AMR's Private EMS School

[Code 8 Paramedic]

I can also say for sure that the two CT locations in Waterbury and Bridgeport aren't doing full medic programs

[Scaramedic]

Marty,

Did you recommend CES before the takeover? Grads from the former program have told me the change could only be an improvement!

I plan to test at NCTI's Roseville facility in December.

Cheers

base (NWRTC intern)

Actually no, I guess I should have quoted it better. I am not a fan, but with limited schools in the area it's an option for some. It was a better school under Wes, it has gone way downhill since the change in management. I was thinking maybe AMR would make it better. Will have to wait and see. Let us know what you think of NCTI.

Peace,

Marty

[cajunparamedic1]

If the question is, "is this a good idea?" then I think the answer is very definitely 'yes.' There are a lot of potential positives to this idea.

However, I'm not so sure that any of these in-house programmes actually meet their potential. From what I have heard of Acadian's academy, they sure don't.

This is really the same question as "is private EMS a good idea?" Sure. The idea is great on almost every level. The problem is, it's rare that anybody actually does it right.

I am not sure where you received your information regarding Acadian's NEMSA, but you were sorely ill advised. Having been affiliated with AASI for twelve years, a LA BEMS certified instructor for seven years, adjunct faculty at NEMSA for four years, and full time FTO for four years {AASI has only nine FTO's company-wide dedicated to providing QIQA, education, etc.} I am offended by your comment.

NEMSA is not the same as what AMR is described as having. NEMSA is a partnership with the Southwest LA Community College SLCC {a branch of the LA Community college system}. Therefore, the cirriculum is designed to be one worthy of a degree program standards. Students are trained to be MEDICS and are not required to work for AASI post graduation.

NEMSA provides training for services outside of Acadian. Yes, AASI does hire many Medics who attend NEMSA. NEMSA is based on three pillars of education: Pillar 1 is dedicated to making MEDICS, Pilliar 2 is dedicated to provide continuing education, Pillar 3 is dedicated to public education (1st responder classes for VFD's etc.).

In closing, NEMSA is actually a very expensive venture for Acadian. Student costs are handled by SLCC, Acadian gets none of these fees. Acadian only gets the possibility of hiring well trained MEDICS. Please do not believe everything you hear about "big, bad ole Acadian". Acadian is a well run EMS service that cares about its employees and its customers.

[Dustdevil]

I am offended by your comment.

Then you lack the mature temperament necessary for an EMS provider. Get a grip.

NEMSA is not the same as what AMR is described as having.

I never said it was.

...the cirriculum is designed to be one worthy of a degree program standards.

Nonsense.

• 1. NEMSA is not nationally accredited.

2. NEMSA is a bare-bones, absolute minimum necessary to qualify for the test tech school that is less than 1000 hours long. Their students are intensely trained, yet given very little real education. Consequently, they're absolutely lost if they leave LA and try to work in a system that practises in the 21st century.

3. NEMSAs associate degree programme is run back-asswards, putting the cart before the horse, in order to quickly crank out minimally competent warm bodies, of whom few will ever go back for that degree. That’s too bad, because maybe if they got an educational foundation first, their instructors might be able to correctly spell “cirriculum”.

No problem there. I didn't say anything about Acadian as a service. I respect Acadian as a service. That has nothing to do with the discussion of NEMSA, which I have very little respect for. My point of view comes from knowing many NEMSA graduates. Good friends, even. Many I have known flat out stated that they were dissatisfied with their so-called "education". In trying to have intelligent medical conversations with them, I can see why.

What about you? Did you go to their paramedic school? If so, do you really have any kind of objective frame of reference from which to judge where NEMSA stands on the comparative quality ladder? I have absolutely no reason to be biased. I don't live there, I don't work for Acadian or a competitor. I have no dog in the fight. You, on the other hand, apparently have your entire career tied up in that system, and are hypersensitive about it, resulting in a lack of objectivity.

Intelligently refute any of the three facts I stated above, and I'll reconsider my position. Otherwise, the facts speak for themselves.

[FedEx]

In Connecticut there is another private ambulance service who assumed the remnants of a defunct community college based course to startup their own "in house paramedic course", which is also open to public applicants willing to pay. They charge employees full sticker price and sometimes make loans to them. In some cases part of the tuition may be "forgiven" after the fact based on a few years of service after completion of the course and working as a medic for the complany. We all wondered and worried that the obvious conflicts of interest by drawing most candidates from your own pool of EMTs might quickly deplete the well qualified candidates and that the temptation to override a strong screening process might prove too much. It has proven such.

It's worth noting that the company itself has employeed a number of quality medics and preceptors over the years, though it lacks the ability to keep them, as with many commercial services, due to the usual competing interests, benefits, and alternative options available to medics. The company does indeed strive to provide high quality care and generally provides good CQI/QA, equipment, and support to ensure thorough quality patient care for 911 calls.

It was said well above. Theoretically any private company could produce a high quality course weeding out weak candidates, maintain consistent high quality teaching, and produce high quality students, contrary to the obvious conflicts of interest in just crankin 'em out to get them on the streets working at their service. Unfortunately that has not been our local experience. We noted a distinct drop in quality comparing students from the previous school when it existed (and other area schools) vs. this school since the startup of the course. Since it's run several years now we cannot attribute this drop to the startup learning curve of running a new program.

It's a real challenge to run an entire paramedic training program. But this model lacks true objective oversite ensuring a quality program.

Again theoretically it could work. But this one doesn't.