EMS - Knowing what you know, would you still recommend it as a career?

makphisto

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I'm a volly for a small ambulance service. In "real life" I'm an IT guy/webmaster.
I'm ready for a career change, and I love doing what I do as an EMT. So, I'm very carefully considering going back to college and getting my Paramedic degree and being "career".

However, I spoke with my mentor yesterday, the guy who has taught me basically everything I know. He did all he could to talk me out of it. He's so burned out with EMS, and he sees so many negative aspects of EMS, that he's afraid that if I go career, it will suck out my soul. Granted, I'm sheltered here in "small town USA", if I went to a city service I'd have to deal with all those issues and problems.

So, knowing what you know now about YOUR experiences with EMS, would you ever recommend it to someone as a career choice?
 

LAS46

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Myself yes I would recommend the EMS field as a career to those who can handle the stress and such. It all depends if it is something you can be dedicated to, because it does take a lot of dedication to make it a career. Make sure you look at all the facts before making a decision.

Some people are just simply made to be in EMS other no so much.
 

paemt08

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Not to start the whole volunteer vs. paid debate, but you will find no shortage of volunteer EMTs discouraging you from a career in EMS. Even those in it for a career will discourage you, particularly the burnt out ones. Don't let them discourage you...see for yourself.

I would definately make sure you know what exactly you're getting into. Too many people start this job for the wrong reasons, with many unrealistic expectations and they are typically the ones to burn out quickly or leave.

So to answer your question, I definately recommend it for a career. Remember to be adventurous and stay positive. Good luck!
 

Ambrose

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i understand how its possible to get burnt out with any job but what are the real negatives to EMS? i know the pay sucks and im sure it can be stressful but other than that whats so bad about it?
 

HereToLearn

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i understand how its possible to get burnt out with any job but what are the real negatives to EMS? i know the pay sucks and im sure it can be stressful but other than that whats so bad about it?

Well you are exposed to dangerous situations, you will deal with people that want to kill you, many times you are unappreciated, you see incredibly depressing things, you see things that a lot of people can't handle, you spend long hours away from your family, and it probably shortens your life expectancy.

By the way, I'm an optimist. :p Oh and I love doing this for a living. Couldn't imagine doing many other things... B)
 

Ambrose

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lol oh well that doesnt sound too bad. its like being a cop except you can actually walk away feeling like you helped someone

and being a cop would be awesome, my dad is a LEO and iv gone on a few ridealong with him and some other guys in his department, they deal with the same stuff but at the end of the day they have eachother. maybe EMS isnt tightly knit like that? ha or EMT's just wish they got the same love firefighters get
 

HereToLearn

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lol oh well that doesnt sound too bad. its like being a cop except you can actually walk away feeling like you helped someone

and being a cop would be awesome, my dad is a LEO and iv gone on a few ridealong with him and some other guys in his department, they deal with the same stuff but at the end of the day they have eachother. maybe EMS isnt tightly knit like that? ha or EMT's just wish they got the same love firefighters get


Nothing wrong with being a cop. Definitely check out all your options. We always could use another body directing traffic around an emergency scene while we work. :p

By the way, most Firefighters are EMT's. Like myself, I'm testing with various Fire Departments while I prep for medic school. That's my ultimate goal. I've finished my FF1 academy, finished my BS in Fire Protection Administration, and have a couple years of ambulance experience. Whatever floats your boat, right? B)
 
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Ambrose

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yeah i mean my ultimate goal is still to become a firefighter but i do believe ill spend a few years in EMS and id like it not to be a miserable experience. it seems like cops and firefighters are all generally the same kind of a person. a lot of EMT's i know got into it thinking itd be more of a medical career than first response which is what it is. first responders see some messed up situations and often the most active areas are the areas most people would like to avoid if they could.

I still cant wait, the job sounds fun to me
 

exodus

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You said he was burned out, so obviously he's going to discourage you from wanting to do it...
 

Bosco578

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yeah i mean my ultimate goal is still to become a firefighter but i do believe ill spend a few years in EMS and id like it not to be a miserable experience. it seems like cops and firefighters are all generally the same kind of a person. a lot of EMT's i know got into it thinking itd be more of a medical career than first response which is what it is. first responders see some messed up situations and often the most active areas are the areas most people would like to avoid if they could.

I still cant wait, the job sounds fun to me

Be a FF. Better pay,better lifestyle (eat,sleep work out) do the odd call, the public worships you. Don't waste your time or others by spending a few years in EMS.
 

Ambrose

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Be a FF. Better pay,better lifestyle (eat,sleep work out) do the odd call, the public worships you. Don't waste your time or others by spending a few years in EMS.

well im 18 and just starting EMT-B and i cant get on with a fire department until im 21 soo...ya know.

i never understood this idea that someone cant be good at their job because they heart isnt 100% in it. Being an EMT isnt my ultimate career goal but its a step and its an experience i want to have, whats wrong with that?

Ill get the education and ill do the job. Its absurd to think Im hurting anyone by not being in love with the profession.
 

VentMedic

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i never understood this idea that someone cant be good at their job because they heart isnt 100% in it. Being an EMT isnt my ultimate career goal but its a step and its an experience i want to have, whats wrong with that?

Being an EMT should not be a career goal. That is merely an entry level to get a start in EMS.

If you want to be a Paramedic, you may have to put a little more effort into it if you want to do quality patient care and not do harm to them.

