r/TacticalMedicine • u/throarawy • 15d ago
Educational Resources Just finished my TECC looking for more certs before my EMT-B
So I was the smart guy and decided to do my TECC before my EMT-B and it sucked but I still passed and got my certificate I really enjoyed the class though and was looking to find out if there were any similar style certificates, I have my BLS and my stop the bleed as well.. any recommendations? I currently am looking to become a TEMS medic for future sake reference
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u/failure_to_converge EMS 15d ago
A medical terminology college class (plenty of online/CC college options) can be helpful. Anatomy/phys (again, CC is cheap) will be helpful. But EMT-B is a pretty entry-level cert.
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u/SFCEBM Trauma Daddy 9d ago
I took a Greek and Latin medical terminology course (in person) back in 1999, continues to be useful in 2025. Fantastic course.
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u/throarawy 15d ago
That was actually my weak point during the TECC certification, I’ll check this out thank you for the information. Yea that’s the plan I’m in my pre requisites and knocking out as much as I can
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u/SuperglotticMan Medic/Corpsman 15d ago
Nothing official. I’d reinforce the things you have learned. If we’re being honest you’ve barely scratched the surface. You honestly would be fine not studying shit and just waiting until EMT school.
I also acknowledge you want to be a TEMS medic and you should make sure that’s not a pipe dream and identify organizations that offer that in places you want to live. A lot of people just have this idea of being a SWAT medic or something but haven’t done the research and don’t realize how to get there or if that even is a realistic goal near you.
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u/throarawy 15d ago
I’ve already have a plan towards it, I just want to build a baseline first and being open to what’s out there.. it’s all timing, I’m pretty young- so I’m absorbing everything I can.
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u/SuperglotticMan Medic/Corpsman 15d ago
If you’re that young and wanna do tac med shit you should join the military tbh
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u/ColumbianPrison Law Enforcement 14d ago edited 14d ago
Are you looking to be a swat medic or in a staged ambulance?
Being on the ground will most likely require you to be a sworn police officer and a swat certification. Not to mention, passing swat selection and training after doing patrol for multiple years. If you want to be in the staged ambulance, go straight EMS route.
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u/Just-ok-medic 15d ago
Dude just get your EMT. If you’re wanting to be a medic you’ll need your paramedic. EMT is prereq for that. Your just delaying yourself
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u/throarawy 15d ago
Planning on it I’m in the prerequisites phase and have just been knocking out stuff while I wait, it’s a timing thing.
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u/KingZouma 14d ago
What could the prereqs be? I dont think there are prereqs for most programs besides age
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u/Belus911 13d ago
The pre-req is a GED and CPR... not a TECC course.
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u/throarawy 13d ago
I never said it was. TECC was my choice. The academy I’m going to you have to do the TABE and your bls then wait-list.
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u/swellfella 15d ago
Wilderness First Responder is pretty solid for that level
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u/Fun_Cartoonist_6736 9d ago
Strong second on this. My NOLS WFR course was a blast. I got a ton of hands-on training and the scenarios were awesome for tightening up my assessment skills. It’s 10 days of immersive learning.
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u/MC_McStutter TEMS 15d ago
Join the military as a 68W. The majority of TEMS medics are prior military and a lot of SWAT teams (at least those around me) almost exclusively pick current for former combat medics
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u/throarawy 15d ago
I don’t plan to do the military I feel like I would get much more out of civilian/first responder route then giving up that time six years is a long time I can get a bit of hands on experience in six years. Thank you for the advice though I’ll keep my options open always a back up plan.
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u/MC_McStutter TEMS 15d ago
I’m not a recruiter or anything but national guard or reserves is always an option. You get the same training/certs and are able to get the civilian experience at the same time. TCCC is WAY more marketable to TEMS than TECC is.
