How Did the COVID Pandemic Affect EMS Education?

In 2020, the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education (CAPCE)  reported a 179% increase in course completions compared to the two prior years, as well as a 185% increase in online distributive learning.  Live/in person education represented just 1% of CAPCE-accredited refresher completions in 2020.  What does this say about the future of EMS education? How does this trend away from live courses toward online education affect student retention, skills and evidence-based education? Is this the "new normal"?

Hosts Rob Lawrence and Maia Dorsett join the host of the PEC Podcast, Hawnwan Philip Moy, MD, FACEP, FAEMS to discuss these impressive numbers with the authors of the study:

Juan March, MD, FAEMS, FACEP, Chief, at ECU Division of EMS, CAPCE Board of Directors; Nicole Camarillo, Data Coordinator at CAPCE and Stephen Taylor, MHS, FAEMS, EMS Specialist at ECU Division of EMS.

PEC paper discussed on this episode:

March, J. A., Scott, J., Camarillo, N., Bailey, S., Holley, J. E., & Taylor, S. E. (2022). Effects of COVID-19 on EMS refresher course completion and delivery. Prehospital Emergency Care, 26(5), 617-622.

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