EMT-B or not?

[EyeOn]

I need a bit of help deciding what to do for spring semester. I signed for college for a Bachelors in the biological sciences and thinking of entering the EMT-B training program the college has for job training to support myself and going to college full time for the Bachelors. I'm close to completing the first responder class and now spring registration is next week. Depending on a health issue, I may or may not sign up for the EMT-B classes.

Issue of concern: An irregular heartbeat. This issue is electrically enduced rather than from clogging arteries, but would working EMT-B be enough to support independent living and going to school full time and would the work load between working EMT-B and going to school full time be too much on my heart?

Be really honest people Thanks in advanced.

EyeOn

 

[Ridryder911]

Well if your 'heart" condition is atrial fibrillation, welcome to about 30% of America. Medications will help reduce that. Even, ablation therapy in severe cases. More, details such as poor ejection fraction, prolapsed valve.. associated.

Now, that being do you want to be an EMT? If you are just wanting a temp job, then I suggest to seek somewhere else. We have plenty of temp.'s and that is part of the problem of this profession, as well you can and will make a LOT more money doing something else.... seriously.

It is too hard to maintain and keep your cert up for a "fling" of a job.

Besides, if your not careful, you will get "bitten" by the EMS Bug. Once, bitten it's nasty venom makes one forget all pre-notions of another profession, and makes you want to work below minimum wage, work all holidays, and have an account with Gall's and this weird s-m-i-l-e after working a traumatic event.....

Good luck,
R/r 911

 

[Jon]

How irregular is your heartbeat?

How "functional" are you now? Do you have any major deficits?

Are you able to preform the essential tasks of an EMT? (an example on Page 2 HERE:http://www.lakesumterems.org/pdfs/ems_programs/medic_brochure.pdf) If you can do the listed tasks, then you should be able to do this fine. If you can't, you probably should re-think EMS as a career.

Jon

 

[MarcoEMTpolo]

Heart condition

If I were you I would actually ask a doctor. If your condition is serious and can be easiliy comprimised, I would think twice. But If dealing with stressful situations and traumatic situations don't bother you too much, try it out. You need to figure out where you stand by either asking a doc or just going for it. Good Luck

 

[EyeOn]

The doctor didn't seem too concerned over me not taking medication. I'm hard to medicate, but he did advise basic care in diet, exercise and lowering stress. The name the doctor called it I cannot remember for the life of me, but he described it as extra electrical firings competing to beat the heart. When it becomes overly erratic, which is rare, I can control it through a breathing exercise I learned on my own. It works everytime.

The emotional and psychological stress of EMT I'm fine with. I've worked with a lot of different animals for over 20 years in a variety of different settings (vet hospitals, kennels, petshops, etc).

I know the feeling of giving more than what you're paid for and the satisfactory of even one patient pulling through worthy of all the extra effort. So, I'm OK with doing work worthy of $60K a year making 30K a year. I grew up around rescue and emergency medical workers. Many family and friends involved back east with police, fire, EMT, ER nurses and doctors. One is with the NHTSA. One just retired from doing CSI photography (took him a long time to get that job...many many years on police patrol). One was in one of the WTC towers when it went down on 9/11(on his day off). He worked Port Authority.

The medical field is practically second nature to me, but I am concerned about the demanding hours of both EMT and going to college full time rather than the work load itself. With or without EMT-B, I'm still heading in the medical field. I'm fascinated by the body's sensory system After the Bachelors in biological science I may head for a Masters in neuroscience.

What I might do instead is wait until summer to sign up and use spring semester to consult a doctor about limitations and weigh my options. Maybe I can still work EMT, but just be selective about the type of EMT job. Aren't there relatively easy hours EMT-B jobs that do pay enough for one person to live on their own and attend college?

I appreciate everyone's comments. Thank you

 

[premedtim]

Funny thing is I'm kinda going through the same thing right now as far as the EMS bug goes...the more I read about EMTs & medics, the less interested I am in being a doctor and the more interested I become in being a flight medic...I think it's safe to say that years upon years of college just doesn't seem as appealing to me when I don't give a rat's *expletive* about money anyway....taking money out of the doctor equation pretty much removes any advantage it has over paramedic imo. *shrugs*

 

[EyeOn]

Funny this is...LOL...I'm actually getting into the medical field via biological scientific research...finding things doctors can learn from. Particularly with the sensory system is what I've been independently studying for over 20 years. I've done my own schooling...lol. College is just to put it all in a neat package I'm looking at about 6 years to complete the Bachelors. Being I already have an ongoing study of my own, a Masters might only take a couple of years after that. Though I have noticed the great difference between just the two to four years of EMT and Paramedic compared to even the six years I'm doing for the biological sciences...and the math is killing me.

One thing that is important about money...you need at least enough to have a place to live, pay those pesty bills, put gas in the car and eat.

 

[Ridryder911]

If your looking neuro research you are looking at a doctrate level at the least. Master degree level assists in research are basically usually working on their doctoral dissertations, while doing so to assist or be published. A degree in kinesiology, physiology and partiular medicine is the primary researchers requirements.

Advance scientific statistics is a gimme to be considered to be in any research department, and if you don't like Algebra and advance mathematics, it might be harder for you.

Have you talked to a guidance counselor, or university counselor about your goals and class requirements, yet?

I agree one has to eat, and live... remember research assistants are paid just as low as EMT's if they get paid. Many do it for the credit for research...

