Have you been a career EMT/Paramedic and if not what did you do first?

[PeacefulIce]

Random question, I am starting EMT school, then moving on to the paramedic program and I am 30. I've been told it's not uncommon for people to get into working in EMT/Paramedic work in their 30's.

So...did you start at 18, 20, 22 or was this a "change" for you? If it hasn't been your life long career, what did you do first?

 

[NomadicMedic]

I started in EMS when I was 18, at the same time I worked in broadcasting. I left that career in 2008 as a successful radio station programmer and became a paramedic at 40. I worked for an amazing county EMS agency or the past several years and was just recently wooed back to radio by an obscene amount of money.

However, it turns out that I really miss full time EMS ... a lot.

So... I have to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

 

[MkVity]

I started in EMS when I was 18, at the same time I worked in broadcasting. I left that career in 2008 as a successful radio station programmer and became a paramedic at 40. I worked for an amazing county EMS agency or the past several years and was just recently wooed back to radio by an obscene amount of money.

However, it turns out that I really miss full time EMS ... a lot.

So... I have to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

@DEmedic Could you not do an EMS radio show with live action broadcasts DJmedic liveline??

 

[NomadicMedic]

I'm sure it would be a violation of HIPPO or EMTALAphant or something. And I don't think I could hold a microphone and start IVs at the same time. (I have a hard enough time when I've got both hands free)

 

[PotatoMedic]

Just don't bill and you have no HIPPO to worry about.

 

[Leatherpuke]

I am a few months away from retiring from the Army. I've spent the last 20 plus years in both the Army and Marine Corps as an artilleryman and truck driver. I decided about two years ago that I wanted to do EMS as my second career. I'll be starting my first full time EMS job here shortly, been doing the volunteer FF/EMT gig for some time. I have found that at 40 years old, I am not the oldest dude just getting started in EMS. In fact, I would say that in my area, the average age seems to be late 20's to early 30's with quite a few retirees making EMS a second career.

My wife asked me once why I want to get into this field at my age, my response : " Because no matter how old you get, when you turn on the lights and sirens and mash the gas pedal, a little part down deep inside of you starts giggling like an idiot."

 

[Apple Bill]

I became a volunteer firefighter and got my EMT cert at 37. Work PRN for a 911 agency.

I've had a few jobs leading up to this, mostly office peon. Realized I needed to do more than stare at a computer all day.

 

[irishboxer384]

I was lucky enough to do some great adquals in the military, one of which was the medical side of things.I decided on it as a new career after persuasion from a close friend. After I began getting my US equivalency quals, he committed suicide a few months ago due to PTSD from things he seen/did as a civilian medic. It motivates me even more somehow as I had great respect for him.

 

[TrueNorthMedic]

I started in ems when I was 21 and I'm very fortunate that it pays well enough up here that I can make a full time career out of it. (I'm 29 now). From what I've seen, most people start when they're younger, like under 25, but I have seen people start working EMS when they are in there 40's and have successful careers. I say age doesn't really matter (well, maybe if your 90 it does hee hee) and if you feel like it's something you want to do then go for it.

 

[PeacefulIce]

Thanks a bunch for the replies. It's good to know other people started with other things.

I'm so sorry to hear about your friend irishboxer384. That is so hard but really nice your respect for him is motivating you forward.

I always wanted to be a paramedic as a kid (what can I say, it's like a calling or something? I don't know why) and then somehow ended up working as a nanny in college and that stuck for 11 years. My last job started with two normal, healthy babies and one of them developed brain tumors, had multiple strokes and seizures by the time he was a few months old. He ended up with severe brain damage. All in all it brought it around to being more of a medical provider to him than a nanny and has motivated me to go back where I wanted to be at the start which is being a paramedic.

So, thanks again for letting me know it's possible!

Opinions? The Paramedic program here let's you go straight in from the EMT-B class, provided you do a 36 hour "EMT Experience course" with MEDIC. Is it worth working as an EMT -B first or is that experience course enough? Basically, (3) 12 hour shifts?

 

[SandpitMedic]

You should get street experience before going straight to P school.

 

[titmouse]

I worked for 4.5 for a major music retailer before jumping into the EMT at the age of 28. Before the music store I had a bunch of odd jobs.

 

[TransportJockey]

Certified at 20. Was working as a server and in a motorcycle shop prior to that. Right out of HS I was an explosives engineering major at a state college.
I was an EMT-B for just over 2 years, then an EMT-I doing 911 for 3, and now I've been a medic for 3 doing all rural 911. I would have skipped the basic experience and moved straight to ILS or Paramedic if I had had my way.

 

[TransportJockey]

I was lucky enough to do some great adquals in the military, one of which was the medical side of things.I decided on it as a new career after persuasion from a close friend. After I began getting my US equivalency quals, he committed suicide a few months ago due to PTSD from things he seen/did as a civilian medic. It motivates me even more somehow as I had great respect for him.

Sorry to hear about that brother. PTSD and suicide is a big problem for first responders, one that some of us are trying to help bring itno the light with things like the Code Green Campaign or the #911Ivegotyourback campaign

 

[TrueNorthMedic]

I agree with SandpitMedic, I think it's better to have some street experience before moving to Paramedic. Take my opinion with a grain of salt however, cause I'm not a Paramedic yet. Up here we have to have minimum of 1 year experience as a primary care paramedic (roughly equivalent to an EMT-I) before taking the advanced care paramedic program. From what I've seen from co workers, those who waited and got 2-3 years or more street experience before going to Medic school were better off and were more comfortable with their assessments, treatment and skills than those who went as soon as the minimum year was done. It also helps alot if in your experience as an emt-b, you are working alongside paramedics who are willing to answer questions and willing to let you help with patient assessments or let you help set up their equipment (prep an ET tube, charge an iv dripset, etc.....). Ask lots of questions and learn as much as you can, it will help you out in the long run.

 

[irishboxer384]

Sorry to hear about that brother. PTSD and suicide is a big problem for first responders, one that some of us are trying to help bring itno the light with things like the Code Green Campaign or the #911Ivegotyourback campaign

It was bizarre, he was bouncing from job to job for $1000 a day, I hadn't seen him in a year but spoke to him daily and everything seemed fine. He'd tried to hang himself on project...got sent home. He went to therapist for the first time in his life on a wednesday, hung himself on the thursday. His wife is a mental health nurse too! Goes to show it can happen to anyone/anytime/anywhere

 

[NomadicMedic]

You should get street experience before going straight to P school.

I think you only need street experience before paramedic school to learn how to function as a competent EMT. How to use the stretcher, how to lift and position patients, how to write a report while the ambulance is moving, how to perform a good, concise Q&A with a patient, how to take a BP in the back of the truck, how to eat on the go... all that fun stuff.

As a basic you won't learn any real medicine that'll help in Paramedic school, but if you've got a good working knowledge of the EMT skills, it makes it a lot easier to concentrate on Paramedic level stuff (which you're being assessed on), while the EMT skills that you've already mastered just happen in the background.

 

[Ensihoitaja]

I've been doing this since I finished college 12(jesus, really?) years ago. During college I worked as a wildland firefighter, ski instructor and ski coach.

 

[Tk11]

I'm 18 and just started the basic emt classes. There is 20+ people in the class, me being the youngest at 18, 3 19 year olds and most everyone else late 20s and in their 30s, and a 43 year old.

 

[luke_31]

Was a computer field engineer, before I started in EMS. Almost twelve years ago now