How much of a disadvantage will I be at?

[FuManChu]

I am finishing up my EMT-B school right now, will be done in two weeks. Things have been great, been studying hard and doing great on tests and skills. Once I am done I hope to get a BLS job.

I want to go to Paramedic school next january if I can. The school I want to go to doesn't require an Anatomy and Physiology class, they teach it as part of the paramedic curriculum in the first few weeks.

My question is, how much of a disadvantage will I be not taking a semester long A&P, chemistry and biology class?

I am in college right now, I have finished up all my general education for my fire technology degree no problem. I have maintained an ok GPA throughout my two years, cumulative GPA of 3.5, and I have taken college level statistics/math with somewhat difficulty, but I managed to work through it and get a B, had an A all semester, and then the final brought me down.

So the studying and school work mentality is fresh with me, the only thing is, I haven't taken any chem, a&p or bio.

I know Paramedic school is going to consume my life, and I plan on studying harder than I ever have before, but will I be doing a lot of damage not having the classes behind me?

I plan brushing up on some basics of Biology on khan academy since I haven't taken Bio since high school, and I plan on learning some basics online of A&P and chem, but not taking the actual class. I am taking a medical terminology class this coming fall, I thought it would help.

Just any advice and insight would be appreciated,
Thanks,
Anthony

 

[ExpatMedic0]

A&P1 was a pre-rec for my Paramedic program, but I am well aware that is not the case nation wide. You will probably do fine in the Paramedic class with its own integrated A&P. Not according to me, but according the minimum national standards at present time. Will you be at a disadvantage as a Paramedic with out it? In my opinion, Absolutely. Its noble your completing a degree in a state which does not require it, and if your career goal is the fire service, you will probably do fine. Just some food for thought, I always encourage every fellow Paramedic to complete a higher degree and the basic sciences, including A&P. If your career goal is the fire service with your fire technology degree, and your using the Paramedic cert as resume fluff, don't sweat it. If you want to peruse a career in EMS and help advance/advocate Paramedcine I would say just the opposite.

 

[FuManChu]

My ultimate goal is to get on with a fire department as a Fire-medic, but none the less I do want to be a great knowledgeable medic.

After my associates in fire technology, I plan on getting my bachelors from a school here in California which offers an accredited fire program. I plan on taking classes as long as I can.
I don't plan on stopping my education.

So I wouldn't be at a great disadvantage?

Its not like I don't plan on taking those courses at some point, I just don't think I will before paramedic school.

 

[Christopher]

My ultimate goal is to get on with a fire department as a Fire-medic, but none the less I do want to be a great knowledgeable medic.

After my associates in fire technology, I plan on getting my bachelors from a school here in California which offers an accredited fire program. I plan on taking classes as long as I can.
I don't plan on stopping my education.

So I wouldn't be at a great disadvantage?

Its not like I don't plan on taking those courses at some point, I just don't think I will before paramedic school.

If you're not looking to be a professional paramedic then the A&P contained in the paramedic course is sufficient for the certification. The type taught in-class is typically not sufficient to perform the job in the long run unfortunately.

You will eventually want real A&P if you plan on practicing as a paramedic to its fullest.

 

[FuManChu]

Thanks Christopher.
I don't just want to get my certification, I do want to be knowledgable.
Thanks for the info, I will take a college level A&P at some point so I can become a very proficient Paramedic.

 

[Handsome Robb]

For what it's worth I only had high school level sciences and a college bio course and was the valedictorian of my medic class.

Our A&P section was distributed throughout the course. They claimed the same hours as a college A&P class. we also used the same book and my homework was always close to my friends at the CC or university it was just very condensed. My first homework assignment in medic school was to read chapters 1-6 in our A&P book then had two or three solid days of lecture then had an exam.

It wasn't easy and having the knowledge base before I got there would have made it much easier but it wasn't the end of the world not having it.

Good luck! This site helped me a ton during school. There are a lot of great resources here between the members, threads and links:

 

[teedubbyaw]

A&P was also a pre req for my program, but I had taken it about 2 years ago. To be honest, I pretty much forgot 99% of that class.

I'm a second semester student now and have not had much trouble with that part. Our instructors are good at teaching it, and help is always available.

If you can take it, great, but if not, I don't think it would be a huge issue.

 

[FuManChu]

Thanks for the input Robb and Teedubbyaw.

the paramedic school I plan on attending is the same school I am finishing up my EMT-B class currently. The instructors who run the EMT class run the Paramedic class as well, and they are great instructors. So I know I will be in good hands.

 

[Wheel]

Thanks for the input Robb and Teedubbyaw.

the paramedic school I plan on attending is the same school I am finishing up my EMT-B class currently. The instructors who run the EMT class run the Paramedic class as well, and they are great instructors. So I know I will be in good hands.

Good luck!

 

[FuManChu]

Thanks Wheel!
This weekend my class finished up National Registry Skills testing.

Passed all my skills. I failed on the spinal immobilization of a seated patient (using the KED), but I passed on the retest of it, so I passed all my National Registry skills. I was nervous running through my KED skill, and I did everything great, except once I was all done, it was on the patient slightly crooked, so my instructor failed me for it. During my retest I made sure to take my time, and I passed fine with the KED on perfectly.

