thing during those years of that course, which benefits or can benefit an EMT, or Medic student. Any student, must remain focused on the course at hand. I would much rather a medic know exactly what to in the field, than be able to demonstrate Algebra, or correct my grammar.

However, I whole heartedly agree with Dustdevil. There should be more historical information packed into the EMT courses. Who really cares about what type of radio system you're transmitting on. All we need to care about is the fact that it works when we key up.

[somedic]

risky: Maybe its just your American Hero avatar that irritates and intimidates people on here. Keep on moving.

Somedic Sends.

[kristo]

Forgive me for saying so, but this sounds like a Mickey Mouse curriculum. Surely there are more than 5 ways your patient might have landed on the ice!

You'd be surprised. :-) We also need the literature to pull our patients into our igloo hospitals, staffed by polar bears and penguins (yes, I know).

[Just Plain Ruff]

risky, let me ask you a question, why if you were going to emt school or getting an associates did you go for business administration. There is nothing in a business admin degree that would remotely help a medic except for the basics in science and english comp.

Why did you pick that degree program rather than one that fit EMS more like an associates in paramedicine or at least a focus on anat and phys and other healthcare objectives?

Just curious.

[riskynremtp]

OOPS! I'm sorry that I failed to mention, that I received my Associates several years prior to going to EMT, and Paramedic school. :oops:

[swedbabe2002]

you should be able to be certified at the end of your class. i'm in paramedic school right now and i would suggest working as an emt prior to starting paramedic training. a good anatomy and algebra class won't hurt either.

[Dustdevil]

you should be able to be certified at the end of your class.

If not, either you or your class sucks.

i would suggest working as an emt prior to starting paramedic training.

Most of us would disagree.

a good anatomy and algebra class won't hurt either.

Anatomy is the easy part. It's the physiology part that will make the difference between being a medical professional or just a protocol monkey. Screw the EMT experience. Spend that time getting EDUCATION before paramedic school.