EMT to Med School question,

[Robby3751]

Hello everyone I am new to this family on EMT Life and am proud to be here, my name is Robert and would like to just give some basic background and hopefully get the answer to my question. First off I am a student at North Orange County ROP attending there EMT-Basic Class and am a Student at Fullerton Community College doing my Pre-Med requirements or just basic sciences to transfer. I sincerely wish to be a Doctor, but we all know it is not something that happens over night But I am one of those people that just has to jump in and clinical exposure is major to applying to Med School.

I do have a plan I want to get EMT-B certified and after getting experience and exposure I would like to get EMT-Paramedic Certified. I know Mt. San Antonio College has a good program for this, if not UCLA has their Pre-Hospital Care center for Paramedic but it is a lil expensive! So I am wondering if anyone can mentor me in any way, if this is a good route to go. I have discerned over what I should do, at first I was contemplating medical assistant but was able to see my friend whom is an EMT-2 and just so much action, I loved it, this is where the action is and most of all making a difference in peoples lives whom depend on you without counting the cost!
I hope to make new friends, also I know I am just beggining but I was at first discerning a call to the Preisthood but left but hey things happen for a reason, maybe this is my vocation in life ministering to people! Please any suggestions or lashing out at me will do! LOL! And a pleasure to meet all of you Fellow EMTs Paramedics, and all!!

-Robby3751

 

[AJ Hidell]

I think you are seriously overestimating the importance of clinical experience on a med school application. The vast majority of all med students were never EMTs. The most "experience" that most of them ever have is hospital volunteer or lifeguard, or something equally inconsequential. Don't get too hung up on this being important to your med school aspirations. In fact, I wouldn't do it at all until you have almost all of your degree finished, a solid GPA and MCAT scores, and are sure you're even a contender for admission.

Getting off into EMS more often than not kills a person's med school chances instead of helping them. Most EMSers get so caught up in the EMS "lifestyle" that they never even come close to finishing their degree. It's darn hard to do while working 24 hour shifts that never end on time, making EMT wages. Then wasting two years on paramedic school, taking courses that will not even count towards your pre-med degree, pushes your timeline even farther back. Then you decide you need to work full time as a medic (if you're lucky enough to get one of the few jobs in So Cal) to make your educational investment worth it, and pretty soon you're 30 years old with no degree, and don't remember anything you learned in your pre-med classes years ago.

If you absolutely must use EMS as nothing more than a resume builder, at least wait until you know you're going to be able to get into med school. Doing otherwise is putting the cart before the horse and seriously jeopardizes your future goals.

Good luck.

 

[Veneficus]

I will second AJs thought that EMT-B doesn't mean very much on a med school app. unless you actually practiced for some time. I know a few EMT-Bs who became physicians and largely considered it to be a waste of time.

During my interview at least, I was asked to detail my experience as an EMT and paramedic. While I would say it undoubtably helped me, it wasn't the title, it was the letters of reccommendation written by physicians I worked with detailing their first hand knowledge of my contributions and dedication.

I would say that it is not enough to be in EMS, you have to be outstanding. Which is very difficult to not fall into a rut. Especially when you will have to choose excellence over acceptance. (contrary to many provider beliefs, education does matter, you can (and should) use book knowledge everyday, and there is not street medicine and hospital medicine)

There are nontraditional routes to getting into medical school, but they are not easier.

Some premed (and med) students wash beakers and and sweep the lab and say they are involved in research. But this is not McDs the selection boards want to know exactly what you did. If you have an interview there will be follow on questions. Many physicians also look very poorly on EMS providers. Being one is not automatically a plus.

Personally I decided on med school after being in EMS, if I had wanted it before,I would have taken the traditional route. The shortest distance between where you are and where you want to be is college. Go there, take basic science and humanities. Especially don't short change the latter. A doctor deals with people, you certainly won't learn much of that in med school classes.

I have also met a few people who basically try to recreate a med school curriculum in undergrad. I would advise against that as the focus and level of demand are different, it may give you a false sense of security.

Just my observations, your milage may vary.

 

[JPINFV]

Will EMS help? Yes, some, but it won't make up for a poor GPA or MCAT score.

Will anyone care about the difference between paramedic and basic? Probably not. In 2 application cycles I've had 4 interviews and all of them asked me about my EMS work. None of them were emergency physicians and none of them had a good handle on exactly how EMS was organized.