If your heart is into Fire Fighting, getting a Paramedic cert just to get hired by a FD without having your heart into doing patient care does the patient a great disservice. The EMT-B cert will give you just enough first-aid training to provide what is necessary to get your fellow FFs who may be injured on the fire scene to an awaiting ambulance with, hopefully, Paramedics who are serious about medicine as a career.
 

Ambrose

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If your heart is into Fire Fighting, getting a Paramedic cert just to get hired by a FD without having your heart into doing patient care does the patient a great disservice. The EMT-B cert will give you just enough first-aid training to provide what is necessary to get your fellow FFs who may be injured on the fire scene to an awaiting ambulance with, hopefully, Paramedics who are serious about medicine as a career.

but these days unless I only apply to big cities, i HAVE to get medic cert to even reach a fire departments requirements. Most big cities still let you be just EMT certified but a lot of smaller cities, and especially rural areas require their firefighters to be medic certified.

If i get medic certified and still have a few years before i can apply to become a firefighter, i see no reason why i shouldnt apply to be a full time paramedic if i have the same training as any other working medic. It seems to me that education is whats important, not so much how "passionate" someone is about medicine. medics arent exactly fighting cancer, they do what they were taught to do.
 

gicts

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give a few ride alongs in a major city a thought. Nothing wrong with doing EMS full time and IT part time if your worried about pay as well.
 

Ambrose

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give a few ride alongs in a major city a thought. Nothing wrong with doing EMS full time and IT part time if your worried about pay as well.

lol im not "worried" about anything. i think EMS is going to be great, its just that a lot of people on this site make it seem like if you arent trying to be superman and save every sick and injured person out there and taking 4 years of college classes including ever A&P class available, your worthless and shouldn't even be considering EMS. thats what i think is ridiculous.
 

VentMedic

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lol im not "worried" about anything. i think EMS is going to be great, its just that a lot of people on this site make it seem like if you arent trying to be superman and save every sick and injured person out there and taking 4 years of college classes including ever A&P class available, your worthless and shouldn't even be considering EMS. thats what i think is ridiculous.

Well then I guess you are lucky you have chosen EMS because with that way of thinking you would not make it into any other medical profession. But then, I don't believe your goal is about any aspect of medicine so good patient care probably won't matter to you.
 

46Young

Level 25 EMS Wizard
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I'm a volly for a small ambulance service. In "real life" I'm an IT guy/webmaster.
I'm ready for a career change, and I love doing what I do as an EMT. So, I'm very carefully considering going back to college and getting my Paramedic degree and being "career".

However, I spoke with my mentor yesterday, the guy who has taught me basically everything I know. He did all he could to talk me out of it. He's so burned out with EMS, and he sees so many negative aspects of EMS, that he's afraid that if I go career, it will suck out my soul. Granted, I'm sheltered here in "small town USA", if I went to a city service I'd have to deal with all those issues and problems.

So, knowing what you know now about YOUR experiences with EMS, would you ever recommend it to someone as a career choice?
Common complaints are low pay, low morale, rotating schedule with frequent holdovers(mandations, forced OT), lack of career development, inferior benefits/pension/working conditions relative to fire service. Many choose the EMS career path, and become trapped. They typically don't continue education for career advancement, as the pay with OT is just good enough to maintain, but not thrive. If you do want to stay in EMS, and not advance to RN/RT/PA and such, do a year or two as a medic in a busy 911 system, and join a dept that does fire based EMS. If you don't want to be a firefighter, some depts allow single role medics within the dept. Your working conditions, salary, benefits, prestige, and retirement will easily trump most third service EMS agencies. I love EMS, but I couldn't go back to municipal or hospital based EMS after experiencing life in fire based EMS. If things were different, and EMS was on par with fire service, I may have never thought of going the firemedic route. I do miss NYC EMS, but I've found that I'm just as enthusiastic about the fire side.
 

reaper

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lol im not "worried" about anything. i think EMS is going to be great, its just that a lot of people on this site make it seem like if you arent trying to be superman and save every sick and injured person out there and taking 4 years of college classes including ever A&P class available, your worthless and shouldn't even be considering EMS. thats what i think is ridiculous.

Welcome to what is the future of our EMS systems!:rolleyes:
 

46Young

Level 25 EMS Wizard
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90
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lol im not "worried" about anything. i think EMS is going to be great, its just that a lot of people on this site make it seem like if you arent trying to be superman and save every sick and injured person out there and taking 4 years of college classes including ever A&P class available, your worthless and shouldn't even be considering EMS. thats what i think is ridiculous.

Why wouldn't one strive to be as proficient as possible in their chosen field?
 

Hal9000

Forum Captain
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I'm a volly for a small ambulance service. In "real life" I'm an IT guy/webmaster.
I'm ready for a career change, and I love doing what I do as an EMT. So, I'm very carefully considering going back to college and getting my Paramedic degree and being "career".

However, I spoke with my mentor yesterday, the guy who has taught me basically everything I know. He did all he could to talk me out of it. He's so burned out with EMS, and he sees so many negative aspects of EMS, that he's afraid that if I go career, it will suck out my soul. Granted, I'm sheltered here in "small town USA", if I went to a city service I'd have to deal with all those issues and problems.

So, knowing what you know now about YOUR experiences with EMS, would you ever recommend it to someone as a career choice?

Definitely do ride-alongs and try the scene before making a full commitment to the career. Volunteer is very different than large systems with system status mismanagement, etc. :rolleyes: Also, look at the statistics for EMS personnel and consider whether you're willing to become part of them.

Personally, I'm OK with running at my current level as a supplement, but my real goal in the medical field is to be part of more definitive care.
 
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