advice about strength and height

[andre178]

Hello, I'm new to the forum, glad this exists on the web


I'm 26, I have a Bs and I'm doing clinical research full time. It's great and all, but in the near future I would like to go to medical school. Reason being that I want more exposure to the hands on patient interaction side of health care. I am only 5'7 in height with medium frame. I also live in San Diego CA,

my question is, would it be possible for me to be an EMT part time? has anyone run across anyone who had a full work load but did his/her EMT out of just pure desire. And is my short stature a problem for this field? I have seen a short paramedic before a long time ago, but I haven't asked him that lol.

Thanks, any insight helps out!

Andre

 

[DesertMedic66]

You can get over the height issue. Im only 5'5" sometimes 6'6" depending on the shoes. You may have to do things differently then taller people but it's not that bad. Being shorter is actually good when you are in the back of the ambulance. I can stand straight up and not hit my head on the roof. If you have a tall partner then you two will have to work out how to carry backboards and such. Just a little time to work out the kinks and it's all good.

 

[harryb714]

You can get over the height issue. Im only 5'5" sometimes 6'6" depending on the shoes. You may have to do things differently then taller people but it's not that bad. Being shorter is actually good when you are in the back of the ambulance. I can stand straight up and not hit my head on the roof. If you have a tall partner then you two will have to work out how to carry backboards and such. Just a little time to work out the kinks and it's all good.

Sounds like some interesting shoes...

 

[andre178]

That's really encouraging to hear that height isn't an issue. I hoped that being in San Diego, where there's a trend for leaner individuals, I'd have slightly easier time with lifting. Either way I think I need to bulk up at the gym while taking my EMT classes.

 

[Anjel]

Ha that made me laugh. I'm 5'4 and do ok for myself lifting and moving. Upper body strength does wonders. And just so u know being an emt will probably cut your pay in half. If u want to do it for a living go for your paramedic. If its just on the side. Then EMT should be good.

Ok now I'm gonna go find me some of those shoes

 

[andre178]

Yeah I know the pay is bad, so I'm going to be the crazy dude who will do EMT P/T on the side of my full time work. My boss at work is very flexible and I can come in very early and leave early any time so I think it'll work out as long as I can find a job that will accommodate it. I will try to do both for 1-2 years max before medical school. I've always wanted to be an EMT and I'm not doing it for the money.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

You can get over the height issue. Im only 5'5" sometimes 6'6" depending on the shoes. You may have to do things differently then taller people but it's not that bad. Being shorter is actually good when you are in the back of the ambulance. I can stand straight up and not hit my head on the roof. If you have a tall partner then you two will have to work out how to carry backboards and such. Just a little time to work out the kinks and it's all good.

You have shoes that add 13 inches to your height?

 

[systemet]

As long as you can lift the stretcher you're fine. There's plenty of people shorter than that in EMS.

I did full-time undergrad studies and full-time medic together. It was hard. I can't imagine doing full-time grad studies at the same time. I can't see how it would work, as research is a 60-80 hour week for most people. But, good luck.

What are you researching?

 

[DesertMedic66]

You have shoes that add 13 inches to your height?

Sounds like some interesting shoes...

dang. stupid ipod. meant to be 5'6". hahaha dont think monst companies will let you wear platform shoes to work.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

dang. stupid ipod. meant to be 5'6". hahaha dont think monst companies will let you wear platform shoes to work.

Especially 13 inch platforms. h34r:

 

[DesertMedic66]

hmmmm. ill have to read my companies policy about that

 

[adamjh3]

That's really encouraging to hear that height isn't an issue. I hoped that being in San Diego, where there's a trend for leaner individuals, I'd have slightly easier time with lifting. Either way I think I need to bulk up at the gym while taking my EMT classes.

You're in for a shock if you think the majority of your patients are going to be leaner here. :wacko:

And once you bulk up and get in shape, maintain it. There are way too many people who get the job and lose their edge, this job has a lot of sitting and a lot of opportunity for fast food.

I ballooned in weight after getting a job as an EMT simply because my last job was so physical. My diet was crap, but I was able to keep it off because I was basically working out for 8 hours a day. I had to pretty much change my entire lifestyle to get back in shape.

 

[andre178]

As long as you can lift the stretcher you're fine. There's plenty of people shorter than that in EMS.

I did full-time undergrad studies and full-time medic together. It was hard. I can't imagine doing full-time grad studies at the same time. I can't see how it would work, as research is a 60-80 hour week for most people. But, good luck.

What are you researching?

