Paramedic School - Overview

So it's taken me this long to get it straight in my own head, and read through all the documentation associated with our courses.  Ten months of courses, followed by clinical/field.

                                                                                                UNIVERSITY

                                                                        CLASS           CREDIT

COURSE                                                       HOURS          HOURS

A&P for Paramedic Practice                64                    3

Introduction to Advanced Practice                64                    3

Emergency Pharmacology                            40                    2

Patient Assessment & Airway Mgmt            64                    3

Cardiology                                                      112                  4

EMS Operations                                             64                    3

Trauma Management                                     64                    3

Medical Emergencies                                    66                    3

Special Populations                                       64                    3

Assessment Based Management                48                    2

Clinical – I                                                       250                  2

Clinical -II (Field Internship)                           250                  2

1150                33

The A&P class is taken "on the side" throughout the rest of the courses.  Ideally, we should use it should follow along with what we are doing in regular class.  Meaning that we should be ahead on the A&P reading (I am as yet, not ahead in this reading).  Speaking with one of the advisors, he said that in the past some people have left it for last.  We cannot start clinicals until it's done, so they seriously crammed at the last minute.  I get tachycardic just thinking about that (and getting through the rest of class will be much easier if A&P is done).

With classes on Tuesday and Thursday, I really cannot think about doing any “extra” reading between Monday and Thursday, so I guess A&P will live on the weekends.  I’m attempting to be a better student – actually setting up a schedule for studying – but that’s a constant struggle for me with my ADD/procrastination learning style.  I usually end up reading and doing quizzes on my breaks at work.

So, what does “Introduction to Advanced Practice” entail?  So glad you asked.  My life looks like this:

Class                Topic(s)

1                      Orientation and Course Overview

2                      Being a Paramedic

3                      Illness and Injury Prevention

4                      Legal Issues and Ethics

5                      Life Span Development

6                      Pathophysiology 1 (Cells and Tissues, Role of Electrolytes, Acid-Base Balance)

7                      Pathophysiology 2 (Genetics, Hypoperfusion, Types of Shock)

8                      Pathophysiology 3 (Immune System, Inflammation, Stress and Disease)

That’s a ton of work.  And about 300 dense pages of reading.  In four weeks.

I can totally do this.