# Someone help me: Ambulance or ER Job?!



## Stody (Jul 29, 2013)

Hi, This is my first post so flame lightly. I recently joined the EMS family with getting my EMT-B. I've been job hunting and I have received two job offers. One being with an ambulance service as an EMT of course and the other being at a hospital employed as an ER tech. I'm torn on what I should do. So maybe you guys can help me out. So tell me what you think I should do and kinda support it on why you think that's best. 

Thanks GUYS!


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## DesertMedic66 (Jul 29, 2013)

Do you want to work in a clinical setting or a prehospital setting?
What are your future career goals? (If its nursing/PA/MD/etc, the hospital is probably a good option for you). 
What is the pay?
Benefits?
Continued education opportunities?
What are the schedules like?


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## ZombieEMT (Jul 29, 2013)

Let me ask you one simple question. Did you become an EMT to work in a hospital?


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## teedubbyaw (Jul 29, 2013)

If you plan to get your paramedic, you'll learn a ton in the ER. How much you learn in the field depends on who you're working for.


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## WBExpatMedic (Jul 29, 2013)

Is the ambulance service 911? If so go for it. Other wise I would work in the ER before working for a transport service. 

Just FYI I've never worked for a service other than 911. This is just from my observations over the last 15 years.


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## dC0m (Jul 29, 2013)

Here's another question to ask:

What's the turnover rate for both jobs? 

In SoCal (where I'm located), the turnover rate for EMTs is pretty high, versus ER techs, which are relatively low. With that being said, if you situation applied to my demographics, I would have jumped on the ER tech job immediately - only because I know the ER tech job would be hard to come by in the futute and EMT jobs are relatively available (they would be even more available if you have experience as an ER tech).


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## Stody (Jul 29, 2013)

The EMS service will send me to medic school. But the pay for ER tech is better paying. So I'm not sure. I have high hopes of being a flight medic in the future but with the ER job it won't get me anywhere.


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## Stody (Jul 29, 2013)

The EMS service is also completely 911.


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## Achilles (Jul 29, 2013)

Stody said:


> The EMS service will send me to medic school. But the pay for ER tech is better paying. So I'm not sure. I have high hopes of being a flight medic in the future but with the ER job it won't get me anywhere.



Yes it will, pretty sure you need a minimum of 2 years in a trauma center to be a flight medic.


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## DesertMedic66 (Jul 29, 2013)

Achilles said:


> Yes it will, pretty sure you need a minimum of 2 years in a trauma center to be a flight medic.



Nope. Places around here require 3-5 years in a busy 911 system as a medic.


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## Achilles (Jul 29, 2013)

DesertEMT66 said:


> Nope. Places around here require 3-5 years in a busy 911 system as a medic.


it's different for each place.
Here's University of Michigan Survival Flight
http://www.survivalflight.com/


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## dC0m (Jul 30, 2013)

Stody said:


> The EMS service will send me to medic school. But the pay for ER tech is better paying. So I'm not sure. I have high hopes of being a flight medic in the future but with the ER job it won't get me anywhere.



How long do you have to work with the EMS company before they sponsor you through medic school? I doubt they will sponsor you through medic school the second you take their job offer (most medic school will probably require some experience before admitting you anyways). 

I wouldn't say the ER tech job _*would not get you anywhere.*_ ER techs work in a clinical environment, which is a different animal than working in the pre-hospital setting. I have friends who worked as EMTs prior to their ER tech job and from what I've heard; their experience as EMTs definitely helped them as ER techs but ER tech is still a different game.


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## J B (Jul 30, 2013)

Lots of good info out there on Google, this seems to be a pretty common question.  This might be an interesting different take on it, this is from a med student / doctor forum:  http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=898364


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## DrankTheKoolaid (Jul 30, 2013)

Having had the opportunity to work in an ER for 10 years while also working in the field I will tell you what I tell everyone else that asks this. You will learn more about medicine in a year then you could possibly learn in 5 years in the field. 

You will be able to sharpen your interview techniques by following physicians doing their assessments. And most importantly you will know when to truly get (for lack of a better word) excited and when to kick it into high gear when you encounter a truly sick patient even if at first glance they do not appear so. Question everything until your to the point that the nurses are no longer able to answer your questions and then ask the doctors. 

