Book excerpt: Paramedic Pearls of Wisdom, Second Edition is a collection of rapid-fire questions and answers to help students prepare for paramedic state and national certification and refresher exams. It consists of pearls -- succinct pieces of knowledge in a question and answer format. Designed to maximize test scores, Paramedic Pearls of Wisdom prunes complex concepts down to the simplest kernel. Paramedic Pearls of Wisdom is written in direct correlation to the U.S. DOT 1998 EMT-Paramedic National Standard Curriculum. Objectives are covered in the order and manner in which they appear in the curriculum. This is an excellent study guide for paramedic students going through initial or refresher paramedic training.