Month of Hell is finally over

pixmedic · Apr 30, 2014

So...the company I work for dropped their old 3 month critical care program through the Cleveland Clinic, and went with a new one month CCT program.
Its not actually done through my job, but through the University of Maryland's Dept of Emergency Health Services.
We were the first class our company has put through the Maryland program. we were the Guinea pigs.
100 hours through UMBC for a 3 year certification. 48 hours of CEU's to re certify every third year.
Nothing quite like having to learn 3 months of information in a third of the time.
But....12 classes and 100 didactic hours later...(IE: Death by PowerPoint) we finally made it to final exams today.
the company shelled out around $3000 per student for this class.
Half of the class failed.

Thankfully, I was not among them.
I am now officially certified as a CCEMT-P (Critical Care EMT-Paramedic)
Plus, the 100 hours of class counts for all the CEU's I need to renew my paramedic cert this year. yay!
Plus Plus, the company gives us a $1000 bonus if we pass the course. yay!
aaaaand....I get to wear a neat pin now. yay!

Now I get access to all the good drugs!

I cannot properly articulate just how happy I am that this is over. I have spent more time in Miami this month than I have at home.

Ron Evers · Apr 30, 2014

May I be the first to congratulate you on this accomplishment. Way to go Pix!

CdTSnap · Apr 30, 2014

Im an advanced first aider is that the same thing? I know how to give CPR (Different for male and female lol)

Kidding, thats awesome man! WELL DONE!

bogeyguy · Apr 30, 2014

Way to go Mr. Mustache. That has to be a burden lifted from your shoulders.

runnah · Apr 30, 2014

We all know you had a crib sheet hidden in your whiskers.

pixmedic · Apr 30, 2014

This is really just a prequel for me....
next on my list is the PMD to RN bridge program.

Derrel · Apr 30, 2014

Way to go, and good for you! What worries me though is that, "Half of the class failed." That seems unusually high...was the test appropriate or one of those inscrutably oddball affairs that seem as if it was written up by a knucklehead?

tirediron · Apr 30, 2014

pixmedic said:
This is really just a prequel for me....
next on my list is the PMD to RN bridge program.

Tries to picture the Mustachio'd medic in a white skirt and tights... *shudder*

Congrats on passing the exam Jason! :thumbup:

pixmedic · Apr 30, 2014

Derrel said:
Way to go, and good for you! What worries me though is that, "Half of the class failed." That seems unusually high...was the test appropriate or one of those inscrutably oddball affairs that seem as if it was written up by a knucklehead?

the test was brutal, but there were no trick questions. everything was pretty straight forward. the previous CCT course was 1 day a week for 3 months. THIS course is 12 classes in 1 month. a lot less time to study between classes.
there is the option to take a retest tomorrow morning. Its a different exam, and you DO NOT get to see your previous test, what questions you missed, or even what areas you didn't do well in. Im happy enough that i passed the first time.

this was nothing like regular paramedic exams. we have to know all the ICU drugs, and most of the medical conditions that require the use of those drugs.
The CCT trucks carry a LOT of drugs. Its a lot more in-depth. Plus, we have to know about equipment we dont even carry, like an Intra Aortic Balloon Pump and ECMO.
there's a LOT of neonatal information too.

Our typical CCT transports are unstable patients, which regular medic units are not allowed to take as an interfacility transport because they are not considered a high enough "level of care". Our CCT patients are usually on a ventilator, several drugs on pumps, intubated or trached, sedated, and often chemically paralyzed.
they can be some of the most nerve wracking transports. I would much rather take a patient that simply coded. codes are easy.