Ha those are some good questions... I studied basic science (BS - Biology/Chemistry; MS - Physiology; PharmD/PhD candidate - Pharmacotherapy), all of which required research at my institution since I had to write theses in order to graduate. I will always find time to work as a field provider, since EMS is my first love and I always try to relate what I'm doing in academia to EMS. I currently work as an FTO and EMS instructor for the local agency where I started my career, but my main job is teaching undergraduates at my own institution, as well as my research. You probably won't find many graduate programs that focus their research on EMS, but you can always try to tailor your experience to your own interests. That's what I did. I took issues that I cared about from an EMS perspective, and made them relevant to people (namely my boss) in other fields in order to gain support/funding. None of my education (except my paramedic program) is DIRECTLY related to EMS, but I've tried to use it to steer my research in directions that do apply to EMS. I say go for it, because we definitely need more EMS providers who are educated at the graduate level. Paramedics and EMTs are the only ones who will lobby for this profession, and until we take charge of our own education, research, and governance, we'll continue to be looked down upon and "told what to do", rather than deciding our own fate.
