I am currently working as a full time paramedic with the ambulance service. I hope that my account of my journey and my work as a paramedic will aid others who wish to follow the same path as well as provide an insight into what paramedics do. I originally started this blog when I first wanted to become a paramedic back in 2009. When I first embarked on my journey, I noticed there were not a lot of information on becoming a paramedic in BC. I questioned whether becoming a paramedic was really right for me and I had a lot of difficulty having my questions answered. Luckily I stumbled into many wonderful individuals who were more than willing to show me the ropes. It is my hope that this blog will not only be a source of entertainment, but to also serve as a guide for those who are looking towards being a paramedic and what the journey may entail.
You can follow on twitter here: http://twitter.com/#!/PocketMedicBC
**Please when reading this from a student perspective that a lot has changed over the years, and bear in mind that this is a journal and details were accurate to the date it was posted, not to the date you are reading it.**
(Note that in BC, “paramedic” is a general term that refers to anyone working as a pre-hospital care provider. The different levels one can work as a paramedic include EMR (Emergency Medical Responder), PCP (Primary Care Paramedic), ACP (Advanced Care Paramedic), CCP (Critical Care Paramedic), and a specialized pediatric unit: ITT (Infant Transport Team) ).
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Disclaimer
**The stories told in my blog are real but I have changed the names, places, times, age, gender (randomized), and generalized the calls for confidential reasons. None of the calls or stories will be written in a way where an individual can be identified. Photography is a hobby I enjoy, and any photos related to EMS that have been taken by myself are taken when I’m off duty in my leisure time. Lastly, all my thoughts and comments are purely my own reflections and musings and do not reflect the organizations’ thoughts, ideologies, etc, which I am associated with.
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Artwork and Photographs
All the artwork and photographs on this blog with the creative common license 
are my property. I believe that artwork should be shared and enjoyed by all, be it for motivational purposes or just for the pure beauty of it. Withholding artwork and keeping artwork to myself defeats the purpose of why I draw and take photos. That being said, I would appreciate that you ask for my permission and provide appropriate attribution before the use of my art and that my artwork are not to be used for any commercial purposes.
My Paramedic Blog 
WOW. I came across your blog while looking for information on the pcp programs. Im currently registered with my emr course this month and I can’t believe how informative your entries have been written. They exactly follow the steps i’ve researched to become a paramedic myself, and so much more!!
great blog. I will be following it from now on.
🙂
Trevor
Hi Trevor,
Glad you found my entries informative. I thought maybe my ramblings might help someone along the way 😉
Are you doing your EMR at JIBC?
I sure am. At the D/T campus.
I wasn’t aware there was a D/T campus…unless that’s the one they put under “Vancouver”.
Well good luck with the rest of the course! and the rest that follows 😉
I just stumbled across your blog – your stories are excellent and the journey you have recounted is fantastic. Please drop me a line, I would really like to chat with you!
Hi – Just came across your blog and wanted to let you know how awesome it is and thank you for all the great info on it. I’m currently in the PCP program as well as hoping to be hired by BCAS as an EMR pending licensing and an interview, so everything on here is uber relevant to my situation. Cheers!
Glad you found my blog helpful 🙂 Good luck with everything!
Any word or advice for the CS200 A&P course? To do with content, the final exam etc
Hi Paraman,
The exam is tough in the sense that the questions are rather random. It’s not because one system is important so they will ask more questions than say less important information. I say work through your workbook, and know a bit of everything. Don’t delve too much into materials that are complex and would be out of the PCP scope, like the textbook has sections in the cardiology section that is ACP level.
Good luck!
Hey, just wanted to ask a question about the PCP medical knowledge test. Ive been doing all the pratice tests on the JIBC website and I am wondering if those 11 tests are similar to the test given on assessment day. Also do you remember around how many questions the test is?
Thanks,
Brandon
Hi Brandon,
The medical test for the PCP application is very similar to the practice test online. I recommend repeating the quiz online till you can answer all the questions correctly as quite a few of those questions do come up again on the test. The test format is also similar to your EMR final exam. As for how many questions…its been a while so I don’t quite remember. I think there were about 70-100 questions.
Hope that helps!
C
How do you find those practice test on the JIBC website? I have my assessment soon and I’m having difficulty finding the tests.
Thanks,
– Justin
You have to have taken EMR with JI to access the practice tests. You can access it after you log on into your student account under the “myJIBC” link, then you go into blackboard and you should be able to find it there.