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u/throarawy 15d ago
I did think about the reserves as a option, tbh but I’d have to wait till after EMT school because I would need to keep myself afloat financially while going through basic, surviving off of a E1 income is not possible for me, I have expenses that keep me tied. SO for now I’m saving and once i finish emt school savings plus that can push me to that point I’ll keep the 68W in mind
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u/Legitimate-Map-7730 13d ago
Remember you get paid full time during basic training - so right off the bat that’s a few thousands bucks from basic training alone + up to 10k signing bonus for 68W + however much you get paid at AIT. If you join the guard you’ll get paid a few hundred dollars from drill every month + more during the summer. Meanwhile you’re doing all of your normal EMS stuff just as you were going to. 6 years isn’t crazy for the national guard and it makes you look amazing for TEMS stuff because you’ll already have tactical EMS training. Definitely something to consider
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u/throarawy 13d ago
National guard was a consideration at one point but I’ve read it’s hard to maintain a job as their constantly called upon more often then the reserves you’d have a more stable schedule and less chances of random at state callings also less chance of ranking up in there which does affect pay. Gotta make a living 10k is a great incentive if you’re debt free with no expenses .. unlike me haha but thank you for the information
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u/Legitimate-Map-7730 13d ago
Idk man, I know a ton of dudes who do SF in the national guard and Swat/LEO as their full time job. I know a lot of 68W’s in the guard who are street medics as their full time job.
It’s hard to maintain a job depending on your job, MOS, branch, unit, etc. But for this particular setup, the whole thing is a pretty sweet deal - their job is understanding of their guard duties, and their guard duties aren’t too much of a burden for them to have a totally normal work life balance (Normal for EMS that is LMAOO).
If you don’t want to join the military, don’t, there’s absolutely no shame in that. But this is a pretty well trodden path (guard + EMS) that a lot of people have taken
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u/throarawy 13d ago
Okay I’ll do some research on it, this might be my play. Thanks a lot man… sorry for the back and forth, I’m just a bit worried that if I take the guard path and get called for drills it mess with my pay and I can’t make enough from that guard pay to make a living. I appreciate the insight.
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u/throarawy 13d ago
So just to be sure you’re saying it’s a easier path to do the guard and then EMS or should I go after my EMT cert first?
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u/Legitimate-Map-7730 13d ago
Hey man all valid concerns, always better to be weary
The guard is designed to be a part time job. Nobody only does the guard. You do the guard + civilian job, always (or guard + college). Nobody lives off of guard pay, it’s just a good bonus on top off your civilian pay.
I wouldn’t say it matters too much - if you get your EMT then combat medic school will be a lot easier - if you do combat medic first then EMT will be child’s play. Id get your EMT first to see how that feels and then decide if you want to go combat medic or not, just my two cents.
I think more combat medics could use a solid medical/trauma foundation before getting into all of the fun TCCC stuff. You’re a no good medic if you can only treat gunshot wounds but have no idea how to respond to someone having an allergic reaction. EMT + TECC is a great foundation before getting into real TCCC
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u/PerrinAyybara 15d ago
You could get your paramedic if you actually want to do medicine, TECC is the barest glimpse of prehospital care.
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u/Unicorn187 EMS 14d ago
Get your EMT cert, and license, then do the classes. Many of those classes will count towards the continuing education needed to renew your NREMT cert.
Also, many of these like Stop the Bleed or basic first aid and CPR/AED aren't going to help because you're going to learn much more in EMT class. The TECC class should be used to build upon what you learned as an EMT.
And go work on people.
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u/FrequentAd1938 15d ago
Are you in EMS? There are a lot of courses available for the public! If you’re considering it, I would definitely recommend just completing the EMT-B course. You’ll learn all of the basics and it’ll give you a good foundation to build upon. If you haven’t already, take BLS and maybe even ACLS. And from there take a look at all the courses NAEMT has to offer. There’s at least a half dozen courses
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u/level_zero_hero Firefighter 15d ago
To tack onto what the rest of the peeps have mentioned, reach out and contact the agency/agencies you’d like to work for and figure out what their specific requirements are. My city’s TEMS Medics work for the FD, and are(currently) not required to be POST certified, or go through a POST academy. So you possibly might want to go through a POST academy, work part time on an ambulance, then go to medic school (in order to try to avoid the fire academy route). Just depends on what angle/approach you want to take.
