Last but not least
So, I took the Bridgeport Hospital Paramedic class from 2007 to 2008. I successfully passed the National Registry tests in June of 2008 and promptly moved back to Rochester the next month to finish my IT degree at RIT. Connecticut didn't really appreciate my address change, because I didn't receive my Connecticut Paramedic license until August, which meant that I didn't get my New York paramedic certification until September. This completely eradicated my original plan of moving to Rochester a few months before school started so I could get cleared and settle into the Paramedic role before I was inundated with classwork. In the meantime I had picked up a web development job to pay the bills, but quickly dropped it to concentrate on school.
Because Connecticut works on a license system, I just need to pay them $75/year to keep it. If I want to practice, however, I need to hold a valid National Registry card and take a Connecticut refresher every two years to retain medical control privileges. New York is different. They require a valid NYS certification that is good for 3 years. To refresh, a state course is required along with 48 hours of continuing medical education. New York saw my license expiration date of July 2009 and gave me a certification with the same expiration. Thanks. So, in the same year of completing my paramedic class, I was required to take a refresher in order to keep my certification valid. Over the next few months I struggled to fit in time to intern, refresh, and full time RIT classes. I took 3 years worth of CME's and the refresher class and finally completed the requirements in May of this year. The same day, I obtained the three 'Ready to clear" signatures on calls, making me eligible for clearance. May was a busy month.
I scheduled my clearance meeting and reviewed my local protocols. On June 11th I met with the training director and we went through two mega-codes on the mannequin with no difficulty. Then we discussed protocols in his office, to make sure that I know them cold. Then we had a talk. I spent 8 months training with precepters on dozens of calls, with various multiple-week breaks in between. There was some concern with my confidence level, which is understandable since most people clear after 10 calls. I explained that I am super-cautious and would not feel comfortable unless I were absolutely sure of myself. Between full time classes at RIT (hard!), 3 years worth of refresher material in less than one, and training, it took me a little longer to get adjusted than most. Now, more than ever, am I ready to practice.
I am now cleared as a Paramedic in the Monroe-Livingston Regional EMS system.
I have to work for six months with another paramedic, but that's a recent policy that all new ALS providers must follow. Now that I'm done interning, I can begin driver training. Another long story, but I expect to be fully cleared shortly.