Why did you choose EMS?

[gillysaurus]

(Yes, Kev, I used the search function before this one!)

I thought this would be fun. Why did you choose to pursue EMS (or fire, because we have a few you here, too)?

I'll post mine in a bit...

 

[fortsmithman]

I joined because there were a lack of members. As well I belive that I can help someone in need.

 

[Hastings]

To challenge myself. Prove I could do it.

I didn't want a desk job. I wanted a job that would feel more fulfilling than sitting behind a desk all day.

 

[TransportJockey]

It's something I've wanted to do for ages. I wanted to be there helping someone.

 

[flhtci01]

I have ski patrolled for years. Was first on the scene at an offset head-on with a fatality. Had everyone triaged before fire and EMS arrived. One of the EMT's asked if I would be interested in becoming an EMT. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

Wanted to do it since I was young joined FD at 16, Ems school at 19, been doing it every since.

 

[Epi-do]

I had always been around police/fire/ems/military people, but for some reason never thought of doing it myself. I had a job I hated when I met my husband. It was his idea that I go to EMT class. After my first ride-out I was hooked and am still here roughly 10 years later.

 

[emtsteve87]

I worked at a summer camp where there were two incompetent nurses(a brand new school nurse and an LPN) and no EMS within a 20 minute distance. The camp directors never thought anything bad was going to happen so when something inevitably did, a counselor broke a rib and developed a pneumo, the nurses didn't know what to do so another lifeguard who happened to be an EMT-I started to do his thing. After that day, I realized that that is what I wanted to do, help people in their time of need. As soon as camp was done, I got enrolled in a Basic course and now I'm in Medic school!

 

[MagicTyler]

I love to help people. In EMS you deal with people in the worst hour on the worst day of their entire life. EMS is a career where you could be the best thing in someones life.

 

[Airwaygoddess]

"Emergency!" and a old diploma nurse......

It all started with seeing that 70's show "Emergency!" when I was 12 years old........... I have always been around medical folks, My mom graduated from one of the old diploma nursing schools, ( Queen of the Angels in Los Angles Ca.) thank goodness for my mom, she was one of the first that taught me about patient care, not only to do but also to listen.

 

[reaper]

For the BIG money, of course!

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

Yea ok that ws my reason too but I didn't want to sound selfish

 

[Sasha]

I always wanted to be in health care. When I graduated high school, nursing school had a long waiting list, but EMT school had an opening. I dont wanna sound corney, but it was kind of fate because I have loved every second of it.

 

[Buzz]

The pre-application suggestions for students at a medical school I wanted to go to suggested taking an EMT course prior to application. I signed up for an EMT course that semester, and comparing what I experienced in the field to what I experienced in the hospital during clinical rotations, I decided I loved field work too much to do anything else.

 

[jochi1543]

I wanted to go to med school, got rejected, thought of pursuing a master's while reapplying, but a friend who was in a similar situation had chosen to go to EMT school instead. He kept encouraging me to give it a shot. After I found out my MSc supervisor was insane (before I signed the contract, thankfully), I was looking for something else to do that I'd enjoy that'd pay me a living wage (the MSc wouldn't). So I told him I'd try it out, spent a few days at his station riding along with his crew. I've never been an adrenaline-rush type of person, and I wanted a medical specialty where I'd build lasting relationships with my patients and avoid life-and-death emergencies, but I've found EMS to be different from my expectations. It's not what I wanna do for the rest of my life, but it keeps me pretty happy while I'm reapplying to med. I like all the things that I like about med when it comes to EMS - helping people, etc, like others mentioned - but I also like that there's a certain degree of independence, that the job is unpredictable. Unlike many others, I also happen to actually like shiftwork.

I found out recently that my 1st choice med school made a major mistake in my file that had led to my rejection, so I'm pretty confident that now I'll be able to get in, but I don't think the EMS thing will have been a waste of time. It's given me more patient exposure, helped me improve my leadership and communication skills, taught me some practical skills that I'd need as a med student/doctor, and it'll continue to provide me with an income throughout med school as long as I can find a station with a low call volume where'd I have time to do my homework. A buddy of mine was a critical care paramedic all throughout med school, graduated without a dime in loans.

 

[imurphy]

I ask myself this every day! WHY did I chooses EMS. WHY did I take a 20K pay cut from being an engineer. Why why why!

But seriously it's a job that's never boring or the same slog every day. Also, corny as it is, "Help others and you help Yourself " (10 points for who can guess the movie reference without googleing!!)

 

[traumateam1]

Cash n babes!

To pick up the babes, and get rich. B)

 

[BossyCow]

To pick up the babes, and get rich. B)

the only 'babes' I 'pick up' are generally puking or broken....

 

[norcalpremt]

Because I hate desk jobs!!!!!!!!!!! (extra exclamation points added for emphasis), I enjoy working outside and enjoy a job that isn’t the same repetitive task for 8 hours or more a day.

I enrolled and completed a police training academy, but during the course of the class (the units on first responder/first aid), I found out I enjoyed helping injured people more then dealing with the ones that caused it. Plus I like the idea of not potentially being shot at…. Well as much.

I have also provided emergency albeit untrained care to my father who is a type I diabetic several times, ranging from severe hypoglycemia to soft tissue injuries from accidents around the house. I just get a better feeling from helping someone rather then having a comfy “normal” job.

 

[KEVD18]

got lost on the way to college.