EMT-B certificate mill?

[WaNewbie]

I'm currently about half-way through my training as an EMT-B. My question is about class length. The class I'm in is less than 3 mos. long. Is this really enough time to be properly trained? Our textbook is over 1500 pages long, not to mention the scenario tests. I'm just a little worried I may be in a certificate mill and won't know everything I need to know when I complete the class. It seems like we're covering some pretty important information at a breakneck pace. Is this the norm when it comes to EMT-B training? And how much of this information will I be expected to have mastered upon completion when I join the workforce?

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

I'm currently about half-way through my training as an EMT-B. My question is about class length. The class I'm in is less than 3 mos. long. Is this really enough time to be properly trained? Our textbook is over 1500 pages long, not to mention the scenario tests. I'm just a little worried I may be in a certificate mill and won't know everything I need to know when I complete the class. It seems like we're covering some pretty important information at a breakneck pace. Is this the norm when it comes to EMT-B training? And how much of this information will I be expected to have mastered upon completion when I join the workforce?

How many hours/day/week?

without that info "3 months" is a pretty vague descriptor.

 

[TransportJockey]

In the long run, there's nto a lot of info in the EMT-B curriculum. 3 months might be enough, depending on how many hours/week you have. And as for mastering information. Services that will interview you will not care you had a short class, they'll expect you to perform up to the standards, and have the knowledge, of any other EMT-B out there.

 

[WaNewbie]

Sorry, should have included that. The class is four days a week, five hours a night, so 20 hours a week.

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

Sorry, should have included that. The class is four days a week, five hours a night, so 20 hours a week.

I think that sounds fine.

 

[dstevens58]

Had to go back and look at my syllabus, but we had thirty 4 hour classes and a one 8 hour day for a total of 128 hours. We went two days a week and had the 8 hour day on a Saturday.

 

[medicdan]

I think it's not about the total time of the course (3 months...), the number of hours in the classroom (although it does have an impact), but the quality and caliber of instructors (lab, lecture), and materials provided (textbook, supplemental materials), and clinical exposure.

One of the best, and least known EMT programs in MA is taught over the course of 4 weeks. It's great because the lead instructor is a master educator (graduate degrees in education, talented paramedic, and excellent lecturer), the students are at a very high level, and ready to learn (chosen from a selective university), and the course is well supported (true clinical experience, supplemental materials, etc). Perhaps the difference is the understanding that training and education are wholly different goals.

Everyone thinks their EMT course instructor is "the best", or their program is top notch... but unlike some utopian TV show, all the kids can't be above average. (Can anyone name the reference... I'm blanking on it).

 

[rowdybear]

i am about to finish my emt-b class took us 6 weeks to do book and test (4 days a week,8 hour days) 3 weeks left 2 week prep cbt and last week skills. went really fast but i feel im prepared to take test and learn more on job

 

[WaNewbie]

Thanks for the info, just wanted to make sure this was the norm, when it comes to class time. Thanks for all the responses.

 

["JT"]

My basic course was 6 months long, 2 nights a week for 4 hours. I was trained in Michigan, it seems that the standard here is 300 or so hours of class time 40 hours on an ambulance and 12 hours in a hospital's ER. Then again every place isn't the same.

 

[Handsome Robb]

Umm.. 8x4x6+52=244 not 300...

OP your program sounds pretty standard. It's pretty fast paced wherever you take it.

 

[emscrazy1]

My class is three days a week for 4 hours a night and our class is 3 mo. long as well...Eventually everything is based off of the first few chapters with pt. assessment etc.

 

[pa132399]

my class was 6 months long. we met every sunday from 8-4 and had a multitude of instructors. had no clinical time. and my program according to everyone that took it was a joke we had a class deficiency when it came to the practical test. not enough time to actually practice the skills once a week at the most and i think it would have been better if it was a shorter time frame but more class nights. also the materials covered varied by the instructor some used the book others just kind of winged it luckily i was one of the students to pass on the first try when we were allowed to retest after the remediation session. it was the 2 class out of three that had a deficiency and the program has since been altered and now hasn't had one in the past two classes so who know.

so i'll be the first to admit my program was not the best