dphy83 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 As a PA, if I were to go through the process of gaining paramedic certification would any of the requirements be waived (or able to be tested out of)? I have no prior EMS experience, only EM experience as a PA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 In Texas you can challenge the exam IF you find an EMS program sponsor. I wasn’t able to find one several years ago. They had nothing to gain from sponsoring me at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 22, 2020 Moderator Share Posted January 22, 2020 39 minutes ago, dphy83 said: As a PA, if I were to go through the process of gaining paramedic certification would any of the requirements be waived (or able to be tested out of)? I have no prior EMS experience, only EM experience as a PA. easiest way to do it is through the ems dept at creighton university in nebraska. you can do their quickie emt cert then do their 2 week emt-p cert if you can convince them your current experience is relevant. this course is open to nurses, docs, and empas: https://ems.creighton.edu/programs/ems-certificates/paramedic-certification-health-care-providers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dphy83 Posted January 22, 2020 Author Share Posted January 22, 2020 I like that! I would just need to get my basic EMT to do that program. Very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediMike Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 I've been teaching at a local paramedic program for the last several years (guest lecturing, labs etc.), had my medic cert lapse when I went into PA school due to needing tubes...only thing preventing me from challenging the NR is a mild terror that I'll fail the checklist practical and look like an idiot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roundabout Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 12 hours ago, MediMike said: I've been teaching at a local paramedic program for the last several years (guest lecturing, labs etc.), had my medic cert lapse when I went into PA school due to needing tubes...only thing preventing me from challenging the NR is a mild terror that I'll fail the checklist practical and look like an idiot. I proctor the NREMT practical and it is very simple. You can pull up a few youtube videos of each station and you'll more than likely feel comfortable taking it. To be honest if I were you I would worry more about the actual exam, it is not easy no matter what your training. You could probably find an NREMT exam prep course and that would help a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiovolffemtp Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 What do you intend to with your paramedic certification? EMS or pre-hospital medicine has 2 major roles: 911 response and interfacility transports. The latter is not all that different from EM - though probably closer to nursing that what a PA does. 911 response is about entering an uncontrolled and undifferentiated situation and making some sense out of it. That's a "slightly" different mindset and skill set that in-hospital EM. No doubts you could learn it, but it would take experience. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediMike Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 6 hours ago, johncfl said: I proctor the NREMT practical and it is very simple. You can pull up a few youtube videos of each station and you'll more than likely feel comfortable taking it. To be honest if I were you I would worry more about the actual exam, it is not easy no matter what your training. You could probably find an NREMT exam prep course and that would help a lot. Yeah I've been proctoring it for years as well. I've never had a problem with exams. It's most likely just my excuse for being lazy and not wanting to jump through hoops, have always hated practical exams, I don't play make believe well. Although the IOOHS approach they've moved to is pretty neat, beats the heck out of the other 4(?) stations they used to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dphy83 Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 8 hours ago, ohiovolffemtp said: What do you intend to with your paramedic certification? Honestly I would be interested in doing both. I wouldn't object to doing a couple paramedic shifts each month because I think they'd be interesting, and I'd do it as a paramedic for paramedic pay. Similarly, I'd be open to doing some transport stuff in a paramedic function, as I dont think the flight services in my area employ PAs. Just trying to break up the monotony a little bit. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 (edited) On 1/23/2020 at 9:04 AM, dphy83 said: Honestly I would be interested in doing both. I wouldn't object to doing a couple paramedic shifts each month because I think they'd be interesting, and I'd do it as a paramedic for paramedic pay. Similarly, I'd be open to doing some transport stuff in a paramedic function, as I dont think the flight services in my area employ PAs. Just trying to break up the monotony a little bit. I don't practice in EM but do what you are planning on. I work two shifts a month because I'm addicted after 34 years. It's a day with old friends and I get to keep up some of my skills while helping some of the newbies. This last time, I challenged the NR written test rather than get the CE and did fine. My department checks my skills. That, my clinical days, and teaching for a PA program helps keep life interesting! Edited January 25, 2020 by UGoLong 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, UGoLong said: I don't practice in EM but do what you are planning on. I work two shifts a month because