newbie with a question

[TheDoll]

okay, i'm new the these boards (thanks for being so welcoming, everyone, btw), and i'm new to ems. i'm well aware of the kind of money i'll be making as an emt. in fact, i quit my day job where i made pretty good money dealing with computers and people who don't know anything about computers. most of my friends think that i'm crazy to go from a job that i went to college for to a job that, especially initially, won't make me any dough. however, i just had to pursue this.
my plan is to become a fire fighter--i'm giving myself a year to become one. in the mean time i'm going to get my emt cert, and take prereq's for becoming a paramedic. if i don't become a fire fighter in this next year, then i will use my prereq's to become a medic or nurse. i'd really like to go to medic school, but i know that being a nurse will bring more $$. the only reason that i'm considering the latter is because probably in the next couple of years i will get married and start a family; so, there is more to think about than just taking care of me.
so, i'm curious. how did you guys decide to take this path, and have any of you chucked all things money to do this? for me, i just absolutely HAVE to do this.

 

[c-spine]

Hey there - I missed the welcome wagon, so welcome to EMTlife!

I started right out of high school and went to a technical college for EMT-B. I just finished that in June and just got all my certs and license, etc. I'm planning on pursuing paramedic in January.

I personally wouldn't throw away a good paying job to go to school - I'd see what I could work out an do both, since the classes aren't going to be cheap. But then again, I'm your average dumb teen and didn't save any money from previous jobs; so yeah... -sheepish grin-

Once I get on a service, my actions will depend on what they need. If they need someone full-time, I'll quit my job and move to where I'm needed, assuming I find a roomie... lol. But if a service is only looking for part-time, I'll talk to my work and schedule around it.

So all I have to say is good luck in pursuing this!!

 

[TheDoll]

Hey there - I missed the welcome wagon, so welcome to EMTlife!

I started right out of high school and went to a technical college for EMT-B. I just finished that in June and just got all my certs and license, etc. I'm planning on pursuing paramedic in January.

I personally wouldn't throw away a good paying job to go to school - I'd see what I could work out an do both, since the classes aren't going to be cheap. But then again, I'm your average dumb teen and didn't save any money from previous jobs; so yeah... -sheepish grin-

Once I get on a service, my actions will depend on what they need. If they need someone full-time, I'll quit my job and move to where I'm needed, assuming I find a roomie... lol. But if a service is only looking for part-time, I'll talk to my work and schedule around it.

So all I have to say is good luck in pursuing this!!

you are so not a dumb teen, and that's great advice for an old lady like me! heh. well, it's too late about the job, and i had to quit in order to pursue this. i tried a few years ago to do it all, but it just didn't work out. especially, with trying to become a fire fighter. it's okay, though, i'm back to waiting tables which brings in a little money!

 

[divinewind_007]

sometimes you have to take chances or you will never know how it could have been...and its not always about the money. It took me a few years to get into this. i went to college for Avionics engineering which i hated. so, i dropped out and worked in factories for several years. My dad was a Paramedic/EMT instructor and my mom is a LPN. He was about to start up another class and i decided to give it a try. Turns out i loved it. I worked part time for a couple of years then a slot opened up for me at the EMS service. I took about a 2 dollar pay cut to do it and much higher insurance but it was worth it. Now i have moved to another service where the money and insurance is alot better. Also, my mom has went on and got her EMT license...and is finishing up her RN. I guess this kinda work just runs in our family.

 

[TheDoll]

sometimes you have to take chances or you will never know how it could have been...and its not always about the money. It took me a few years to get into this. i went to college for Avionics engineering which i hated. so, i dropped out and worked in factories for several years. My dad was a Paramedic/EMT instructor and my mom is a LPN. He was about to start up another class and i decided to give it a try. Turns out i loved it. I worked part time for a couple of years then a slot opened up for me at the EMS service. I took about a 2 dollar pay cut to do it and much higher insurance but it was worth it. Now i have moved to another service where the money and insurance is alot better. Also, my mom has went on and got her EMT license...and is finishing up her RN. I guess this kinda work just runs in our family.

that helps a lot. i know that i certainly have a choice in all of this, but there is a certain part of me that feels so compelled to get into ems that i feel like i really don't have a choice.