Being successful in Paramedic School

Much like the tale of Lord of The Rings, paramedic school will be a journey that consists of friendships, turmoil, triumph, and an unhealthy relationship with an object (in this case energy drinks). Now, for some you may have friends or family that went through paramedic school and have somewhat of an idea of what is to come. Others though are going into it completely blind and full of wonder. Not every paramedic school is the same though, each one is different and tailored for different career paths. Not every school will follow the same guidelines or lesson plans, yet the same general information will be taught. Today we will go over some different types of paramedic schools, which one you might benefit from, pros and cons of each, and how to best prepare for which school you choose.

First, not all paramedic schools are created equal. Some are an academy style learning environment. The program I chose to go to was like this, class B uniforms with polished boots, clean shaven and groomed haircuts, standing at attention when a higher rank entered the room, and so on. It was a bit of overkill at the time, however later when I went to the fire academy, I felt comfortable right away with the nuances that were required. It was a very structed and regimented program that helped me succeed because I needed that type of environment. It was 3 days a week, 8 hours a day, and required about 24 hours of studying on my personal time to be prepared for the next class. There was a test at the beginning of each class, intense skills scenarios, and so many text books I began to see a chiropractor from carrying so many books on my back. While it does not sound like fun, I do believe that environment helped me become a good paramedic. I felt prepared and ready on my first day, and even today 4 years later I feel confident in my skills and knowledge that I learned back in school.

There are also fire sponsored paramedic schools, where departments will send their firefighters to a program designed to prepare paramedics for the system that they work in. In Phoenix there are several programs like that, and you must be with a department and be approved to attend. Again, due to the nature of the fire service it is a fast paced, regimented program as well. Some of these programs are completed in less than 10 months, so there is no such thing as “Learn at your pace”. These types of programs are helpful for those like me who need or thrive in that type of environment. These programs are intense, difficult, demand you put in the effort, and require a lot of sacrifice. This style of paramedic school are limited to those who work in the fire service, which if you are in is great news. You will be with other firefighters, learning from firefighters.

Then there are more traditional style paramedic schools, often sponsored by a community college and/or medical institute. These programs are structured to be like a college program like nursing or MA. These programs are still intense, but not to the same degree of the previous mentioned. These courses will often include more critical care chapters and skills like IV pumps and ventilators. Because these programs are often tied to a community college, actual degree opportunities, such as AAS or BS, can be obtained which can help your career down the road. If you are someone who does not have a desire to work in the fire service, maybe critical care ground or flight paramedicine, or even further like RN, NP, even PA; these programs are going to be what you are looking for. You often won’t have to worry about a dress code or grooming rules, but the expectation you did the readings and prepared for the next lesson will still be there. A downside that I do know with these programs is they do take a time commitment. I have heard of some of these paramedic programs that last almost 2 years. So just another thing to consider when choosing this path.

Some private EMS companies will also have their own in-house paramedic program. Majority of the time they require EMTs to work for said company for a period before they are eligible to take the course. This type of program is great because it will ensure that you have field experience before going to school, which in my opinion is such a major advantage. These companies will also offer the chance to be “Sponsored”. Which means someone can have the chance to go to paramedic school for free or discounted. This does require a work commitment after school, which can be a down side but also think of it as a guaranteed job. Companies that put of their own paramedic school will have the advantage of giving the student the chance to practice on the very same equipment they will be given in the field. Same goes for protocols, radio communications, even hospital hand off reports. You will be learning how to be a paramedic while at the same time be getting real, on the job training at the same time.

So now that we have identified some different types of paramedic schools that are out there, you’ve figured out which one will best suit you. What do you need to do in order to prepare and be successful during paramedic school?

-Understand the sacrifice. This profession requires a great deal of sacrifice from you and your loved ones. You WILL miss birthdays, holidays, get-togethers, trips, ect. It is the nature of the job, and paramedic school is no exception. You will be required to give a lot of outside time to studying for exams and lectures, more than just regular secondary education. So be prepared, don’t plan on any annual buddy’s trip or romantic getaway until after school is done. Also, talk to your family and loved ones to make sure they understand as well. They might not understand why you can’t attend function after you’ve been getting your brain fried for 8 hours.

