EMT-B Prospective Student - Tacoma

[Veigar]

Hey all,

First, a little about myself ... I'm 23 years old and recently graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a BA in Biology. My overarching career goal is to become Physician Assistant (UW's MEDEX program would be my dream school), but I'm in no hurry to apply to schools. Honestly, I could wait until my early-to-mid 30s before I start applying. Until then, though, I want a solid career in EMS (afterall, the very first PAs were paramedics!).

I am currently registered at Tacoma Community College's EMT-B fall 2014 program - I'm actually VERY excited for it. Not to sound smug, but I know the coursework isn't going to a problem for me. Obviously, the biggest problem for me is landing an EMT-B job afterward. Does anyone know what the job placement rates are? I've read that TCC and other schools are pumping out hundreds of new EMT-Bs every year, and there are limited positions available, but does anyone have some numbers? Ideally, I would like to stay in the Tacoma area, but I'd be willing to commute in my gas-guzzling van up to an hour away.

I don't care about the :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty pay I've been hearing about everywhere - ever since I was a freshman in college, I've been working 20-30 hours per week at less than $10/hour. I have a couple of years in customer service (currently working as a barista at Starbucks) that I think can translate well into EMS. Would this be useful at all in landing a job?

I've also done a little research on some of the local ambulance companies that hire new EMT-Bs , such as American Medical Response, Rural/Metro, Falck, Tri-Med ... any others? I am also wondering how these ambulance services compare: starting wages, benefits (or lack thereof), hours, shifts, management, co-employees, yada yada. Anyone have personal experience in these? I want to stay within the same company for several years before applying to paramedic programs.

Quick last minute question: I've read on several threads that paramedic jobs outside of Fire Departments are very hard to come by in the Seattle/Tacoma area, but TCC's "Paramedic FAQ" page boasts that ~80% of new paramedic graduates find employment within 3 months. Can anyone attest to that?

Thanks for reading my novel. I'd appreciate any feedback.

 

[NomadicMedic]

I'll answer couple of these things, in no particular order.

As far as paramedic employment, everyone in my class (2010) was hired and working within weeks of graduation. Now, many of the students were already firefighters, and taking the paramedic program is an upgrade. Others, were either quickly hired by fire departments, went to work for a private ALS agency or moved. Mike Smith was a huge advocate for his paramedics, and he had a lot of juice… He could pull some strings and get his students hired. I don't know if that still the case, now that Mike has passed

As far as working for a BLS ambulance company goes, they're all pretty much the same. I've said this before, and it holds true. Private ambulance EMTs are the equivalent of McDonald's employees. You're expected to toe the line, show up when you're told to show up and do what they tell you to do. That's not to belittle the job or to sound harsh, it's just the reality.

You really have no bargaining power when it comes to wage, shift, location… If you want to work, you work when they tell you to work, and take the wage that they offer.

Customer service as an EMT, especially working for a private, should be your number one priority. You'll do very little "EMT stuff". I would stress that you have customer service experience, and if you have a letter from your current boss that highlights that customers like you and your friendly… That can only help if you if you manage to get an interview with a private ambulance company.

As far as numbers go, nobody really knows. But if you stop and think about the number of students that take the EMT course in Tacoma, North Seattle, Lake Washington… And the others that are scattered around, that's at least 600 EMTs, maybe more, poured into the system every year. All the ambulance companies in the Pacific Northwest couldn't absorb that yearly.

Good luck with the class. Tom is a good instructor and you should have fun. And you're right, the coursework shouldn't be difficult. Make sure you study the national registry check off sheets carefully. (As they call them in Washington, appendix H) The devil is in the details.

 

[Veigar]

Thanks a lot. Besides the McDonald's ambulance companies, are there any other places a new EMT-B can work at? Or is a new EMT pretty much confined to these privates?

Well, as hard as getting hired may be next year, I'm very persistent. I'm a hard worker, the favorite barista at my store and my manager won't hesitate to write me a LoR. Looks like I'm going to have to do some networking this next half of the year.

Also, is there a way I could do ride alongs with these companies or volunteer with them prior to taking the course? Or is it required to pass the course first? I'd rather get the ball rolling sooner rather than later, if possible.

I know you stated that all the privates are pretty much the same, but I'm still just curious about them individually. Do you have any experience with any of them? Do some allow overtime work? Do they have different schedules for their EMTs (like 8 vs 10 vs 24 hour shifts)? Is it easier to work a second job with one company over the other?

