I recently completed a series of classes (actually 360 hours worth of classes) through the State Fire Marshall. The Fire Service is a never-ending sequence of classes designed to meet newly evolving challenges and the maintenance of fundamental skills.
One of the more demanding programs that I completed was Paramedic school. Becoming a Paramedic is not as simple as taking a few classes. It is actually a (minimum) 2 to 3 year process that involves prior emergency medical technician experience (EMT), prerequisite classes and a very intense program consisting of classroom, clinical and field hours (over 1200 hours!).
So how do you become a Paramedic in San Diego?
The most important step in becoming a Paramedic is a strong EMT background.
Paramedic programs require at least one year of full-time employment as an EMT (or the equivalent). EMTs have been through approximately 100 hours of basic emergency medical training including bleeding control, basic airway techniques and splinting. The following schools in San Diego offer an EMT program:

Southwestern Community College 619-482-6376

Miramar Community College 619-523-3311

Palomar Community College 760-744-1150 x8150

EMSTA, Inc. 619-593-6782

Grossmont ROP 619-596-3690

To be a firefighter you are required, at a minimum, to have EMT certification. In San Diego, EMTs who don't work for the fire department generally work for private ambulance companies or in hospitals. However, some EMTs work for companies that provide medical services for special events or in industrial settings.

First Aid Services of San Diego Inc. EMTs work the barrier in front of the stage at the San Diego Sports Arena during a major concert.







As an EMT (and a Paramedic), I have had the opportunity to provide medical services at an interesting variety of events and locales. In the '90s, I worked regularly on the set of Renegade (A local production by Stu Segall Productions), traveled to the Middle East for two months as the medic with a tour group and provided medical services at boat races from Mission Bay to Parker, Arizona. Needless to say, there are a lot of interesting opportunities for EMTs, and even more for Paramedics.




I snapped this photo of a stunt driver jumping a bus on Fiesta Island while working as a set medic on Renegade.


















Members of San Diego Water Rescue douse the flames of a burning tunnel power boat and rescue the driver during a boat race.





There are a number of ambulance companies in San Diego who are always looking for qualified EMTs. This is where many current paramedics were introduced to emergency medicine and "cut their teeth" riding on an ambulance. In order to make it through the rigors of Paramedic school, you must be comfortable interacting with patients, working in the field (like a moving ambulance), and multi-tasking. A Paramedic must be a confident leader with excellent judgment and self discipline. There is a great deal of responsibility placed on a Paramedic: actual life and death decisions that impact the lives of many people.
The best way to achieve proficiency in those areas is to be a strong and experienced EMT. Your best bet is to work on a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance. This is a partial list of private ambulance companies that employ EMTs in San Diego:

Rural Metro/SDMSE: 619-280-6060

Schaefer: 619-280-8603

Americare: 760-739-9723

Care:888-647-6100

Priority One: 800-600-3370

Pacific Ambulance: 866-277-2727

AMR: 858-492-3500

San Diego Medical Services Enterprise (SDMSE) actually utilizes experienced and specially trained EMTs on their Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances. EMTs are partnered with Paramedics and run 911 calls in the City of San Diego. This is a unique opportunity for EMTs, and I believe these seasoned EMTs have quite an advantage when they decide to go through Paramedic school.

Once you have "paid your dues" on a BLS ambulance and met the required minimum experience, it is time to start thinking about what Paramedic school you want to attend. There are currently three programs locally: Southwestern College, Palomar College and EMSTA. Southwestern and Palomar are both run through the community college district and EMSTA is a private school.
After you pick out your school, sit down and research what prerequisites you need to complete. Each school requires some form of anatomy and physiology. You may also need to take (and I recommend that you do) the Paramedic Prep Class to qualify. Here is a catalog of classes for Southwestern's Paramedic program and this is a list of prerequisite classes for EMSTA.
So how do you choose which school to attend? Some people pick their school based on its location; Southwestern is in the South bay (Chula Vista), Palomar is in North County (Escondido) and EMSTA is in the East County (El Cajon). Some people select the school based on how long the program lasts; Southwestern and Palomar are about 9 to 12 months and EMSTA is about 7 months (not including prerequisites). Others choose programs based on cost: Southwestern and Palomar runs about $2,500 (not including books and other associated fees) and EMSTA's tuition costs $7,800 (not including books and other associated fees). The bottom line is that each school utilizes quality instructors that meet Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines.
Check out my next post to find out more about what it takes to become a Paramedic.