Re: Medic Exam

[Guest guest]

Lee:

Most of the scenario-based questions I've seen are not dependent on a set of

protocols, unless its something standard like the AHA cardiac protocols,

which no one should be able to graduate from paramedic school without

knowing cold, anyway. Most of these questions require the student to

synthesize an answer and procedure based on the standard knowledge all

paramedic students are expected to know. Protocol-specific information is

usually given as part of the question. The beauty (or curse, as you prefer)

of this kind of test is that it not only assesses whether the student gained

the basic paramedic knowledge set during training, but that he or she can

apply it to practical problems. Believe me, I've seen a lot of rookie medics

who could spout theory all day, but couldn't paramedic their way out of a

paper bag for the first 6-12 months on the job. They had no critical

thinking skills. Its a lot harder and more time-consuming to educate and

train medics to be able to apply what they've learned practically, the

so-called " street-ready " standard. The fact that so many are failing now

shows that many schools are not doing their job, or are behind the power

curve in redesigning the way they teach to meet this new expectation.

ly, I don't think TDH and THECB are really giving the support to EMS

education that it needs if this is going to be accomplished. In some cases,

I suspect the lack of resources will make it impossible for a school to live

up to this standard, especially using the new curriculum, and such schools

will go the way of the dinosaurs. It also shows me that a lot of paramedic

students are still putzing around instead of taking this as seriously as

they should. These are the ones who always say, " just teach me what I have

to know to pass the test. " The next 18 months will doubtless be quite

painful for all of us in EMS and I daresay there will be fewer (but better)

paramedic schools when the shootin' stops. Paramedic students better face

the fact that memorizing isn't enough. You have to UNDERSTAND how, why,

when, and what, and you have to be able to convert theory into practice just

to earn the patch. That's how it should have been all along. My advice to

paramedic students is to insist that the school they are in prepare them for

that and to plan on making paramedic school your #1 priority. Buckle down

and work! The days of easy-breezy paramedic school and certification

apparently are coming to an end, thank God. Don't expect spoon feeding. I

know that every one of my colleagues who still teach EMS daily are moving

heaven and Earth trying to give you the best that can be had, but a lot of

it is going to rest on the students. If you fail the exam, point a finger of

blame at the person in the mirror well before you point it at anyone else.

Along the way, raise hell with the administrators of the college or other

training source you are taking the course through if they aren't giving the

program the resources they need to help you learn this stuff the way it has

to be done nowadays. I will now step lightly off de soap box and raise my

shields against the mass of incoming flaming responses I invariably provoke.

Dave

[texasems-L] Re: Medic Exam

> The problem with a scenario based test is kind of what is alluding

> to, who's protocols are used. Most students that go for their Paramedic

> are already employed and have been " trained " to treat the patient under

> their local protocols. The problem comes from trying to " forget " local

> protocols to answer the questions. It's been my experience that

> medication dosages used in protocols are not necessarily the same as

> when we are in class.

>

> Another problem might also be that because there is not a visible

> patient. I have found that a lot of people cannot visualize a

> hypothetical situation, but on an actual scene, when one can see the

> patient, there is no problem.

>

> Lee

>

>

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