Intermediate - Paramedic Bridge

[jvwain]

I don't know if this is the right category for this post but I'll give it a shot. I was wondering if anyone knew of any Intermediate - Paramedic bridge classes in the Washington, DC area and if so how long are they and how to get in touch with the coordinators. Thanks.

[Dustdevil]

Where'd you take Intermediate, Maryland?

I'm afraid I cannot specifically answer your question, but I hope I can offer some help.

While you wait for recommendations here, you can call the schools in your area and see what you can find. Although, as discussed in another topic over the last few days, I to P transition classes are getting pretty hard to find.

Here's what a search of http://www.caahep.org/Find_An_Accredited_Program.aspx brings up for your area:

George Washington University Medical Center - Washington, DC

Website: www.gwumc.edu

EMT-Paramedic Program

2121 Eye Street, NW Suite 701

Washington , DC - 20052

Program Director: Keith Monosky MPM, EMT-P

Phone: (202) 741-2945

Anne Arundel Community College - Arnold, MD

Website: www.aacc.edu

Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic Program

101 College Parkway

Arnold , MD - 21012

Program Director: Melanie Miller MSN, CCRN, NREMT-P

Email: mkmiller@aacc.edu

Phone: (410) 777-7385

Associates in Emergency Care Consortia - New Market, MD

Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic Program

P.O. Box 490

Damascus , MD - 20872

Program Director: Sal Marini MA NREMT-P

Email: aecare911@aol.com

Phone: (301) 865-8880

Community College of Baltimore County - Essex Campus - Baltimore, MD

Website: www.ccbcmd.edu

Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic Program

7201 Rossville Boulevard

Baltimore , MD - 21237

Program Director: Robert Henderson Jr. BS NREMTP

Email: rhenderson@ccbcmd.edu

Phone: (410) 780-6477

Howard Community College - Columbia, MD

Website: www.howardcc.edu

Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic Program

10901 Little Patuxent Parkway

Columbia , MD - 21045

Program Director: Angel Burba MS NREMT-P

Email: aburba@howardcc.edu

Phone: (410) 772-4948

University of Maryland Baltimore County - Baltimore, MD

Website: www.umbc.edu or www.umbctrainingcenters.com

Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic Program

1000 Hilltop Circle

Academic IV, Room 316

Baltimore , MD - 21250

Program Director: Dwight Polk MSW NREMT-P

Email: polk@umbc.edu

Phone: (410) 455-3782

Northern Virginia Community College - Annandale, VA

Website: www.nvcc.edu

Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic Program

6699 Springfield Center Drive

Office 239

Springfield , VA - 22150

Program Director: Holly Frost MS NREMT-P

Email: hfrost@nvcc.edu

Phone: (703) 822-6560

There are others listed in VA, although none very close to the DC area.

Good luck!

[akflightmedic]

Is there such a thing as an I to P transition??

I seriously do not know. It seems it would be simpler just to enroll in paramedic and refresh those two to three weeks that you review IVs and intubations.

In SC, where Is were extremely popular for a while, the I class was a mere 80 hours on top of basic. When you wanted to advance further, you just went to a regular Paramedic program. There was no transitioning or shortening of the class, you just refreshed everything.

I like FL, Intermediate level does not even exist!

[VaREMS1]

Booo, I despise Florida because of that. My plan had been to move to FL, work as an EMT-I while attending college for EMT-P. Then I investigated the matter in depth, and discovered that Florida doesn't recognize Intermediate. I was livid. I suppose I could work as a Basic, but the pay would be significantly less.

For the person that asked the original question concerning I to P transition, where do you live/work? I can help with Virginia's side of things, but I know nothing about Maryland...which DustDevil already covered thoroughly.

[VaREMS1]

I contacted The Office of EMS in ref. to your question. Below is conversation

I'm doing some research for a fellow EMS provider up in your area.

He is searching for an "Intermediate to Paramedic bridge" course.

Is there such a thing, and if so, what/who offers them in NoVA?

This was his response...

Most of the ALS training conducted in No Va area outisde of the individual fire departments is conducted by two groups.

One is Northern Virginia Community College in Springfield, Va and the other one is Training 911 in Prince William County.

The number for Training 911 is 703-221-9733

[FormerEMSLT297]

In Maryland, Montgomery County offers a I-P bridge course, every other year,

check their web site or call up there, I just checked to try to find the link and could not locate it.

Years ago, when they did an I-P bridge in New York State, one of the only places doing it was Westchester County Hospital Center, and what it involved was basically being registered for the full P class, and having the instructor say "you can skip this part or that part, and only show for these sessions."

But I would call all the local communtiy colleges, PG, AA, Calvert, in addition to UMBC, GW, and NOVA, they would be best able to answer your questions.

The problem is there are no real standard "bridge" courses that I know of, just stuff that individual instructors modify on a case by case basis.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

[asrnj77]

www.aecare911.org is associates in emergency care's website. They are listed in Dustdevil's post as being certified in MD but actually teach their classes in Northern Virginia. It's a 6 month class offered twice a year for $2000. Check the website for more info

[jvwain]

To answer the first question, I got my I through a County EMS Training Center in MD. I've considered enrolling in a B-P class, however my B-I class was a 9 month class with almost 980 hours of class w/ 200 clinical hours and was supposed to be followed up by a short 3 month I-P bridge that filled in the gaps...but it never happened because out of my 20 person B-I class only 9 people made it through to the last day, with myself and another person from my agency leaving the class with a grade average of 96% and the rest of the class barely passing with an average of 77%.

Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone for their help, I really appreciate the effort you all put into helping me especially since I'm relatively new to the forum. I do have one quick question though...as far as the Montgomery County program is concerned, do you have to be a member for a county EMS agency or would being a member of another MD county agency suffice?

[FormerEMSLT297]

To the best of my knowledge you need to be a member of MCDFRS, or an LFRD, in MC to apply,, but I would suggest calling them to confirm that.

Good luck

[Dustdevil]

I've considered enrolling in a B-P class, however...

Be open to the idea that you may end up doing that anyhow. Those bridges just aren't that common, and with your own experience with the low grad rate from your I class, you can see one of the reasons why. Better to get into a full course and immediately be on your way to completion with a full education, than to spend months looking for a quickie bridge course and get nowhere. And trust me, you aren't so awesome educated and experienced that you couldn't use a review of all that stuff you already took. You'll be glad if you do.

Good luck, and don't be a stranger!