Sorry to hear about Mike, I was reading many positive things about him and he seemed like a genuine man.

 

[NomadicMedic]

It's a shame. He was a great guy. A very large man, both in stature and personality.

Anyway, yes… I had a couple years experience at TriMed. Things change often, but when I left, they had various shifts. 24s were on a modified Detroit. There were also eights and the occasional 13s, which were always my favorite, because you only work three days a week. I worked both day shifts and 24s and had to say I really enjoyed my time there. But I took it for what it was. They were paying day crew workers 12 something an hour and 24 hour shift workers got paid nine something an hour. Their reasoning was the 24 hour guys had built in overtime and it all worked itself out in the end. It was better not to make any waves, if you ticked off a paramedic or nurse… It was a quick trip to a pink slip.

As far as other places to work aside from an ambulance companies as an EMT, you're sort of limited. Emergency departments hire EMTs as techs, but you really need experience and you need to know someone. Networking comes in handy here. There are other places, wild waves in Federal Way hire seasonal EMTs. Todd's shipyard in Seattle hires the occasional EMT. Stat response is an EMT/event service. There are several fire departments that you can volunteer with. A good, busy department is Skyway, just outside Renton, Station 22. There are others in Pierce County as well.

Volunteering with the ambulance companies? Nope. Ride along's? Maybe… Can't hurt to ask. They really don't want to have anything to do with you until you're done with your class. You be better off getting a volunteer fire department position.

In all honesty, you'll have much better luck getting hired for anything in Pierce County then in King County.

And, you'll want to work in EMS for a while before you decide if it's really the job for you. It's better to find out before you go to paramedic school.

 

[Veigar]

Predicament!

I am very receptive to some advice right now. I was just offered a laboratory technician job in Lacey, full-time at about $15 per hour. My EMT class will finish in December.

I'm in the application process now with the Gig Harbor Fire and Rescue volunteer firefighting program, and if accepted I would start the recruit academy in January (works well schedule-wise with job in Lacey). Should I take this lab job? The way I'm trying to see it, is that I could volunteer for a few years with GH and keep my EMT current and with a sponsor, all the while trying to save up for paramedic school (that is, if I enjoy being an EMT).

I guess the real questions are:

1. Will I make more at this job in Lacey or with a private ambulance company? (If I snag one of the few jobs)

2. A few years down the road, will I be a competitive applicant to TCC's paramedic program with just volunteer firefighting experience?

 

[PotatoMedic]

Predicament!

I am very receptive to some advice right now. I was just offered a laboratory technician job in Lacey, full-time at about $15 per hour. My EMT class will finish in December.

I'm in the application process now with the Gig Harbor Fire and Rescue volunteer firefighting program, and if accepted I would start the recruit academy in January (works well schedule-wise with job in Lacey). Should I take this lab job? The way I'm trying to see it, is that I could volunteer for a few years with GH and keep my EMT current and with a sponsor, all the while trying to save up for paramedic school (that is, if I enjoy being an EMT).

I guess the real questions are:

1. Will I make more at this job in Lacey or with a private ambulance company? (If I snag one of the few jobs)

2. A few years down the road, will I be a competitive applicant to TCC's paramedic program with just volunteer firefighting experience?

You'll get paid more at the lab tech gig than private ems.

And you'll be as competitive as you make yourself. I know most if not all the medic students at TCC have at least 1000 patient contacts. But the knowledge test is part of the key to getting in. Talk to your instructors.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Absolutely right. You really need a slew of patient contacts and some solid EMS experience to be a competitive applicant.

Having said that, Gig Harbor is well respected, most of their medics have been through the TCC program and being a solid volunteer who gets his hands dirty and jumps in, will make you competitive in the paramedic student selection process if you have a letter of recommendation from a Gig Harbor medic.

But yeah, private EMS pay sucks. You'll make more as a Lab tech.

 

[newbemt2]

There are other places, wild waves in Federal Way hire seasonal EMTs. .

Sorry this is a couple years late but if you were to work with Wild Waves would that count as a sponsorship for getting your WA cert? Or does it have to be an ambulance company?
Also, Veigar how is/was your time with tri-med? Read one of your other posts and I might have an interview with them after graduation

Thanks!