Mandatory SDN links:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=5994783&postcount=3

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=6000003&postcount=2

 

[Robby3751]

Thank you all for your opinions, and for the truth, I can see now that before i actually make a big mistake I need to contemplate this some more, I have read the articles am glad to get the truth, and also swallow my embarrasment in front of professionals!:mellow:
I probably should reconsider my plan, Well again thank you to all and most of all for helping me get the answer I needed. Now I can plot out a plan with a little more ease. And still maintain a good GPA on top of that without stressing out having to learn a new trait.

 

[AJ Hidell]

I see no need for embarrassment. You're embarking down a path you've never travelled before. You came here seeking advice from those who have been there. Sounds pretty smart to me. Good luck!

 

[gillysaurus]

Thank you all for your opinions, and for the truth, I can see now that before i actually make a big mistake I need to contemplate this some more, I have read the articles am glad to get the truth, and also swallow my embarrasment in front of professionals!:mellow:
I probably should reconsider my plan, Well again thank you to all and most of all for helping me get the answer I needed. Now I can plot out a plan with a little more ease. And still maintain a good GPA on top of that without stressing out having to learn a new trait.

There's no need to completely discount EMS if you're still interested! Just because a few forums said it's not any better than sweeping a lab or doing tests on rats in the eyes of an admissions board doesn't mean it wouldn't be very personally valuable to you, if you decided to do it.

I'm a pre-med student who decided to go into EMS for the exact same reason you do--to get clinical experience before my second year of medical school. That was really my only reason, and it turned out to be one of the biggest challenges in my life. For a (then) 19 year old to suddenly be in the field, having to control a scene, come up with differential diagnoses, form treatment plans, manage communications between other agencies and facilities, communicate with a patient, stay aware of surroundings, prioritize and delegate, etc. was a HUGE lesson in how difficult EMS, and really medicine in general, could be. I was in college thinking "ha, suckers, I'm an adult now" and then suddenly I was in the field, my peers and coworkers pushing me to prove it. Sure, I always had at least one paramedic by my side if I screwed up, lost my way, something got difficult... But to see the look of disappointment in their face when I didn't "man up" at a call they knew I could take was so much more challenging and motivating than any required ecology lecture. I don't know how old you are, but that's not an exercise in maturity that most college students get.

My favorite aspect of EMS, however, is not only how much you learn, but how much you can apply directly back to your pre-med degree. I learn best when I can consistently apply things I'm learning back to things I already know, and EMS is the perfect place to see your biology, A&P, and chemistry courses in action. From small things like looking through the medicine kit and being able to practice chemistry nomenclature (Magnesium Sulfate? Why, that's MgSO4!) to overarching concepts like why someone dies because of tension pneumothorax based one what you learned in A&P and biology, is SO COOL, and has only furthered my love for EMS, science, and learning.

Without continuing too much more on my soapbox, there's also incredible opportunities for networking with ER docs and RNs, finding mentors who actually work in your field, being able to see and get a teeny tiny taste of what the career might be like for you without first having to spend incredible amounts of money during medical school.

That all being said (and I hope it all makes sense, it's really late and I've been staring at a map book for the past couple of hours), the points against EMS are something to consider as well. Sure, you can take your EMT-B class in 8 weeks and be done, but there isn't much to gain without field experience, and between working hours that aren't school-friendly, studying for school, having a life, sleeping... It's a difficult balance that isn't achieved by everyone. And that's just for a single, young college kid, nevermind if you have a spouse and/or family!

Also, EMS is a trap. You can get sucked in so quick by the "glamor" of the flashing lights, adrenaline-pumping situations and suddenly you've dropped out of school to work full time and pursue your paramedic. But then you have days, like I did today, where you leave work and can't help but think "holy crap, I can't believe I get paid to do this" with a big goofy smile on your face. That in and of itself is a lesson in balance, focusing on the big picture, and always trying to learn more and better yourself for whatever higher goal you want to accomplish.

It CAN be done, and it can be the most beneficial thing you do for your pre-med career! There's no harm in trying the Basic class if that's what you want, and if you decide it's not for you, then no harm done. If you do... Well, welcome to the addiction

Good luck to you. PM me anytime if you want!

 

[SanDiegoEmt7]

There's no reason why you can't do both. I am currently pursing an undergraduate degree and work full time. But as stated above it is very very hard to maintain focus. Before you attempt it, you definitely need to understand that a Bachelors degree is your ticket to med school, that is your GPA and MCAT score. Its important to understand this, so that when you get busy and work and school start to conflict you will know which one to focus on. Going paramedic for experience before med school is not reasonable, I would say maybe try to work as an ER tech where you get to work with doctors and RNs, that way you can decide if you truly want to pursue med school. You can always do paramedic school after if you decide med school isn't for you, not to mention a degree in biology will do wonders for you.