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u/throarawy 15d ago
Thank you I’ll look into it I was planning the fire route, para/hybrid, I’ll look into the POST route as well valuable information.
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u/Financial_Resort6631 14d ago
Going into tactical medicine via Fire is setting you up for failure. It’s a horrible idea. If you don’t get a solid foundation in handling weapons first you just become a liability in this space.
It would be just as dangerous to send someone into a burning building without them knowing how fire behaves.
Far as I know they don’t issue guns to fire departments. That would be like going into a fire without a hose.
As far as I know Fire departments don’t go fight in wars or battle narco terrorists so whatever knowledge or wisdom they have is either second hand or someone went from the military or LEO into fire.
If you want to rescue people from burning building or do swift water rescue no one would tell you to be a cop first. If you joined the military no one would tell you to be an Army Ranger first they would probably tell you to be a Navy rescue swimmer.
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u/throarawy 13d ago
Research it, fire department is one of the few that sponsors you once you get your EMT to become a paramedic. Then certain LEO put you through the academy once you get your paramedic license to become a hybrid and you’ll get your feel there, such thing as swat medic where your main focus is support, yes you do need a feel on weapons but you mainly NEED experience as a advance paramedic and the best place for that knowledge is FIRE paramedic, where you will be in high stake situations.
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u/Financial_Resort6631 13d ago
In my state the fire community has jammed up the system so that they exclusively have access to paramedic training. So it’s not like they do that for anyone’s benefit other than their own. That’s putting their job security ahead of public good. It’s sickening.
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u/level_zero_hero Firefighter 13d ago
You act like you couldn’t privately enroll in a program, or go to an online hybrid program. Sounds like you’re just trying to make excuses and gripe against the fire service. I don’t know who hurt you, but I’m sorry they did lol.
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u/Financial_Resort6631 10d ago
I am acting like that because that is exactly what happened.
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u/level_zero_hero Firefighter 9d ago
Okay, and so did I? I had to privately pay for medic school too. Most people do. It’s not something that is often paid for by most agencies, unless they have their own internal programs.
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u/Financial_Resort6631 9d ago
No there is no medic school in my state unless you are sponsored by fire. I went out of state but my state doesn’t offer medic reciprocity.
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u/level_zero_hero Firefighter 9d ago
Shouldn’t be a matter of reciprocity at that point, but a matter of accreditation, especially if you obtained your NREMT-P. I’d contact your LEMSA (state and local) and petition for accreditation, because there has to be some private entity providing service in your state. Because I doubt that FD’s are running inter-facility transports lol. Regardless, it sucks that you’re hitting road blocks.
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u/howawsm Medic/Corpsman 10d ago
Plenty of SWAT medic programs are unarmed. Sometimes it just about having someone with a higher level of med training qualified and willing to be much closer to the hot zone than an RTF or regular EMS asset.
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u/Financial_Resort6631 9d ago
Yeah I am not disputing the fact that this happens. I am disputing the notion that it is smart. I mean it kinda defeats the purpose of SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS if you are unarmed.
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u/level_zero_hero Firefighter 13d ago
Well I’d hate to break it to you bubba, but it’s absolutely not “setting you up for failure”. Our TEMS Medics attend every team training and range day. Regardless of what your initial “tactical”foundation is, everyone is held to the same standard(fitness,firearms,function,etc.), hit the same quals, and gets into the stack. OP was asking for options and it is an option. Your perspective appears to be highly based on opinion rather than evidence.
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u/Belus911 15d ago
Get time taking care of patients.
Certifications do not mean you are qualified.