I'm full time clinical research in neurology, but I am not a grad student, just using my Bs for this. And my hours are varied, but I don't kill myself with it, I do about 30-35 hrs a week on average. My research is mostly in imaging, so I synthesize oxidant markers and then scan mice in the MRI/PET to observe how the brains/kidneys/livers do in certain ailments, like increased acute/chronic inflammation, reperfusion, diabetes, normal aging etc. Probably more than you cared to know

 

[andre178]

You're in for a shock if you think the majority of your patients are going to be leaner here. :wacko:

And once you bulk up and get in shape, maintain it. There are way too many people who get the job and lose their edge, this job has a lot of sitting and a lot of opportunity for fast food.

I ballooned in weight after getting a job as an EMT simply because my last job was so physical. My diet was crap, but I was able to keep it off because I was basically working out for 8 hours a day. I had to pretty much change my entire lifestyle to get back in shape.

how much did you bulk up? stats? I'm sure there is a forum thread on this too? And that is a shock that San Diego isn't lean cuisine.

 

[adamjh3]

I'm not really big on following stats and what not at the gym, I'm not a fitness guru like some folks on here (props if you are, that stuff just bores me). But I pretty much just work to the point where I feel good about my abilities, the shocker for me came when I had trouble getting the gurney up with one of our regulars who is about 315, whom I never had trouble lifting before.

I do a lot more cardio than I do weights. When I'm not doing cardio I do mostly body-weight excercises, pull ups, dips, push-ups, sit-ups all that jazz.

I'm a pretty big guy I'm 6'1 and really broad in the shoulders, when I was in my best shape back in highschool while I was wrestling I was 220 and my jacket size was somewhere in the mid 50s. I shot up to super-fatty status after I started in EMS, I peaked at 275 that was in December, I'm down to 230 right now, and my gut is pretty much gone, I could still stand to lose another 20 pounds though.

Note, don't take fitness advice from me I know I work out all wrong, but it seems to work for me, just take it all with a grain of salt.

ETA: You don't need to be super-strong to work in EMS; You can always get help moving someone, but one SHOULD be able to carry their fair share of weight with the average patient. I work with a girl who's about 5'8 and can't be more than 120lbs, I've never had any problems moving patients with her, so I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you're the type that has trouble taking the trash out

 

[bigbaldguy]

You can get over the height issue. Im only 5'5" sometimes 6'6" depending on the shoes.

Boy I'd like to see those shoes lol

I work a full time job in a field unrelated to EMS and volunteer 24-48 hours a month as a basic. I get to do all the fun stuff and very little of the tedious stuff.

 

[andre178]

Note, don't take fitness advice from me I know I work out all wrong, but it seems to work for me, just take it all with a grain of salt.

ETA: You don't need to be super-strong to work in EMS; You can always get help moving someone, but one SHOULD be able to carry their fair share of weight with the average patient. I work with a girl who's about 5'8 and can't be more than 120lbs, I've never had any problems moving patients with her, so I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you're the type that has trouble taking the trash out

That's good advice, see what works for your own body, 'cause no 2 bodies will have identical metabolisms/hormone balance/genetics/body proportion. I learned that the hard way, as I have a slight insulin resistance, cutting back on sugars in my life improved it quite a bit. h34r:

Boy I'd like to see those shoes lol

I work a full time job in a field unrelated to EMS and volunteer 24-48 hours a month as a basic. I get to do all the fun stuff and very little of the tedious stuff.

That sounds amazing, volunteering in SD would be good enough for me, if I would get paid 9-12$/hr, probably icing on cake.

 

[taylorhoss1]

hi my name is taylor, i am new to the forum.
i just started my first semester in college and looking into becoming a paramedic. i also need some advice on height and strength. i am only 5'3" and weigh about 110lbs. my school said in order for me to be a paramedic i will need to be able to lift and carry 125lbs. is it phyiscally possible to be able to lift that much?

 

[abckidsmom]

hi my name is taylor, i am new to the forum.
i just started my first semester in college and looking into becoming a paramedic. i also need some advice on height and strength. i am only 5'3" and weigh about 110lbs. my school said in order for me to be a paramedic i will need to be able to lift and carry 125lbs. is it phyiscally possible to be able to lift that much?

Yep. You'll have to work at it, but you can. It's all about the body mechanics.

 

[bigbaldguy]

my school said in order for me to be a paramedic i will need to be able to lift and carry 125lbs. is it phyiscally possible to be able to lift that much?

Are you sure they said lift and carry. I'm 6'4" and I'm not sure I could lift and carry 125 pounds. I know I couldn't do it safely. I know some programs have high standards but that sounds more like how much you have to be able to drag in fire fighter academy.