I'm addicted after 34 years. It's a day with old friends and I get to keep up some of my skills while helping some of the newbies. This last time, I challenged the NR written test rather than get the CE and did fine. My department checks my skills. That, my clinical days, and teaching for a PA program helps keep life interesting! Did you have to get a sponsor as I had mentioned before or is there another trick? When I last took the EMT exam in '15 it stopped me after just a few questions (I had been told by the UTSW staff that the computer can actually determine after THREE questions whether or not you'll pass). I wouldn't mind challenging it, then for grins/giggles consider the Creighton option if I could buy someone a case of brewskis to say that I was still in the ED. I want it to teach. WON'T SOMEONE TAKE MY DARN MONEY AND GET ME OUT OF THE HOUSE?! Edited January 25, 2020 by GetMeOuttaThisMess 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediMike Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 2 hours ago, GetMeOuttaThisMess said: Did you have to get a sponsor as I had mentioned before or is there another trick? When I last took the EMT exam in '15 it stopped me after just a few questions (I had been told by the UTSW staff that the computer can actually determine after THREE questions whether or not you'll pass). I wouldn't mind challenging it, then for grins/giggles consider the Creighton option if I could buy someone a case of brewskis to say that I was still in the ED. I want it to teach. WON'T SOMEONE TAKE MY DARN MONEY AND GET ME OUT OF THE HOUSE?! You may have mentioned this in a prior post but...does your local program require you to be certified? You should be able to come in as a SME (pronounced like Capt. Hook's first mate...) "Subject Matter Expert". At least that's how I've been teaching for the last several years. If you really really want the cert talk to your local health department, some have disaster response teams that don't actually require you to do anything besides show up q6 months for perfunctory education that will sponsor you, the local red cross around here will do it as well. And I get it. I'm down to only working 10 shifts/mo and my wife is going insane. Wants me gone, one way or the other... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 For a FT slot they want paramedic cert and experience. I may be able to use your suggestion to get around it since I’m only wanting adjunct status. Used to work for the health dept., and yes, there was a disaster program with the county. I figured work was enough and didn’t need even more patient exposure then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 3 hours ago, GetMeOuttaThisMess said: Did you have to get a sponsor as I had mentioned before or is there another trick? When I last took the EMT exam in '15 it stopped me after just a few questions (I had been told by the UTSW staff that the computer can actually determine after THREE questions whether or not you'll pass). I wouldn't mind challenging it, then for grins/giggles consider the Creighton option if I could buy someone a case of brewskis to say that I was still in the ED. I want it to teach. WON'T SOMEONE TAKE MY DARN MONEY AND GET ME OUT OF THE HOUSE?! Sponsor for which job? To keep the medic certification, you need some place that certifies your physical skills. For the exam, I just went in and took it. It was $125 or so, which was cheaper than doing the 48 hour refresher on line. I have MS degrees, so being a faculty member was straightforward. You can guest-lecture without it. And I love being a clinical PA a day a week. I just round in hospitals for the practice and take second call the few times a year the doc is out of town. As long as my health holds up, this is my plan. My wife and I travel some and she is busier retired than she ever was when she was working. I was home after surgery 4 years ago and realized that if I thought we would both be hanging out around the house every day that I was sorely mistaken! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 (edited) The "sponsorship" requirement was an EMS program/department which would vouch for your clinical background and qualify your clinical skills. I assumed it was required to walk in and take the NREMT/paramedic examination. If I had the certification, and with my EM background, that should be good enough in comparison to Joe Schmo who has ridden a box for 10 years. If they ever get around to offering an interview (the college is tied up trying to vest FT faculty slots right now I've been told) I could ask them if this would work. Edited January 25, 2020 by GetMeOuttaThisMess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raran001 Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 On 1/23/2020 at 8:04 AM, dphy83 said: Honestly I would be interested in doing both. I wouldn't object to doing a couple paramedic shifts each month because I think they'd be interesting, and I'd do it as a paramedic for paramedic pay. Similarly, I'd be open to doing some transport stuff in a paramedic function, as I dont think the flight services in my area employ PAs. Just trying to break up the monotony a little bit. So I actually work full time as a flight PA for a company that uses a provider/paramedic model AND we are currently hiring. It is in a remote area of NM but we have people that commute from across the country. http://transaeromedevac.org/careers.html Let me know if you are interested or have any questions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireguy Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 ME TOO!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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