-Set up a routine. I am not going to say, “Follow this schedule during paramedic school and you will succeed.” Because each person and program is different, and each situation is different. During my paramedic academy, we had daily uniform and grooming checks. I am not a morning person and need a little extra time to fully wake up. So, I made sure the night before my full uniform was out and ready while I was awake and able to remember everything I needed. So all I needed to do was wake up, shower, shave, and get dressed. I never ran the risk of forgetting something. I also prepped food, worked out, got laundry done, ect on the weekend, so I did not have to stress during the school week. I also went to bed at the same time every night, between 8:30 and 9pm. This allowed me to get enough sleep to recover and feel rested for the next day. I never stayed up watching TV until 2am and risked over sleeping or being exhausted the next day.

-Know your pit falls. For me, I knew that if I was home, I was going to be distracted to watch TV, play COD, or go golf. So, after class every day I stayed in the library for an hour and a half to get my studying or homework caught up on. I knew that as long as I was in a learning environment, I would be motivated to get it done. Now thankfully my wife was in nursing school at the time and did the same thing. So we weren’t sacrificing much together time since we both understood the importance of working hard on our school work. But if you know that studying at home if difficult for you, find a place that will motivate you to get the work done, so you can go home and not stress about the assignments. A friend of mine in school loved to go shooting and would spend hours on the weekend at the gun range. He told me he would stay up until 1am every weeknight doing homework and studying because he knew once the weekends came he would be checked out and only care about shooting.

-Don’t overload yourself. Now, I did work full time as an EMT while in paramedic school because I had bills to pay. The department did cover 30% of the cost of tuition, but I still had car payments and electric bills coming in. I was able to do it, but I had a tough time getting through. If you can work and save up enough money, create a budget and stick to it so you don’t have to work during paramedic school then please for your sake do it. I will mention that it was nice being able to see the things we talked about during lecture come to life out in the field, but it came at a cost. If your department is going to pay you while you are in school then you have a golden ticket right there. Don’t feel that you should still work part time or on the weekends, school should be the priority.

-Get work experience prior. I went by a local paramedic class to help out with skills one day and began talking to the students and asked them about their journey to EMS/Fire. I was shocked to hear that 14 of the 15 students had never worked as an EMT prior, and the only experience they had was their EMT class. Now, if you can go zero-to-hero then good for you. Some departments or programs have a requirement that you have so much time on, but it is not always a requirement. Being a paramedic is a mor responsibility and not for the faint of heart. By working as an EMT, you can see first-hand what the paramedic goes through on a day-to-day basis. You will see very quickly if this is something you want to pursuit. The worst thing in this field is seeing a brand-new paramedic quit the job because it wasn’t what they thought it would be. Just to learn they never had the exposure prior to going to paramedic school. I personally felt that I learned more in the field while in school than I did in some of the classrooms, and that is how I was able to succeed in class.

-Use it to network. Warning, do this carefully! We had several paramedics from fire departments come help teach and run skills with us, and many of my fellow classmates would be all over these off-duty firefighters. They tried so hard to make a name for themselves and get in good with these departments. I would often overhear “Oh ya it would be my dream to work for X department, I would be so appreciative and never take it for granted.” Or my personal favorite “I have been studying the department protocols and I am so ready to work for X department” Fun fact, he never got hire by that department, he had to go elsewhere and said real bad things about his “dream department”. Now, some of my friends and I who worked in the field and would often run into some of these guys at the hospital or out in trainings. They knew us and saw our work ethic, and it led to having an in when it came time for testing and interviews. Most of the friends I had in paramedic school now work for city fire departments now. Don’t be afraid to network a little while in school, just be careful how you do it.

-Don’t forget about yourself and your loved ones. Yes, school must be your top priority, you also need to take care of yourself. Try and set time for the gym, even if it is only twice a week. Going to the gym Saturday and Sunday for an hour is better than not at all. Get plenty of sleep and allow your mind and body to fully recover. Paramedic school will drain your mind, body, and spirit so don’t ignore recovery. Massage therapy is a great tool you can use to recovery all three. Set time aside to take your loved ones out for a movie or dessert or even go for a weekly walk in the park. Every Sunday my wife and I went to breakfast at a new restaurant in town. This gave us a chance to be together, forget about school, and reset ourselves.

There are other great resources you can find to help you be successful in paramedic school, these are the ones that my friends and I followed, and it helped us not just pass and get hired by the departments we wanted to work for. It also helped us become good paramedics in a world that has a lot of middle of the road, “cookbook medics”. If you are getting ready to start paramedic school, I wish you all the luck in the world. This is an amazing career, and you are starting your journey. Enjoy it because it goes by fast.