We have all graduated from an accredited EMT, AEMT or paramedic program and passed either the state or national test.

So now it’s time to start putting those skills and knowledge to good use. Hopefully, you were scoping out jobs while doing your precepting or ride time, but what comes next? Education, education, education! Or, I should say, continuing education in the form of refreshers, courses and the mandatory education opportunities, such as an online paramedic course.

Your employer or medical director will recommend which courses they would like you to attend, so look to them for guidance.

All of this education may seem like a pain. But trust me, medicine – especially pre-hospital medicine – changes at a lightning-fast pace. Although your protocols are slow to change, the care you provide changes daily.

I have heard before that care changes, but my protocols do not. This is one of the things that really needs to change with EMS.

As the pre-hospital professional provider, you need to be a part of the system of change. Take the changes to your medical directors and get involved in pushing for evidence-based medicine advancements in the care you provide.

Why live online courses trump recorded online courses

A paramedic refresher course is one of the best ways to look at new material while still covering the material your state or National Registry requires.

When choosing a course, examine how the material is presented. A live online paramedic refresher course is generally a better option than a recorded online course.

Video content is slick and engaging, but when a company pays thousands of dollars to make that video, they need to recoup their money and show a profit. So that video sits on their website for quite some time.

While the care you provide changes, they still will be showing that same video to recoup their money spent. This is where live online courses prevail.

Providers also constantly tell me they cannot afford to sit in a traditional classroom for days at a time, missing work. And their feelings appear to be shared by the majority.

According to a recent Career Builder study, 78% of employees are living paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet, a statistic that rose 3% compared to last year. In addition, women (81%) are more likely than men (75%) to live paycheck to paycheck, the research found.

Some providers also think online courses do not adequately educate them. The data, however, tells a different story.

According to a U.S. Department of Education meta-analysis, “on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.”

Never stop learning

Whatever your learning style, find the education that fits your needs while moving EMS forward. Look for coursework that engages, enlightens and is convenient and updated regularly.

I created Distance CME with your learning styles and needs in mind. That’s why we offer:

This is exactly how we can constantly improve EMS as a whole moving forward together.

Take a 48-Hour Live Paramedic Refresher Course to bolster your continuing education today.