paramedic school

[schwing343]

so i took my paramedic school pre-entrance exam and i got my results back, doesnt look like i will be attending medic school this year. passed the emt part got a 95%, but the math part killed me. Will definently take it again next year.

 

[Ridryder911]

May I suggest a math review book or even a general math class with Algebra. I make students have at least a high school Algebra and basic Calculus ratings before entry. It is essential for math for pharmacology and some equations ....

Good luck,

R/r 911

 

[disassociative]

Check with your local community college and/or adult education facility in regards to such courses. Sylvan(educate.com) has learning centers all over the U.S. I am not sure what programs they have for adults though.

You should also check up on some chemistry, A & P, and sociology while you're
at it; if you use a community college; these credits could help later on down
the road if you decide to go RN after getting your -P. Knowledge is the door, and ambition is the key to it my friend. I'm sure you will ace the next exam.

 

[schwing343]

I am interested in being a firefighter, and where im from i think you have to have your EMT-P cert to be a firefighter. But im only 19 so i still have a while to go b4 i can even get hired.

 

[Tincanfireman]

I am interested in being a firefighter, and where im from i think you have to have your EMT-P cert to be a firefighter. But im only 19 so i still have a while to go b4 i can even get hired.

You might want to check around with some different departments; different chiefs have different opinions of EMS. To be honest, I never heard of a department that required a -P to apply, though you might be required to attain that level eventually. Best of luck and keep searching!!

 

[MMiz]

You might want to check around with some different departments; different chiefs have different opinions of EMS. To be honest, I never heard of a department that required a -P to apply, though you might be required to attain that level eventually. Best of luck and keep searching!!

Around here paid departments require FF/Paramedic to apply.

You're young, and have plenty of time to study up for next year. Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[disassociative]

Here is a document that will give you a general idea of the skills and abilities that are expected of a Paramedic:


http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/ems/ParamedicComparison.pdf

Obviously, the decision to become a Paramedic should'nt be taken lightly.

 

[ResTech]

I suck at math... never had algebra in high school and passed pharmacology with an "A". Honestly.. real world speaking.. you dont need to be a math genius to give medicine pre-hospital. The majority of all drugs are pre-dosed and packaged in a way so that calculations are very intuitive. You dont have time in an emergent situation to have to figure out a dose with some long equation.

Even drips are intuitive... lidocaine.. u use the lidocaine clock for lido 1-4mg/min... most drips are 1 in 250 (1gr in 250cc solution)... dopamine is an exception but again... is mostly 400mg in 250cc or 800mg in 500cc which gives you a concentration of 1600mcg. Long as u know this it cuts out a step and makes the formula much easier... even though most if not all administer dopamine from a chart.

So many little things u can learn to make it easier on you.. and dont be ashamed to carry a calculater to do calculations... faster and less error prone. I was freaked out at first with the math thing and even failed the drug dosage and calculations course at another college which was geared towards the nursing students.. so much stuff that was irrelevent to pre-hospital medicine. Hopefully this post will help ease any tensions you have about the math part.