types of paramedic classes

[freethinker]

I know EMT-B classes are usually given at fire academies, hospitals, and community colleges. Paramedic training is often given at hospitals and community colleges, but not at fire academies. What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of each type of location, and with that in mind, why aren't there paramedic programs at fire academies?

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[psychbender]

I know EMT-B classes are usually given at fire academies, hospitals, and community colleges. Paramedic training is often given at hospitals and community colleges, but not at fire academies. What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of each type of location, and with that in mind, why aren't there paramedic programs at fire academies?

I didn't think that hospitals could teach paramedic classes anymore, that they all had to be associated with some form of center for higher learning (like a community college)? There are ALS classes taught at regional fire/EMS training centers. A few people on my squad recently took their Intermediate class at the regional Fire/Rescue training center. From my very limited experience, ALS classes taught at Fire/Rescue centers are taught by Firefighter/medics, who may or may not actually want to be paramedics, and therefore may or may not be any good. At the various small colleges in the area, the instructors tend to be full-time paramedics, nurses, etc, who actually work/worked in that field by choice. Again, some of them may not be any good, but you stand a higher chance of having an instructor who actually knows what he's talking about (can you tell I'm not a huge fan of combined departments?).

Paramedic programs are probably not offered at fire academy because you don't need all of your firefighters to be medics. If you have a combined department, you want all of them to be EMTs, so they can all handle the BLS calls and assist on any call, but do you really need (or want) everyone to be a trained ALS provider? Those that want to be medics (or just want the extra money) can be sent to some other program to be trained, and then come back.

 

[docB]

It varies state by state. In NV to teach a paramedic course you have to be either a hospital or a college. EMS agencies like ambulance or fire depts. have to affiliate with a college or hospital to run a program.

 

[MediumDef]

I would say that who administers the class is much less important than how the class is set up. (Assuming of course that it is an accredited program) There's a wide range of set ups in terms of class schedule e.g. part-time vs. full-time, nights/weekends vs. days. There is also variety when it comes to clinical time. Some programs will schedule your clinical time for you and all you have to do is show up while others force you to cold call an approved list of institutions to set up your own hours. Paramedic programs tend to vary widely in the quality of the administrative bodies running them so I would elicit opinons from people who attended speciic programs you are interested in.