Again, good luck in decisions and school

R/r 911

 

[akflightmedic]

So, I'm OK with doing work worthy of $60K a year making 30K a year. I grew up around rescue and emergency medical workers. Many family QUOTE]


Everyone else has given sound comments/advice, but please research this a little further.

You asked if you could support yourself as an EMT while working on your degree full time. Most EMT jobs are either 24 or 12 hours shifts. How will this work with you if you are in traditional classes?

Also research the pay. 30K is a bit ambitous for a brand new EMT unless you work a lot of OT.

 

[premedtim]

Funny this is...LOL...I'm actually getting into the medical field via biological scientific research...finding things doctors can learn from. Particularly with the sensory system is what I've been independently studying for over 20 years. I've done my own schooling...lol. College is just to put it all in a neat package I'm looking at about 6 years to complete the Bachelors. Being I already have an ongoing study of my own, a Masters might only take a couple of years after that. Though I have noticed the great difference between just the two to four years of EMT and Paramedic compared to even the six years I'm doing for the biological sciences...and the math is killing me.

One thing that is important about money...you need at least enough to have a place to live, pay those pesty bills, put gas in the car and eat.

Well, if I were doing something like that, I'd probably be far more interested in it too EyeOn...my disinterest comes from doing math I could care less about, lol. If I was doing biology, science research, etc. like yourself I'd probably be having a blast. A master's is usually only one year (atleast if you do 15 units a semester) extra actually.

Right, you do need a certain amount of money...I just fail to see where I need a $200,000+ a year income.

 

[Ridryder911]

Master degree programs are usually between 36 to 46 hrs dependent in programs, as well most cannot be completed in a year session. I have never seen a graduate level, allows one to take 15 hrs a semester. Usually 12 is pushing it...It is much different than undergraduate work... most grad level is either thesis connotation or research based and it not based upon typical semester level classes. Remember, research level takes 1-2 months for approval, then studies, then review...

Most typical graduate level are 2-3 years post undergraduate, especially in research and science, then additional 2- 3 for post graduate, doctoral level.

Remember, many physicians do not even have a bachelor's degree... most medical schools, do not "officially" require, rather than one must have specific courses with approved GPA and high enough MCAT score. I have several physician friends of mine, that are M.D.'s that are now returning to finish the baccalaureate degree in a "fun" topic or something they wanted to learn...

R/r 911

 

[premedtim]

Ahh ok...well that makes sense since I did read somewhere that 8 units per semester is considered full-time for graduate work.

That's curious to know about the physicians not having bachelors...I've heard from essentially everyone that a bachelor degree is required by most medical schools for admission.

 

[EyeOn]

Ridryder911...the math is more of a joke. I love math actually. I love puzzles. What kills me is the lack of clarity math instructors have in explaining some of this stuff. Math when I was in high school was soooooo different. No wonder I failed high school algebra. Pre algebra didn't exist plus my teacher was far beyond her retirement years...LOL. My math instructor now is in his retirement. He's a bit too s-l-o-w for my brain to keep up with. I need the fast short cuts and straight simple explanations rather than the five pager solution and two pager checks without using a calculator. Yeah, OK and so how often does the amino code TGC in DNA replicate it's errors into RNA prior to the encoding of ACG of its twin pair and its effects on ATP production using the nucleotide labeled CDFGRD23654657???...LOL...and if you can understand that kind of science and math humor...well then that's my point

 

[EyeOn]

Ahh ok...well that makes sense since I did read somewhere that 8 units per semester is considered full-time for graduate work.

That's curious to know about the physicians not having bachelors...I've heard from essentially everyone that a bachelor degree is required by most medical schools for admission.

After all the counselling appointments I've had right before starting classes, they all referred to a Bachelors in the biological sciences required for higher grad studies. The entry classes are being done at a community college, set for transfer to CSU. Their requirements for transfer for this particular major follow the community college's AA program for preprofessional biology (mainly geared for those entering pre-med...covering biology, chemistry and physics). What I'm doing compared to what a prospective physician would do after transfer may differ and might even depend on the University and how their study programs are set up.

IMO, I think they should complete a Bachelors. It would produce quality physicians on every level.

 

[EyeOn]

Master degree programs are usually between 36 to 46 hrs dependent in programs, as well most cannot be completed in a year session. I have never seen a graduate level, allows one to take 15 hrs a semester. Usually 12 is pushing it...It is much different than undergraduate work... most grad level is either thesis connotation or research based and it not based upon typical semester level classes. Remember, research level takes 1-2 months for approval, then studies, then review...

Most typical graduate level are 2-3 years post undergraduate, especially in research and science, then additional 2- 3 for post graduate, doctoral level.

Then two more years is feesible. I have a thesis already. I was one of those that dropped out of high school, got a GED, worked, played house, my son is in middle school and all that time I spent teaching myself and feeling around what I'm really dedicated to. I have had such a strong interest in the life sciences that I actually made the effort of obtaining the right books, reading into the hisotry of topics covered, following the different areas of the study in focus, staying up on current issues and all on my own without any offered incentive. Most of my jobs were in close relation to what I was studying at home. Then I was able to narrow my studies by including personal medical family history interests, which largely includes neurobiological conditions suspected of being sparked by the senses. I lack proper terminology and lab and that's what I'll be doing between now and when I complete the Bachelors. Putting all these little pieces together and filling in missing information. It'll be a nice ride there. Kind of strange walking into a classroom after over 20 years...

...but...I'm prepared h34r:

LOL

 

[Ridryder911]

Gotcha... I am back myself after a 20 year hiatus after graduating from college.... but, hey.. as long as I make it who cares?....

Good luck!

R/r 911