Pilot Licenses and Becoming a Flight Medic

Harrison Phord

Forum Ride Along
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So from what I understand of what is required to become a flight medic, you can't have a pilot's license and be a flight medic at the same time, and vice versa for the pilot.

So my question is does that only apply to a rotary license, or could I have a fixed wing license and still be fine to become one (assuming I'm going for HEMS and not some jet-transfer medic thing)?
 

VFlutter

Flight Nurse
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Most companies will only hire you as either a fight medic or pilot (assuming you meet the qualifications for both). I would think it would be nearly impossible to complete the required continuing training and such for both simultaneously at one job. I have heard rumors of a guy who was prior military who met the qualification for both and was primarily a flight medic but also picked up PRN pilot shifts on his days off. I would think that is extremely rare tho.
 

wanderingmedic

RN, Paramedic
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Ummm...Pilot and Medic are two distinct jobs. You apply to be one or the other. I'm a private pilot, but I have no desire to ever fly commercially.

I have never ever had anyone even ask if I were a pilot when applying for HEMS Medic jobs. If I comes up, it is because I bring it up to highlight my comfort and interest in avaition in general. Employers in HEMS are generally looking for highly clinically qualified people. I doubt there are many (if any) clinically competent medics who are also qualified HEMS pilots.
 

mgr22

Forum Deputy Chief
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Harrison Phord, I'm a pilot and a medic. Neither prevents me from being the other. Where did you hear differently?
 
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Harrison Phord

Harrison Phord

Forum Ride Along
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Harrison Phord, I'm a pilot and a medic. Neither prevents me from being the other. Where did you hear differently?
I asked my paramedic program director way back when, and that's what he told me. I hadn't done a great deal of research myself since I'd really only be flying recreationally. I'm in Texas, so don't suppose it's a state thing?
 

CANMAN

Forum Asst. Chief
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So from what I understand of what is required to become a flight medic, you can't have a pilot's license and be a flight medic at the same time, and vice versa for the pilot.

So my question is does that only apply to a rotary license, or could I have a fixed wing license and still be fine to become one (assuming I'm going for HEMS and not some jet-transfer medic thing)?

I don't understand your questions here. Are you trying to apply to be both a flight medic and pilot for a HEMS company, or somehow cover shifts for both positions, or are you simply asking if they will hire you into a flight medic position if you have some type of pilots license?

If it's the latter flight programs could care less about your pilots license be it fixed wing or rotor and what you do in your off time. As long as you understand you are coming in as a medic, and don't try to also be a pilot when riding left front seat you would have no problems. You come in and try to spew your "pilot" knowledge to a pilot currently operating in an HEMS environment and you will not be well liked or respected I can assure you that.

Pick whatever one interests you, and you are most qualified for and go after that profession is my advice. Do the other one as a hobby on your off time.
 

FrostbiteMedic

Forum Lieutenant
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Well then, come to Tennessee, where you can fly, be a medic, and even chew gum at the same time.
As a fellow Tennesseean, this only applies to the 4 major metropolitan areas. Outside of those areas, you maybe can fly and be a medic, but the chances of chewing gum are then related to your access to a teethbrush,...
 

hometownmedic5

Forum Asst. Chief
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I can't imagine a company refusing to hire a qualified medic because he has a pilots license, or a pilot because he has a medic license. That just seems like a very incongruous thing to do.

That being said, they may only be willing to hire you into a single role for the aforementioned reasons and probably a few more. For example, an employee working for the same organization in more than one role(assuming they come with different rate of pay, benefits, union affiliations and so on) becomes a payroll nightmare. Further, HR now has to track two separate sets of certifications.

So, it's probably a yes and no situation, so maybe.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Further, HR now has to track two separate sets of certifications.
HR tracks your certifications? Ours just collects them when we are first hired, and puts copies in our folder. that's the extent of it.

we are told that our employees are responsible for tracking their own certifications. If you are discovered to be working with expired certs, your are immediately suspended without pay; depending on your agency, you might even be terminated on the spot.

Sorry for the tangent
 

hometownmedic5

Forum Asst. Chief
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HR tracks your certifications? Ours just collects them when we are first hired, and puts copies in our folder. that's the extent of it.

we are told that our employees are responsible for tracking their own certifications. If you are discovered to be working with expired certs, your are immediately suspended without pay; depending on your agency, you might even be terminated on the spot.

Sorry for the tangent


You don’t have to provide your renewals? How does your company know you actually renewed?
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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You don’t have to provide your renewals? How does your company know you actually renewed?
We do, but the agency's EMS training division typically tracks it. They might have a spreadsheet for when people expire, but it's the employees responsibility to keep up their certification. And yes, some employees have had their certs expire, and it's usually reported by the employee or during an audit. Some of my counterparts in the hospital followed the same system.

HR doesn't get involved with that aspect of employment, unless a rule get broken.
 

DesertMedic66

Forum Troll
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HR tracks your certifications? Ours just collects them when we are first hired, and puts copies in our folder. that's the extent of it.

we are told that our employees are responsible for tracking their own certifications. If you are discovered to be working with expired certs, your are immediately suspended without pay; depending on your agency, you might even be terminated on the spot.

Sorry for the tangent
Our HR/secretary keeps track of all of our certs from our state drivers license to ACLS/BLS/PALS/NREMT/etc. On some certs we will get monthly emails when it is about to expire in less than 6 months. The emails will get more frequent the closer the expiration date is. It will get to the point when you get daily emails about it and our secretary will call you to remind you.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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damn, you all have better secretaries than I had :(
 
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