I don't know your background, but if you don't have any EMT experience, do NOT, I repeat, do NOT go to NCTI. Yes, I know they do not require any EMT experience...it shouldn't be that way.

I attended the NCTI paramedic program last July and am currently in the phase of awaiting placement into an internship.

As a product of the school, I know my stuff pretty well. However, I also attribute my success to all the hardcore studying that I did. The class moves very quickly, only 7 months of didactic which consists of two 10 hour classes a week compared to the typical 1 year of didactic offered by community colleges. Something that bugged me about the class was the intense focus on the schedule. Everything was based on the schedule of the class. I remembered 12 lead EKG being covered in the last 12 minutes of class once and never being touched upon again, because of the need to stay on track with the schedule.

Clinicals placement was okay, I was lucky and got placed pretty quick and at a nearby hospital. 90% of the class got sent to hospitals at exactly as far as possible as stated in the brochure - 90 miles. Almost everyone of those folks ended up searching for their own hospitals to do their clinicals at which were closer.

Currently, I am awaiting a call back after having left 3 messages this week and having paid my $950 for an internship placement. The school may have a big name behind it (it is owned by AMR), but the way they operate consistent with a lack of professionalism and follow through really irks me at times (such as now, thus the ranting)

TO sum it up:

Pro's: the program is potentially very quick, if you have worked in the EMS field and have connections established for clinicals and internships.
Through their program, you will receive classes on typical required paramedic certifications such as ACLS, PALS, ITLS, etc.
There is supposedly a very high pass rate on the national registery test from the students that attend NCTI.

Con's: Poor customer service, does not readily return phone calls, hard to reach staff or get answers to questions.
There is no fighting or objecting to admittedly poorly written, ambiguous, and confusing test questions.
Cost - $10,000 plus another $600-700 for books
A year later, I have still not received my PEPP card yet, neither has anyone on my class though the school claims to have sent them all out.
A stupid HOBET placement test that you will have to take in order to apply, which costs $50 and that does not apparently weigh in on your eligibility. I scored "reads at college level" whereas a friend scored "reads at below junior high school level" and we ended up in the class together.


Ultimately, yes, I went with NCTI, but purely based on the reason that I wanted to get moving on my medic schooling quick. Going the community college route would have been cheaper at only $2000-3000, but there are also a lot fewer spots, lot more lotteries, waiting lists, uncertainty.

Hey RL80 I attended the same class, you should have recieved your PEPP card upon completing the PEPP course, just like all the other courses. I liked NCTI, i just got my internship but it was on my own effort not by the help of the school. And I would have to say EMT experience is not that important for didactic.
Jack95

RL80,

How many hours a week on average did you spend studying? What was your schedule like for the clinical and what hospital did you do it at? I start class in Nov. and I'm just trying to get as much info as can so I know what to expect. I have no EMT experience so I'm just going to have to rely on my study skills.

I am going to re-iterate...it would be VERY wise to have EMT experience before going through this school. Take it from someone who has been in your very shoes. Please don't take my warning lightly.

If you're already signed up, paid, and ready to go...boy you better study up and make sure you have everything in order. Do not settle with passing tests with 75's...working EMT's may get away with it, but you better be aiming for something higher, consistently.

Always be the first to participate in skills lab.

During lunch, have one hand on your sandwich and the other on a piece of equipment. In other words, take advantage of the lunch hour to touch the equipment (if they have any out).

If you can get a job as an EMT during paramedic school, do it. Apply now.

Learn all your drugs before you even start class. It's just straight memorization. Call up the office and see if you can get a copy of all the meds...I don't see why they would deny you that. If they do for some reason, let me know and I can give them to you (but when class starts make sure and double-check there weren't any changes).

If they're using the 5-book series again, get a head start and read the first book before you even start. (Yeah, that means getting your books ASAP)

Paramedic school is tough enough for anyone, let alone someone with no experience. I speak from experience.

Whoa, Striving did you have a rough time in didactic?? You will study as much as you are in class, probably about 20 hours or so, maybe a little more. If you have good study habits you will be fine. But its fun stuff, and sometimes you are in labs all day. I would have to say NCTIs lab instrutors were pretty cool guys and gals. If you put in the effort they will help you. I am still not sure how important it is to have EMT experience, remember BLS before ALS.

Your kidding me right;YOU DID SAY TWO 10HR CLASS DAYS A WEEK, for 7 mos??? So exactly what did you learn on that limited amount of ditatic? Wow, that just seems foolish for a school to push people through a program that is meant for the student actually learbn and absorb the information...

I went through NCTI as well

most of the programs around here have their problems, none are perfect.

I was not impressed by the lectures. Some of the information taught was wrong as just a regular medic was teaching and even he was unsure on the pathopys. of many things.

I felt that i learned the most at home studying.

The labs were good and we had plenty of practice to prepare us for registry.

Clinicals were fine I was placed quickly

My internship I found on my own, took me about a month and a half to find a preceptor on my own.

The internship is where you really learn and put it all together. Even after you're done with that and you're a brand new medic you feel like you don't know anything.. and you're not "the inern" anymore. you actually have to take control and do what is expected of you.

EMT experience is huge for your internship. It also is helpful with didactic but not as much. Some preceptors refuse to take interns with no experience because instead of going over assessments and treatment they're teaching them the gurney or how to just simply interact with patients.

Good luck! Didactic isn't that rough if you have some brains and dedication. People make it seem like the end of the world. It starts out hard, and gets easier and easier up until the end.