EMT-B Training California

[boomer]

Folks

Can anyone recommend for me a training provider for EMT-B level in California, it would appear that a course in the states would be quicker and easier for me to get recognised as an EMT in Ireland owing to my hearing difficulties!!! In other words i can, for the most part, hear as well as anyone else the only difficulty being radios and phones but that depends on how clear the person at the other end of the connection is (which would apply to anyone anyway wouldnt it?)

I have been told of an EMT-B who move to Ireland who got his training from California recognised fairly quickly so I am looking stateswards to undertake the training. I have already completed training as an EMT-B in illinois but the course there is slightly too short for recognition.

Oh and if at all possible for financial reasons it would be ideal for me if the course was an accelerated one (ie 4 weeks together rather than a couple of days a week)

Thanks

Shane

[BEorP]

Can anyone recommend for me a training provider for EMT-B level in California, it would appear that a course in the states would be quicker and easier for me to get recognised as an EMT in Ireland owing to my hearing difficulties!!! In other words i can, for the most part, hear as well as anyone else the only difficulty being radios and phones but that depends on how clear the person at the other end of the connection is (which would apply to anyone anyway wouldnt it?)

1. In regards to the part I bolded, it seems as though you are downplaying hearing difficulties that you have that others don't because otherwise you wouldn't even need to mention any. So I will answer your rhetorical question with "no, that does not apply to everyone."

2. Don't trust just one person you know who transfered their cert to mean that you can. Have you contacted the appropriate authorities in Ireland to see if they will recognize it?

3. Even if they do, if you have any type of medical problem (including hearing issues) is there no physical that you would need to pass in Ireland? An EMT-B is just a certification, from the time that anyone gets that they could easily become medically unable to do their job. An EMT-B certification is not a medical clearance.

4. Do you have any trouble when listening to breath sounds?

5. Google came up with this: http://www.caems-academy.com/emtb.htm

[Dustdevil]

...it would appear that a course in the states would be quicker and easier for me to get recognised as an EMT in Ireland owing to my hearing difficulties!!!

I don't quite follow. Obviously, EMT in the states is quicker than anywhere else simply because it sucks. If you want to suck as an EMT, then please feel free to come spend some more of your money in the U.S. We'll be happy to have you. But what has your hearing got to do with it? It seems like you are saying that they either aren't allowing you to attend school in Ireland, or else they are not allowing you to be licensed there. What exactly are you saying?

Either way, BEorP makes a good point when he recommends that you check OFFICIALLY with the licensing and regulatory bodies in your homeland to make SURE that a three week first aid course in Kalifornia is going to get you licensed as an "EMT" in Ireland. You'd have to be positively mad to do go off half arsed and do this because you know a guy, who once knew a guy who had a cousin whose cousin's brother-in-law once claimed that he quickly and easily pulled this off. I'm no expert on Irish EMS, but I have a few extra bucks to put on the line saying it's BS.

If all this is simply because you want the fast-track to glory without having to go through all the serious education that UK medics go through, then don't expect a lot of support here. We don't need any more poorly educated medics in the world, even if they are only killing people in Ireland. And trust me, there is nothing easy about an accelerated course. But at least if you've had it all before, you'll be a leg up.

That said, there is an EMT school on every street corner in Kalifornia. Especially in the south. The accelerated, one month schools aren't terribly hard to find, but damn, they're expensive! Some of them are so expensive that you could almost afford to live in Kalifornia for a semester long college EMT course (which is much cheaper) and still not spend any more money.

Here's a website where you can find a list of links to some EMT courses in Kalifornia:

http://www.emsa.ca.gov/Links/ed&trng.asp

Here's a few of the accelerated courses in the Southern Kalifornia area:

http://www.cpc.mednet.ucla.edu/SRRS/Programs/ProgramDetailUser.aspx (L.A.)

http://www.schoolofemt.com/web/classes/EMT1.htm (Long Beach)

https://ncti-national.securegw.com/cgi-bin/...nfo.cgi?info=38 Riverside (South of L.A.)

• That should give you an idea of what is out there. I would still do a full Google search of EMT schools in Kalifornia before I sent any money anywhere though.

Once you do this, then what? You, of course, realise that EMT is nothing but a quickie advanced first aid course that adds up to little more than "ambulance driver" in the EMS world, right? If you're having problems getting basic training in Ireland, are you going to have any better luck with Paramedic level training there? Are you going to be stuck at the bottom of the scrotum pole forever? Or are you going to be stuck spending thousands of dollars and several months on an accelerated paramedic course in the States in a couple of years? How many years would you have to work as an EMT to even break even on this deal? Does your family own an airline or something?