Almost every ED MD I have encountered loves to teach and will take the time to explain things to you if they have time and you show an interest. Even if you decide in hospital medicine is not your calling, you will be that much better of a field practitioner from the experience.


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## SoCalEMS (Jul 30, 2013)

I'm currently working as a full time ER tech and part-time on a rig (911). If I had to choose between the two I would go for the tech position hands down. Where i'm working it's the opposite, hospital will sponsor me thru medic school so it was obviously a no brainer for me. Compare both and see whats gonna benefit your career goals in the long run. Good luck!


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## mike1390 (Jul 30, 2013)

SoCalEMS said:


> I'm currently working as a full time ER tech and part-time on a rig (911). If I had to choose between the two I would go for the tech position hands down. Where i'm working it's the opposite, hospital will sponsor me thru medic school so it was obviously a no brainer for me. Compare both and see whats gonna benefit your career goals in the long run. Good luck!




what hospital is that through?


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## firecoins (Jul 30, 2013)

Stody said:


> Hi, This is my first post so flame lightly. I recently joined the EMS family with getting my EMT-B. I've been job hunting and I have received two job offers. One being with an ambulance service as an EMT of course and the other being at a hospital employed as an ER tech. I'm torn on what I should do. So maybe you guys can help me out. So tell me what you think I should do and kinda support it on why you think that's best.
> 
> Thanks GUYS!



ER tech, youll learn more and they might pay for nursing school.


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## EMT2B (Sep 28, 2013)

I have a question that's similar to the OP's, and rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd just post it here.

I was on Career Builder and there's an advert for an ER Tech job in my general vicinity.  The ad states: 





> Job Description:
> CA EMT  Cert; BLS; DAB; ... proficient in splinting, 12 lead EKG and orthopedic procedures; good working knowledge of computerized documentation systems to include physician order entry.


  My question is, does anyone know if my NREMT and state cert qualify me for application?  Or am I just aiming a bit too high ATM.  I've not yet had a job (medical or otherwise) and I'm strapped for cash, so I'm jumping at every opportunity to apply for a job.
Thanks ahead of time for any info!!


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## SamShel (Sep 28, 2013)

I am bit confused but it might be that I did not understand what you wrote enough. So up until now you have no experience as an EMT, but are proficient in pretty much all the areas of EMT or higher? And you are nationally certified as an EMT-B?? If this is the case then yes I believe you are more than qualified to apply- but you should make it known to them (if possible) how qualified you are. It is my opinion that you should apply for every job you feel qualified for. However if the position says the requirement are .... and you do not fulfill those, then I probably would not apply. But from what I have read you seem to be qualified for the job. Good luck


  sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes


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## DrankTheKoolaid (Sep 28, 2013)

Do both. I used to work 3 12s in the ED and then into the box for a 72hr shift

Did that for 2 years straight. Was exhausting but the experience I gained during those 2 years was great. 

And unless your ambulance service is a busy one you will learn more in the ED in a year then a EMT in the field would learn in 5 years. And then if it is a busy one you will simply be a driver  while you medic runs fast calls to maintain system status so really you wouldn't be learning much.


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## EMT2B (Sep 28, 2013)

SamShel said:


> I am bit confused but it might be that I did not understand what you wrote enough. So up until now you have no experience as an EMT, but are proficient in pretty much all the areas of EMT or higher? And you are nationally certified as an EMT-B??


SamShel~
I have my NREMT and my California State EMT-Basic Certs.  I'd say I'm fairly proficient in splinting and BLS procedures.  I still need to study up on the 12-lead EKG, but I'm good on 4 and 5 leads.  I'm not sure what "DAB" is, and my internet search didn't turn up much by way of helpful links.  My only experience as an EMT has been on ride-alongs and hands-on skills practice in class and with willing (and patient!) friends/family.  Hopefully that answers the question.

Corky~
I am going to be applying for EMT-B jobs at BLS/IFT companies, not the major 911 ALS company.  I figure I have a better shot at getting a job on the BLS/IFT side as there are quite a few BLS companies in my general vicinity.

Thanks for the information, folks!


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