Criteria for selecting paramedic trainees

The experience of training more than 700 paramedics and the detailed records of 221 paramedic students were reviewed to determine possible criteria for selecting individuals who could complete successfully a paramedic course. Individuals over 35 years of age who had not taken competitive examinations or college courses within the last 15 years faired poorly. Review of total college hours, college grade point average (GPA), science hours, and science GPA showed no difference between the group that passes paramedic school and the group that failed. Fire department rookie school grades and emergency medical technician-basic (EMT-A) grades correlated well with success or failure in paramedic school. Psychological screening was important in ruling out serious psychiatric disturbances but was of uncertain help in predicting early burnout.