Hi there,
I’ve thankfully just come across your blog after reasearching head injuury patients on Google. I find it absolutely amazing and informative.Please please carry on blogging, your reasearch and knowledge is of great help to me. My name is Jaime. I live in Sheffield, England and am an Assistant Practioner for Yorkshire Amulance Service with 13 years service. Assistnt Practitoner is possibly equivalent to your EMT. I have so much yet to learn but will get there!!! many, many thanks.
A little late on the reply, but thank you for the kind comments 🙂 The learning never ends in this field now does it 😉 Have a great day!
Hello
My name is Cyrus Soltani Manjaterra, I work as volunteer EMT for my city fire department in Brazil, and I’m planning to go to JIBC to study for Paramedic (something that doesn’t exist in Brazil), I read your blog and thank you for all the tips and helps that you are giving, they are really helping out. But I would was wondering, would you please add me on Facebook for me to send you some messages?
I’m also planning to visit Vancouver soon (I have 2 uncles that live in New Westminster area), so hopefully, something will work-out!
Thank you very much
Cyrus Soltani Manjaterra
Hi Cyrus,
Interesting, I never knew there were no paramedics in Brazil (I’m assuming fire takes over that role there?). I will send you an email in regards how to contact me if you have questions.
Cheers
“(Note that in BC, “paramedic” is a general term that refers to anyone working as a pre-hospital care provider. The different levels one can work as a paramedic include EMR (Emergency Medical Responder), PCP (Primary Care Paramedic), ACP (Advanced Care Paramedic), CCP (Critical Care Paramedic), and a specialized pediatric unit at the ACP+ level: ITT (Infant Transport Team) ).”
FYI: The infant transport team paramedic is not ACP trained prior to becoming ITT. The ITT licence level prerequisite is PCP (plus experience).
However, the critical care paramedic licence can ONLY be achieved with significant ACP experience.
Hi Erin,
Thanks for the clarification…I must have misunderstood it when an ITT was explaining it to me.
Cheers
I just finished reading your whole blog. I was looking up information on how to become a paramedic with BCAS when I landed on one of your posts.
I just want to thank you for writing this blog. It has given me a clearer view of which path I want to take to become a paramedic.
I hope you continue to write amazing stories and help me out with any questions I may have in the future.
🙂
Hi there,
Thank you for the very nice reply. I’m impressed you read through my whole blog…wow…
Feel free to ask me questions anytime. I’d be more than happy to answer any to the best of my ability. As for writing, I will continue writing, but due to some things that has happened, I need a break from paramedicine for a bit on my down time. I have many stories saved up in my head, I just need the right moment to continue back on writing.
Good luck with things!
I laughed so hard when I read about the blue and red thermometers. That’s something I won’t forget! I nearly cried when I read your “nightmare” post. I thought it was real until I read the last line. It should have clicked when I saw the title…
You’ll be back in paramedicine right? Just take a break. Have a KitKat. For whatever has happened, keep ya head up. I can tell you have great passion for what you do. They need more people like you doing these jobs.
Anyway. I look forward to hearing those stories that you have saved up in your head. Keep me posted!
Thanks!
Your blog is amazing and I enjoy reading your posts. keep up the good work.
cheers.
Thank you.
Hi. Your blog is very informative and inspiring. I am not a paramedic but I love to be one. It was my dream since I was 13. But I could not get what I want. I have just completed my study in something unrelated to paramedic. My passion to be a paramedic never fades though. It is sad thinking that it may be impossible for me to be one. Thanks for writing this amazing blog!
Hi, thank you for your wonderful comments. Also, it is never too late to become a paramedic. The thing about this job, especially in BC, is you can often work it as a side job to your main job. If paramedicine is your passion, I encourage you to try giving it a go 🙂
Thanks for your advice. I appreciate it. But I dont think I could because of the fees, Anyway, I would never give up. 🙂
I am a very big fan of your blogs and I really enjoy reading it on my leisure time. Paramedicine has been the only dream job of mine and I have the incredible opportunity to do first aid with a security company. When I did real CPR on a patient it clicked in my head that Paramedicine is the job for me and now I am licensed at an EMR level and want to enter BCAS as soon as I get my Class four driver’s license and then advance into PCP course at JIBC.
