Clinical Experience and Practical Skills: Results from Mexico City's Paramedic Registry

Introduction: Trauma is a leading cause of death and disability in Mexico. Unintentional injuries, along with diabetes and heart disease, contribute to >35% of the country's total mortality. Effective and efficient prehospital care of the conditions may improve outcomes. Objective: The objective of this paper was to determine if prehospital field experience (PFE) correlated with higher passing rates among candidates for the paramedic registry in Mexico City. Methods: This was a retrospective, cohort study using data from the Voluntary Registry of Prehospital Care Professionals (VRPHP) in Mexico City. Results: The mean value for candidate age was 30.6 years and mean value for the years of PFE was 6.8 years (CI = 9-13 years). Most of the applicants were male and almost 90% were basic emergency medical services providers. Sixty-five percent of the candidates were from private, non-profit organizations, 73% were volunteers, and 19% had obtained a university degree. More than 57% had >= 5 years of PFE, but the experience level did not correlate significantly with higher passing rates for the registry evaluation (chi(2) = 1.66, p = 0.43). The results differed between the two years that the examination was offered (chi(2) = 32.98, df = 1, p < 0.001, gamma = 0.54), regardless of gender, education, and years of experience. Conclusions: Previous field experience showed no correlation with passing rates, although the correlations improved between examination periods. The results may be used to support appropriate implementation of future health policies for prehospital emergency services.