Fast Response Paramedic Program Accepting Applications

Posted by Patrick Lickiss on Oct 25, 2011 in Current Events, EMS 2.0, General | 1 comment

As regular readers of my blog have noticed, I am a huge advocate of actually teaching medicine to paramedics.  I see no reason why we can’t teach paramedics the necessary skills to take their place in the medical community rather than simply teaching them to pass a test.  For quite some time, there were few options for paramedic students seeking that opportunity.  That will hopefully change with the new Paramedic Academy offered by Fast Response in Berkeley, CA.

I had the opportunity recently to speak with a portion of the instructional staff from Fast Response and I was definitely impressed with what they have planned.  Their goal is to incorporate available technology like realistic simulation mannequins and tablet computers with the power of social media, podcasts and the EMS blogosphere and combine them with small-group, case-based scenarios to create a program which is unlike any other I have been a part of.  The goal is to build a quality paramedic program from the ground up and turn out fewer, better paramedics rather than cranking out as many successful National Registry candidates as possible.  I, for one, think this is a great idea.

Before going further I should note that I am in no way being compensated for this post.  I simply liked what these instructors had to say and wanted to pass the word.  My thought is that any EMTs who are progressive enough to be reading an EMS blog would be a great fit for this program.

For any EMTs out there in the San Francisco Bay Area looking for an exciting opportunity, head over the the website to take a look at the requirements.  This first academy starts in April of next year.  The application process for Fast Response is certainly more rigorous than most (including requiring documented EMT experience) but my hope is that it creates a more effective learning environment by attracting dedicated, motivated students.

If you do apply, drop me a line and let me know what your experience was.  I would love to get the inside scoop from a student in this first class.  Best of luck!