EMT...third Career

[leftysoftball]

Changing careers for the third time. Cop -> Salesman -> EMT student. I'm shooting for EMT-P. I must be crazy starting all over again at 42yrs. old but I got laid off, so........
School starts Mon. 1/04/10. Let's see what the old man has left in him! :unsure:

 

[firetender]

Good fortune to you, my friend!

I expect you'll be able to really savor some things now that you wouldn't even have noticed 20 years ago.

Great resource, this site!

 

[John E]

Why not...

go directly into a Paramedic school or get some college level Anatomy and Physiology classes out of the way?

If your goal is to become a Paramedic taking an EMT B class will only delay your plans.

Contrary to many opinions, EMT-B is NOT always a pre-requisite nor is it a "pre-paramedic" type of class.

John E

 

[Manic_Wombat]

Good for you taking initiative to try something new. I know a lot of people who are languishing at their desk jobs and hating it, but don't want to try anything different, or cannot afford to in this economy.

Best of luck to you man!

 

[CAO]

Good luck!

Age doesn't matter as much as you think. If your class is anything like mine, you'll have a very wide range of ages, and the young ones are the ones that struggle the most for some reason.

 

[46Young]

go directly into a Paramedic school or get some college level Anatomy and Physiology classes out of the way?

If your goal is to become a Paramedic taking an EMT B class will only delay your plans.

Contrary to many opinions, EMT-B is NOT always a pre-requisite nor is it a "pre-paramedic" type of class.

John E

True. Over here on the right coast the NOVA Annandale Campus has an EMS AAS degree (paramedic). You can do the EMT on the outside and get six credits for it, or take it at the college and be taught by RN's and the like with legit teaching credentials. I suspect that you can find something similar out your way. After the first semester you'll have your EMT-B and can at least start earning while finishing school.

Also, check with your state, as over here in Virginia it's a pretty sweet deal - credits from any community college will transfer to any other 100%, and will also transfer in full to any 4 year state schools. In addition, anyone earning a two year degree gets AUTOMATIC admission to any state school. So you can, in effect, get a degree from a well known university for little more than half the cost. My childrens' college costs just dropped 40% or more. Something to keep in mind.

A word of caution, if you're going for the degree it's going to be a full time endeavor, for over two years, maybe more if you need to complete any remedial courses. Make sure that you won't go broke while weathering the storm through school, because the post grad payout isn't exactly what one would call a liveable wage, at least not without copious OT.

 

[leftysoftball]

I have over 140 credit hours. Schooling at night allows me to work during the day. What concerns me the most is family insurance during my 4-6mos. ride-a-long period and if I can make enough $$$ until I earn my medic certif.

 

[rescue99]

go directly into a Paramedic school or get some college level Anatomy and Physiology classes out of the way?

If your goal is to become a Paramedic taking an EMT B class will only delay your plans.

Contrary to many opinions, EMT-B is NOT always a pre-requisite nor is it a "pre-paramedic" type of class.

John E

In what state is it not a pre-req?

 

[46Young]

In what state is it not a pre-req?

Some (most?) college degree programs will take a lay person, train them to EMT-B during the first semester, then go on to the medic content. The one around my way does it like that.

 

[rescue99]

Some (most?) college degree programs will take a lay person, train them to EMT-B during the first semester, then go on to the medic content. The one around my way does it like that.

Guess I misunderstood. EMT first is a pre-req to move on into Medic.

 

[John E]

No you didn't misunderstand...

there are some more enlightened schools (not training programs) that don't require a student to waste their time taking an EMT class prior to enrolling in a Paramedic program.

You're gonna learn all the BLS stuff that an EMT-B learns anyway. Wasting a semester in an EMT-B class is just that, a waste.

As far as your age goes, I was 46 when I took my EMT class. You're still a youngster. Have fun.

John E

 

[triemal04]

there are some more enlightened schools (not training programs) that don't require a student to waste their time taking an EMT class prior to enrolling in a Paramedic program.

You're gonna learn all the BLS stuff that an EMT-B learns anyway. Wasting a semester in an EMT-B class is just that, a waste.

John E

Where? I really don't disagree with that at all, but...where?