Next step is skills testing for the Class, and Class written final. After that, go for the national registry computer exam, and look for work!

 

[hogwiley]

There are different levels of A&P, and the level of detail can vary a lot depending on what class you take. Most community college Paramedic programs from what I've seen require a one semester or A&P essentials class. Going beyond that probably wouldn't make much difference in Paramedic school.

I took a 2 semester A&P class and it definitely helped a LOT having taken chemistry and biology the semester prior. My professor expected us to know and understand some fairly complicated subjects like the Krebs cycle and wouldn't waste time on it in class, but it was on the exams. Having said that, I was surprised to find that not a single person in my class was going on to Paramedic school. They were all going for a BSN, Pre med, physical therapists, RT or PA, etc. One of the students had been a medic and he said aside from the cardiovascular system, most of it was overkill for Paramedic school.

 

[jefftherealmccoy]

I would say a lot of the stuff in A&P is overkill for passing medic school. But it will make it a whole lot easier if you can get it in before you start. A&P was the first course in college i ever took. they let potential medic students bypass the biology pre-req so they could fast track into applying for medic school. BIG mistake. There was so much in A&P that i had never heard of and had to study 3 hours every day after class to keep up. So if you can, take biology first.
That being said, the knowledge base I had from A&P was very nice to have while in medic school. Especially in the cardiology. I understood a lot of WHY we were treating pts a certain way.

 

[Arovetli]

It's a shame anyone dares to present themselves as a competent professional healthcare provider without at least a rudimentary basic science foundation.

Nothing in intro A&P is overkill.
The courses are actually pretty well designed, and the college level texts usually include chapters on elementary molecular/cell, chemistry/basic organic nomenclature, Biochem and micro.

You need all of this, at least a familiarity.

It's fools in high places that have tricked you otherwise.

Whether by a formal class or hours spent googling, learn this stuff.

 

[chaz90]

I would say a lot of the stuff in A&P is overkill for passing medic school. But it will make it a whole lot easier if you can get it in before you start. A&P was the first course in college i ever took. they let potential medic students bypass the biology pre-req so they could fast track into applying for medic school. BIG mistake. There was so much in A&P that i had never heard of and had to study 3 hours every day after class to keep up. So if you can, take biology first.
That being said, the knowledge base I had from A&P was very nice to have while in medic school. Especially in the cardiology. I understood a lot of WHY we were treating pts a certain way.

The big thing is that passing medic school should not be the ultimate goal. Becoming the best provider possible is what we should strive towards, and getting through school is just the beginning of that road. Taking comprehensive courses in anatomy and physiology (with biology and chemistry pre-reqs) should be required for all paramedic programs. We're allowing people to go out on the street with drugs that alter the cardiac cycle without understanding what that cycle is all about. We train monkey medics to see tombstones in II, III, and aVF and know that means "Inferior STEMI," yet they couldn't tell you why the ST segment elevates in areas of infarction. Learning medicine should be a series of building blocks, not throwing the end treatment at someone and hoping it works.

I'm not arguing with your post by the way, just agreeing with parts that you said and expanding on it.

 

[jefftherealmccoy]

It's a shame anyone dares to present themselves as a competent professional healthcare provider without at least a rudimentary basic science foundation.

Nothing in intro A&P is overkill.
The courses are actually pretty well designed, and the college level texts usually include chapters on elementary molecular/cell, chemistry/basic organic nomenclature, Biochem and micro.

You need all of this, at least a familiarity.

It's fools in high places that have tricked you otherwise.

Whether by a formal class or hours spent googling, learn this stuff.

Excuse my post-

I didn't mean in the slightest that A&P are unnecessary for being a competent medic. I mean quite the opposite. All I meant to say was that a lot of A&P stuff is overkill for PASSING medic school- As far as what is required for the national registry. In case he wanted to go into paramedic school and take A&P later.

 

[Arovetli]

Excuse my post-

I didn't mean in the slightest that A&P are unnecessary for being a competent medic. I mean quite the opposite. All I meant to say was that a lot of A&P stuff is overkill for PASSING medic school- As far as what is required for the national registry. In case he wanted to go into paramedic school and take A&P later.

No, that wasn't directed at you, sorry it came across that way. It was just a general shotgun blast in all directions.

 

[FuManChu]

By no means do I want to be a medic who just gets by. If I cannot take A&P now, I plan on taking it later. I understand the importance of why a medic should have a good foundation in anatomy, physio and even chemistry.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

I know in Oregon it is requirement and a pre-rec for Paramedics. It was also the same in Washington state at the programs I looked at in 2005 when shopping around. However it may have been school to school policy there, not sure. A few years back all Oregon medics where required to take A&P 1, 2, and 3 as part of the required AAS degree.

 

[DesertMedic66]

At the medic school I'm attending A&P with a lab and lecture section are a prerequisite to put in an application.

Due to the A&P classes filling up really quickly the medic school has been thinking about taking A&P out from a prerequisite and placing it as a core-requisite class (have to take along with the medic class). They would have a normal A&P class that only medic students could get into that would meet 1-2 days a week along with the 3-4 days a week of medic school. Not too sure on how that would actually work out.

 

[MrJones]

I had to take a semester of anatomy, a semester of physiology and a semester of pathophysiology.

Too much fun.