Best Province for PCP training

[Cabose]

Hey all I'm newish to these forums, I have been lurking a little bit while trying to find some info, good programs. I'm from BC and since all the paramedics out here are on strike The Justice institute has shut down its PCP programs and rather then waiting I figured I would just go study someplace else. And since I'm willing to travel I might as well get the best education I can. So I'm curious as to which Province/School is known for producing good paramedics. Alot of the information I can find is when everyone was still using EMT.

Thanks in advance
Cabose

[northernmedic]

If you want to stay closer to home I have heard good things about NAIT as well as SIAST. A buddy of mine went to Holland College and overal had a decent experience but its big $$$ to move and live in PEI for a year.

[deville]

Again its big money to move east but the Maritime School of Paramedicine in Dartmouth, NS has a great PCP program. Or you can get your training from Alberta and practice here for a while, then cross over to BC. Not sure how many hoops there are to do that these days but its worth a try.

Cheers.

[northernmedic]

Movement is really quite easy now with AIT. It will get progressively easier in the next few years as well.

[iamvff]

Manitoba Emergency Services College in Brandon, Manitoba offers a stand alone PCP program.

iamvff

[fire_cracka]

strike will be over by end of september with medics legislated back. pcp classes will be running again i think earliest in january at the parksville campus. biggest problem is practicum and if you get in in vancouver they are already backed up like 5 classes and preceptors will drop like flies becuase of the strike ( they get about $1/hr more to precept and lose it all in taxes) and its a lot of work so they will be bitter and not want to do it)
BC would be my choice still and unfortunatley the JI would be the choice, its fast and a good education.

[ryanmacneil8448]

JI isn't the only school in BC offering PCP, The Academy of Emergency Training also offers PCP and are still running there program. I'm taking it right now in Vancouver. Seems good so far i think there website is firstaid.ca hope this helps!!

[unglunk]

I'm regsitered in SK as a PCP and MB as a Tech P and i'll put it to you this way; take it in ALberta!! Although there is labor mobility now with AIT, Alberta is still a pain to get in to because their courses offer a few skills the rest don't. If by some chance you decide that Alberta is where you would like to work someday, any license you apply to Alberta with is going to have a few skill restrictions that are a huge pain to get removed, i'm still trying to figure out how to do this. If you take the course there you will have easier mobility throughout the entire country. As far as actual Alberta schools go, I would suggest SAIT, NAIT, or any other CMA accredited course you can find; after you find a few that are accredited, factor in cost and length of the course and you can't go wrong.

I went to SIAST and am kicking myself now.

If you have a little more money to spend and want to open up some more options, take the EST at Fire ETC; they will train you up to the Aberta EMT/PCP as well as give you your fire training which is just that much better. On the downside, the course is around $40,000. This course is only offered once a year too and typically starts every NOV.

Hope this helps.

[Squamish-FF]

AET should be more responsible in telling their prospective students that they won't get their on-car precepting done before the time elapses to take their license exam.

I know a couple of guys from my hall that took their PCP with AET and graduated February 2009, they still haven't done their on-car precepting! So all classes behind them will wait even longer. I believe they are in danger of having to redo the course.

As someone said earlier, it may be equally dismal when the Ambulance Paramedics of BC strike is over, due to the preceptors being fed up the work load versus preceptor pay issue.

I feel for you guys that are trying to slug it through this difficult time.

Love the Job, Hate the Employer!

[Lovethefirebaby]

The level of training in the "major" EMS schools in Alberta is very high. I would recommend NAIT, SAIT, ESA, PMA or Portage.
The level of fire training at the fire schools in Alberta is at the 1001 standard. Both Fire-etc and ESA have good instructors. Some are full time instructors and many work for full time departments.
I looked into JIBC and schools out east before going to Fire-etc for the year long program.

I got a job in ALberta immediately and have never looked back and never regretted my choice.

If you want to work in only one part of the country, then studying in that region is probably just fine. If you want complete mobility, it seems to be easier to go from Alberta to anywhere rather than the other way round.

[EMS_Sask]

my vote is "zero to hero" in medicine hat! the school is now CMa accredited
i went to siast and i wish i would have done the zero to hero program.

[Squamish-FF]

Don't bother doing your course in BC for now as there are far too many students waiting to be precepted and then go to licensing. There is in excess of 400 students waiting as the there are next to zero PCP Preceptors available due to current job atmosphere. When BCAS starts treating their preceptors with the respect they deserve then the precepting can continue.

Good luck to all, in their educational pursuits.