I admire you for seeking options, Bro. That's what life is all about. But do some serious research to make SURE this is going to work for you to begin with, and that you will have the ability to take it to the next level in the future. Otherwise, I'd hate to see you blow all this time and money for nothing.

Good luck!

[boomer]

I think that my comment about "Which would apply to anyone" was taken slightly differently to what i was intending it to mean. Everyone encounters at times someone at the opposite end of the radio that mumbles their words and generally cannot be heard. It is this kind of person I was referring to. On numerous occasions I have had people with full hearing turn around to me and say "What did he/she say?" I hope that clears that confusion up. I actually wear hearing aids and can for the vast majority of times hear without major problems and any that arise are usually sorted with a "sorry can you repeat that please".

I have spoken to the regulatory authorities over here and they have said to me that once the course contents meet their requirements in terms of hours and content then it would be acceptable. They have also said that if the course does not meed the requirements 100% that they would allow people to undertake the modules required to bring the candidate up to the required standard.

There is no physical required in Ireland to undertake the course.

With an electronic steth hooked up to my hearing aids I can hear breath sounds through the Steth.

It is basically the school putting additional hidden obstacles in my path in my attempts to get there with questions like "What is the economical cost of an ambulance call". In Ireland we dont for the 911/999 system have private companies doing that kind of emergency work so economical cost does not come into it. I spoke to a a good few of the other candidates afterwards and they were not asked the question but appeared to have been asked similar questions amongst them as a group.

AS pointed out earlier it will not be a fast track to glory as the State Requirements over here will still have to be met to go on the register as an EMT it will just be easier to get onto a course as there does not seem to be the same attitudes against people with disabilities in the States (Bear in mind I attended an EMT-B course in Illinois a few years back with a 100% pass rate)

[Dustdevil]

Cool. Sounds weird to me, because I thought all of the UK had some pretty good educational standards out there. If they're putting the equivalent of an American EMT on the streets, that's a bit disappointing to hear. I'd still like to know how you take it to the next level once you are working in Ireland. Aren't the same schools likely to try and shaft you when you try to further your education? I'd be worried that they'd hold it against you that you came to the US for sub-standard training just to circumvent their system.

Anyhow, I hope you will stick around and get back to us here as things progress. Maybe bookmark this topic and update it as it happens for you. I am sure that there are people here that are interested in seeing if this really works. I know I am.

And let us know if you head to Kalifornia. I and others can try and catch up with you for a beer.

[boomer]

LOL

UK and Ireland are two separate countries, I have considered going to the UK but in terms of wide variety of patients I think the US would be a better option (ie less likely to have 90% of calls being of the drunk patient type!).

With regards progression to further education and further training the honest answer is I would consider the US or UK for that as the courses in both those countries are more widely recognised being in some places 2 years long as opposed to 9 months for Paramedic Training and an additional 9 months or so for Advanced Paramedic Training.

However I am hoping that by gaining the state registration (Irish one) I can then turn around and show them that despite my hearing difficulties I can do the training and pass it to a sufficient standard to satisfy the state registry (and believe me they are strict I am patient for the exams and its a pass/fail situation, you either do the steps required or you dont.

[emsrocks]

I don't know about California except Unitek which is $$$$$! I know there is a place in Indiana that works with people from UK and Ireland lot and they have an accelerate EMT-B that only two week and not super expensive, so it might we something worth looking in to. Their website is www.emtinc.net. From what I hear the quality of the training is great and intense (since its two weeks) but the people there are great!

[boomer]

I don't know about California except Unitek which is $$$$$! I know there is a place in Indiana that works with people from UK and Ireland lot and they have an accelerate EMT-B that only two week and not super expensive, so it might we something worth looking in to. Their website is www.emtinc.net. From what I hear the quality of the training is great and intense (since its two weeks) but the people there are great!

Bad link would it be www.emt-inc.net or some otehr crowd?

[BEorP]

Bad link would it be www.emt-inc.net or some otehr crowd?

Nope, different people. Try clicking here.

[Leprechaun]

The frontline 999 ambulance calls in Ireland are dealt with by the National Ambulance Service [HSE-nationwide] and the Dublin Fire Brigade [DFB-Dublin Only]. You have to be at minimum a Paramedic on these type of calls. EMT's operate within the private sector for patient transport/transfer and support for the National Service. Some private [paramedics] operators do 999 calls but it's small in comparison.

You cannot just decide to do and pay for an EMT/Paramedic course here. You have to be first employed by either the HSE, the DFB or a private company who is willing to pay for your training. Only people within the HSE & DFB are allowed to go forward into the Advanced Paramedic program once they have satisfied the selectors.

Here are a few links for anyone interested in working in Ireland http://www.phecit.ie/DesktopDefault.aspx

http://www.nats.ie/first.html