<p>Medical Student Perceptions of Emergency Medical Technician Training During the First Year of Medical School</p>

Abstract

Purpose: Medical schools look for ways to provide clinical experiences and skill development in connection with knowledge. One method used is to provide emergency medical technician (EMT) training to medical students; however, limited data are available concerning EMT training in medical education. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review student feedback about the EMT curriculum through multiple iterations of the curriculum. Methods: Students completed a voluntary school administered survey upon completion of their first year of medical school. Student responses to statements related to the EMT course and program were analyzed for classes matriculating in academic years 2012-2017. A one-way ANOVAwith post hoc Tukey Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) was performed across all years for each survey statement. Results: Mean response scores to statements related to the EMT course were higher when the EMT course was a standalone course and lower when integrated with biomedical science coursework. Students "strongly agreed" or "agreed" with most statements related to experiences and clinical skill development provided by the EMT program. Response rates ranged between 46-52 (88-100%) for 2012, 40-46 (74-85%) for 2013, 72-79 (88-96%) for 2014, 73-86 (71-83%) for 2015, 47-65 (46-63%) for 2016, 62-82 (59-78%) for 2017. Conclusion: Our data show that first year medical students liked the course design best when the EMTcourse was a standalone course at the start of the M.D. program while students liked experiences and clinical skill development provided by the EMT program regardless of course design.

A Student Survey: Influence of Emergency Medical Technician Training on Student’s Application, Matriculation, and Transition into Medical School

“… 24 We previously reported that the EMT curriculum made students more confident in their clinical skills and allowed students to practice patient-based care while interacting with other members of the health care team. 16 In addition to the coursework, students continue to have clinical experiences through their monthly EMS shifts in the first two years. The EMT program also introduces students to the small group work environment early in their medical school experience which affords the opportunity to establish relationships with their classmates, serves to promote class solidarity, and provides some time to become familiar with new expectations and routines of medical school prior to entering their more rigorous science coursework.…”

“…This is a continuation of work we have previously reported after the end of the first year where students perceived that they had a better understanding of their patient population. 16 …”

“…Medical students at the UofSC School of Medicine Greenville complete an EMT course and EMT shifts during the first two years as previously described. 16 A stand-alone course is administered during the first seven weeks prior to any biomedical science coursework. The course has approximately two hundred and twenty-one course hours with the following modules: preparatory, airway management, patient assessment, medical emergencies, traumatic emergencies, obstetrics and pediatrics, and operations.…”

“…During the remainder of the first year and during the second year, students complete a total of six 12-hour emergency medical services (EMS) shifts during the Integrated Practice of Medicine 1 and 2 courses ( Figure 1 ). 15 , 16

Figure 1 Schematic representation of the first two years of medical school at the UofSC School of Medicine Greenville. EMT course = course students take that includes core components of the EMT curriculum.

…”

“…The University of South Carolina (UofSC) School of Medicine Greenville introduced an emergency medical technician (EMT) course at the beginning of the first semester of medical school 15 , 16 as a means to provide an innovative method for early clinical exposure and to help connect knowledge with experience. Emergency medical technician coursework was reported to be integrated into medical education curricula in the late 1960s, 17 1970s, and early 1980s; 18–20 however, little was reported on this until recently.…”