Thank you again for your inspirational blogs 🙂
– Christian Schlegel
Hi Christian,
Good to hear from you, and good luck with your future endeavors 🙂
Came across your blog trying to find more info on how to get started on this journey. I am a single mother and have always wanted to do something in the medical field, yet chose a different education. Realized later I wanted to become a ER Physician, but feel it’s a bit too late now as well as trying to juggle that as a single mom with 3 small children would be a bit too much. So my attention shifted to paramedicine. Am seriously wanting to do this, but have tons of questions and I prefer talking to someone who is walking the walk, rather than just getting some info on a website. I’ll be reading your blog and hoping to get more answers to questions.
Hi Mirjam,
I’d be happy to answer any questions you have. I will send you an email to the address you have used to comment here.
Cheers
Came across your blog when I was searching for people’s stories of ride alongs. The art and photos are beautiful and so is the writing. It’s been my dream for a while to become a paramedic and I can’t wait until I’m old enough to be an EMT. Your posts have answered so many of my questions and I know I’ll learn a lot more from you in the future. Do you mind if I ask some questions in comments from time to time?
Hi Jun,
I’d be happy to answer your questions. I am not as active on my blog anymore as life has gotten quite busy for me, so my replies may be a bit late.
Cheers
Hi, I came across your blog last year and I love it to bits. I think I have read every article like a thousand times. I was just accepted to the PCP course, and I am so excited to experience everything that you have wrote about. Just wanted to send a huge thanks for writing your blog, its helped to tame down some nerves and questions that i have had. I hope that you keep on writing and keep doing an amazing job. Maybe we might cross paths someday 🙂
Hi Allie,
Good luck with your PCP course! I’m sure we will cross paths sometime in the future 🙂
Enjoyed your posts. Thanks for the insight.
Would love to chat with you!
From an fellow heart are worker!
( LPN, and hopefully so to be Paramedic)
Thanks Kendra!
Hi there! I am really loving your blog – as I’m starting my EMR course soon, it’s been such a huge help! 🙂 I meant to ask you. are you Brazilian? 😀
Hi Larissa, thank you for the comment. Haha I get that a lot but I’m not Brazilian. What makes you think so?
Hi! I am entering the Spring Session of the PCP course here in Victoria this spring and have found your blog very useful as I navigated through the application process. I am wanting to order my textbooks and have referred to your top 10 tips, but I am still unclear on which books you feel are a waste of money and which are necessary…which is the bible you are referring to?
Thanks for all the time you have spent sharing your experiences and wisdom gained…it is appreciated!
Hi Jeff, I don’t check this blog much anymore. I’m hoping you’re enjoying the course. That blog post was done quite a while back now and the books may have changed. I understand a lot of the materials are now online. From what I last heard this manual you now have to purchase separately.
Hi there!
My name is Oliver. I’m a researcher from Monash University’s Trauma Recovery Lab (Australia), where we aim to understand and facilitate children’s and families’ recovery from traumatic stress. Our leader, Dr Eva Alisic has recently published research examining pre-hospital providers (e.g. paramedics and emergency medical technicians) knowledge of child traumatic stress, their attitudes towards trauma-informed care, and their confidence in providing this type of care. We conducted an international survey of 812 participants from high-income countries and interestingly found that on average, participants only answered 2.7 out of seven questions on child traumatic stress correctly and 90% felt they needed further training in this area, with a reported preference for an interactive training website. Going forward, we hope to use these results to develop specified training materials for pre-hospital providers.
Whilst we have published these results in an academic journal, we ultimately hope to reach the individuals for who this information matters most, emergency care providers. We came across your blog/magazine/group and were wondering if you would be interested in discussing these findings with your audience. Alternatively, Dr Alisic would appreciate the opportunity to write a guest post for your blog.
I have attached a link to the original research and a link to Dr Alisic’s own blog where she regularly discusses her own research and developments in the field. We hope you find the research interesting and consider it for your next post/article.
Kind Regards,
Oliver Eastwood.
Article: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20008198.2016.1273587
Blog: https://trauma-recovery.net/
Hi Oliver, your research touches on a topic I have been thinking about in the past and is extremely relevant to our line of work. I would agree we do not have enough training in this area. I think it’d be great if Dr Alisic would like to contribute a guest post. I’d be happy to facilitate that and open up more discussions in this area. Please send me an email at MyParamedicBlog@gmail.com and we can discuss this further.
Michelle