# Lost my dream job as a Medic. Am sad...



## FutureFlightMedic (May 6, 2009)

_*Hi, everyone! Some of you probably remember my asking for your advice with my FTO in my first Medic job. Well, long story short, they assigned me another one without my saying a word, and he was fantastic! He taught me so much, and I was doing well. Imagine my surprise yesterday when they called me in to the office to tell me how much they all liked me and my great, positive attitude, how smart I was, and how I was so good at pt care...And then, said they had to let me go because I lacked experience as a new Medic for their very busy system. I am a new grad, and gave them everything I had in me, every day. They told me they would be willing to rehire me after a year of ground experience elsewhere. I loved that place, loved the people, and was starting to be so excited about getting out on my own with my partner soon. It was everything I wanted. I am so disheartened now. I am now unemployed, and can't afford my very expensive apartment anymore. I have to move back to my hometown. The only thing good about that is my family is there, and I've really missed them. I still dream of becoming a flight medic someday, and am hopeful that someone out there will give me the chance to get the ground experience I need. I'm trying to pick myself up by my EMS boot straps and move forward from this loss and disapointment. I just need some encouragement from those of you out there. :sad:*_


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## WannaBeFlight (May 6, 2009)

It's always the darkest before the dawn...It will work out for the best, always does!


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## enjoynz (May 6, 2009)

Take heart FFM, all things (good and bad) in life happen for a reason.
You are in the early days of your career. And from the sounds of it, they would not have said all those nice parting things,
if it was just a case of you not having enough on-road experience. 
There may well be the fact that they can't afford you anymore....last on, first off case scenario, to cut costs...who knows???
The thing is to hold on too your dream, because one way or another it will happen, maybe not as soon as you like, but one day.
Try to stay positive though, as hard as that seems at the moment and with the support of your family and friends, you'll do just fine!
Good Luck!

Cheers Enjoynz


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## reaper (May 6, 2009)

Sounds like they are doing you a favor! They hired you knowing that you were brand new, then tell you that you don't have enough experience? Sounds like a company that I would want to work for! Find a small service to get your experience at and keep working on your education. You don't need a busy service that will burn you out. You need a service that fits your experience right now. Move back home and find a job. There are a ton of medic jobs out there, just go looking for them.


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## Veneficus (May 6, 2009)

Sounds like you are too good for them.

Most "high performance" systems I have seen are poor at patient care and good at counting the number of people they drive to the hospital in a shift.


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## VFFforpeople (May 6, 2009)

As much as I will get blacklisted and flammed, look to a VFC get a stipen,experiance,and help your area. (makes it look good on a resume in my opinion). Also, find a smaller town EMS area, even if you have to drive a few miles extra. You will do fine, and you show a big heart. I wish you well.


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## TransportJockey (May 6, 2009)

VFFforpeople said:


> As much as I will get blacklisted and flammed, look to a VFC get a stipen,experiance,and help your area. (makes it look good on a resume in my opinion). Also, find a smaller town EMS area, even if you have to drive a few miles extra. You will do fine, and you show a big heart. I wish you well.



Somehow I don't think working for a vollie dept is going to help her earn a living right this second.


OP, sorry to hear about this. A lot of places are hurting for medics, so try to get on with any kind of paid ground service until you get that year they want


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## EMTinNEPA (May 6, 2009)

I have been in your shoes.  If they liked you, and thought you had a positive attitude, and were smart, and good at patient care, they would have kept you.  Simple explanation for it: You're new.  People expect you to be stupid.  If you're not stupid, it bothers them.  They must destroy all that bothers them, because if their precious "experience" myth is destroyed, and providers are ranked and looked at based on capabilities, many older medics, and ESPECIALLY older EMTs, would be out of a job.  When I was fired from my dream job, I spiraled into a deep depression.  For several weeks, I didn't want to be in EMS anymore, but I couldn't think of what else I could do.  I hated myself, and I especially hated them.  I had to sell a collection of all 50 state quarters, the last gift my grandfather had given me before he died, to make rent.  Several times I nearly had to be taken to the hospital for panic attacks.  But they didn't care about that.  All they cared about was the preservation of their myth.

You don't need them.  They're archaic and supported by a web of political power games and backstabbing.  Take it from somebody else who lost their dream job... there are other "dream" jobs out there.


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## MSDeltaFlt (May 6, 2009)

FutureFlightMedic said:


> _*Hi, everyone! Some of you probably remember my asking for your advice with my FTO in my first Medic job. Well, long story short, they assigned me another one without my saying a word, and he was fantastic! He taught me so much, and I was doing well. Imagine my surprise yesterday when they called me in to the office to tell me how much they all liked me and my great, positive attitude, how smart I was, and how I was so good at pt care...And then, said they had to let me go because I lacked experience as a new Medic for their very busy system. I am a new grad, and gave them everything I had in me, every day. They told me they would be willing to rehire me after a year of ground experience elsewhere. I loved that place, loved the people, and was starting to be so excited about getting out on my own with my partner soon. It was everything I wanted. I am so disheartened now. I am now unemployed, and can't afford my very expensive apartment anymore. I have to move back to my hometown. The only thing good about that is my family is there, and I've really missed them. I still dream of becoming a flight medic someday, and am hopeful that someone out there will give me the chance to get the ground experience I need. I'm trying to pick myself up by my EMS boot straps and move forward from this loss and disapointment. I just need some encouragement from those of you out there. :sad:*_


 
Being informed by the manager of your dream job that your services are no longer required is a kick in the teeth.  Trust me.  I've been there.  Now imaging having that dream job again and almost dying from it... seriously; having to relearn how to walk again just to get back to it.  "Blood, sweat, and tears" literally applied here.


Had a high school football coach tell me once during spring training, "It ain't the dawg in the fight, it's the fight in the dawg!" 

Rhetorical question: How bad do you want it?


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## VFFforpeople (May 6, 2009)

jtpaintball70 said:


> Somehow I don't think working for a vollie dept is going to help her earn a living right this second.
> 
> 
> OP, sorry to hear about this. A lot of places are hurting for medics, so try to get on with any kind of paid ground service until you get that year they want




Read the part right underneath it, Thank you. I was showing a place to get experiance while still getting a small stipen, and pointed out a smaller EMS system to attain funds to live off.


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## Mountain Res-Q (May 6, 2009)

VFFforpeople said:


> Read the part right underneath it, Thank you. I was showing a place to get experiance while still getting a small stipen, and pointed out a smaller EMS system to attain funds to live off.



I have to agree that while volunteering don't pay the bills, it is experience and is something to put on a resume.  That is why I joined SAR; I had some "free time" on my hands, had a bad experience with another Ambulance Company, and wanted to be of service in some capacity while building on my experience.  If you are not moving forward, you are getting pushed back.

OP, despite my younger age, I too have had several "dream jobs" disolve beneath me, for various reasons.  I do';t subscribe to the "everything happens for a reason" thinking, but do believe that something better is always over the next hill, all you need to do is fight tooth an nail to get over that mountain.  Like was said before:  How bad do you want it?  If you want it bad enough, NOTHING can stop you, expecially some short sighted administrators.  You will find a better Medic gig in a smaller area and gain the experiece that _they_ seem to think you are lacking, and wind up working for the company that takes over _their _service area when _their_ contract expires!  Until then, yes volunteering might be a consideration for the experience (money is a different subject), but never give up...  PROVE THEM WRONG!


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## Airwaygoddess (May 7, 2009)

have faith and walk with grace you will be on the ambulance soon enough, you have strength it shall serve you again! Hang in there!!


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## 46Young (May 7, 2009)

Veneficus said:


> Sounds like you are too good for them.
> 
> Most "high performance" systems I have seen are poor at patient care and good at counting the number of people they drive to the hospital in a shift.



I second that. Your a medic. There should be openings for a good third service or hospital based EMS organizations in the Northwest, if you're willing to travel. My overall opinion of third service EMS is poor, with the exception of the Pacific Northwest. Maybe some members can suggest some quality providers for you to check out.


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## TraumaFX (May 9, 2009)

It's going to work out. As an EMS Director, I didn't let medics out on their own with just one partner for a minimum of 6 months. They are assigned to various crews with varied levels of experience until they get the experience THEY need. Then they had to be "signed off" by their FTO at the end of their tour. I could tell you horror stories of new medics shoved onto the street with just one partner. 
I wanted them to get all the experience they could and some "street smarts" before I handed them the keys to the ambulance. I refused to put our patients in a potentially dangerous situation. I mean, would you let a doctor who just graduated from medical school (not internship - just school) perform surgery on you? 
You'll get where you want to be. It sounds like you're smart, talented and have a great attitude and work ethic. That's rare nowadays. Good luck!


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## willbeflight (May 27, 2009)

FutureFlightMedic said:


> _*Hi, everyone! Some of you probably remember my asking for your advice with my FTO in my first Medic job. Well, long story short, they assigned me another one without my saying a word, and he was fantastic! He taught me so much, and I was doing well. Imagine my surprise yesterday when they called me in to the office to tell me how much they all liked me and my great, positive attitude, how smart I was, and how I was so good at pt care...And then, said they had to let me go because I lacked experience as a new Medic for their very busy system. I am a new grad, and gave them everything I had in me, every day. They told me they would be willing to rehire me after a year of ground experience elsewhere. I loved that place, loved the people, and was starting to be so excited about getting out on my own with my partner soon. It was everything I wanted. I am so disheartened now. I am now unemployed, and can't afford my very expensive apartment anymore. I have to move back to my hometown. The only thing good about that is my family is there, and I've really missed them. I still dream of becoming a flight medic someday, and am hopeful that someone out there will give me the chance to get the ground experience I need. I'm trying to pick myself up by my EMS boot straps and move forward from this loss and disapointment. I just need some encouragement from those of you out there. :sad:*_



Keep your chin up!  Everything will work out for the best!  You will see!  Something better is right around the corner


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## AnthonyM83 (May 28, 2009)

They said you needed more ground experience?
Does that mean you were already training as a flight medic as a new medic grad?


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## FutureFlightMedic (May 28, 2009)

*Nope, I was training as a new grad ground medic. Need 3-5 years before I can fly. *


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## AnthonyM83 (May 28, 2009)

What did they mean by saying you needed more ground experience, then?
What do they want you to do? Like work an IFT company for awhile?


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## AJ Hidell (May 29, 2009)

AnthonyM83 said:


> What did they mean by saying you needed more ground experience, then?
> What do they want you to do? Like work an IFT company for awhile?


Since over half of all flights are just glorified IFTs anyhow, it'll be as helpful as anything else.


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