I want to be an EMT

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Rochelle

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Hi! I'm Rochelle.
I have wanted to be an EMT for as long as I can remember.
The only problem is I'm not good at math. When I found out that Paramedic's are the ones who have to basically do all the math work, I was really excited because maybe I could do this.
Now, I'm about to sign up for my first responder class and I was wondering.
Will I be treated differently because I am young? (I'm 18)
Also does anyone have any tips?

Thank you!
 
skip first responder, unless its a requirement. go straight to basic school. when you're done with that and have some time under your belt, go to medic school and learnt he half a dozen equations you need to know. its not that bad.

and welcome to the looney bin.

EDIT: yes, you're going to be treated differently because you're young. this will last, at least from an interpersonnel standpoint, until you prove that you are an adult. act like an adult and you'll be treated like one. act like a teenager and thats how you'll be treated.

from a legal standpoint, some places require you to be anywhere from 19-23 to drive. i havent found this to be true in the metro boston area but other will tell you it is true in their service areas. i was driving ambulances at 18
 
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why skip first responder?
 
I think he said skip First Responder because it's probably not going to help you get much of a job or experience, whereas going straight to EMT, you can go right to work after the NREMT, etc.

Just so you know though, probably 80%-85% of my EMT class is 18-21. I'm the 5th oldest at 36 (including the instructors).

And welcome =)
 
without trying to offend the cfr's here, its pointless. save that money for medic school.

this theory of ever increasing baby steps is malarkey. if you want to pull the trigger on a career in ems, do so. skip the glorified first aid class and go to basic school. you need to be a basic before you can be a medic, but you dont have to be a cfr to be a basic(at least not in any place i have ever heard of).

i dont know what a first responder course is going for these days and i can still say without hesitation that its over priced.

if you were a cop, or a jake or a construction site supervisor id say sure. you really have no aspirations towards a higher level of certification, so this bandaid application class is just right for you. but you want to be a basic, and i hope someday a medic. fr is a waste of time for you.

however, this is just my humble opinion. im sure some of our resident fr's will be along to tell you how wrong i am. then some of our true experts in the field will be along to refute them and we'll have a big fight. but some good info will be exchanged. you just have to sort through to bs to find it.

EDIT: upon further consideration, cfr isnt a pointless rank. its ok for people that are old enough to be responsible adults, but too young for basic school and want to start running calls NOW. other than that and the above, its crap.
 
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What everyone else said.

Plus:

Math isn't going to be an issue. I was horrible going into medic school. Hadn't done it since High School. Got horrible grades in math in High School. It's something you pick up as you go. Don't let that stop you.

18 is a good age to get in. The younger you start, the better. Honestly.
 
Hastings said:
What everyone else said.

Plus:

Math isn't going to be an issue. I was horrible going into medic school. Hadn't done it since High School. Got horrible grades in math in High School. It's something you pick up as you go. Don't let that stop you.

18 is a good age to get in. The younger you start, the better. Honestly.
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while i see what you're saying, i only agree to a point. while i agree that age is mostly an arbitrary number as it relates to maturity, it is reasonaly accurate.

most 18 year olds are no where near mature enough. some are, most arent.
 
KEVD18 said:
while i see what you're saying, i only agree to a point. while i agree that age is mostly an arbitrary number as it relates to maturity, it is reasonaly accurate.

most 18 year olds are no where near mature enough. some are, most arent.
Click to expand...

Those that aren't mature enough won't last long. Those that are mature enough get the benefit of physical youth, and several more years of experience than the average paramedic.
 
KEVD18 said:
without trying to offend the cfr's here, its pointless. save that money for medic school.

this theory of ever increasing baby steps is malarkey. if you want to pull the trigger on a career in ems, do so. skip the glorified first aid class and go to basic school. .
Click to expand...

First off sorry to pull it out of context KEV. Secondly, he is right the only reason I am a CFR is because I was too young at the time to take an EMT class. And also like Kev said(every notice hes usually right=) LOL) don't take the baby steps you want this career go get it. Good Luck=D
 
KEVD18 said:
while i see what you're saying, i only agree to a point. while i agree that age is mostly an arbitrary number as it relates to maturity, it is reasonaly accurate.

most 18 year olds are no where near mature enough. some are, most arent.
Click to expand...

Hehe. Wasn't their a seperate thread or shall I say argument on this allready?
 
probably. 95 percent of the material posted here is cyclical. its getting better with an increased cl team that is actually enforcing rules(whether or not we agree with them).
 
you know bryan, i was expecting you to be one of the cfrs that would come by and try to fight with me about the importance of first repsonders in the system. im sort of impressed that you have such a good handle on your situation. bravo sir.
 
Im 20, I look about 16, unfortunately(so Ive been told!). I can tell you that you most certainly will have to work your butt off not to be disregarded. No one will take you seriously nor give you respect, though they will demand it automatically simply because theyre older. Ive had patients look at me and go What are you doing out so late? Isnt your mother looking for you? No respect. But you HAVE to overcome that and work your butt to prove you are worth their time, you know what youre doing, etc. You have even less room for mistakes than all the old geezers, and theirs is minimal.

Skip CFR. You learn all that crap in the first two weeks of EMT B school. ITs a waste of money and Medic is EXPENSIVE. Save your money.
 
Aside from the EMT class...learn to properly lift with your legs. Nothing will kill a young EMS career more than a bad back.
 
Title 22 Required

So In Marin County(My Neck of the woods) You are Required to have title 22 CPR and Advanced First aid. THe only way to do that I found was thru the First Responder Class unless I wanted to Drive to Sacramento or Humboldt.:wacko: SO I took the the First Responder, took me a semester and Now I'm doing Basic.
 
Sasha said:
I can tell you that you most certainly will have to work your butt off not to be disregarded. No one will take you seriously nor give you respect, though they will demand it automatically simply because theyre older. Ive had patients look at me and go What are you doing out so late? Isnt your mother looking for you? No respect. But you HAVE to overcome that and work your butt to prove you are worth their time, you know what youre doing, etc. You have even less room for mistakes than all the old geezers, and theirs is minimal.

Skip CFR. You learn all that crap in the first two weeks of EMT B school. ITs a waste of money and Medic is EXPENSIVE. Save your money.
Click to expand...

Nothing like being younger than 99% of all your Pt's!!:wacko:
I just turned 19. It can be intimidating.
 
Rochelle said:
Hi! I'm Rochelle.
I have wanted to be an EMT for as long as I can remember.
The only problem is I'm not good at math. When I found out that Paramedic's are the ones who have to basically do all the math work, I was really excited because maybe I could do this.
Now, I'm about to sign up for my first responder class and I was wondering.
Will I be treated differently because I am young? (I'm 18)
Also does anyone have any tips?

Thank you!
Click to expand...
Are you just going for EMT-B? My teacher always said:

"BLS is the best in EMS because your mind isn't cluttered with all that usless ILS and ALS junk!"

GO EMT-Bs!!

I was 18 when I took the EMT class. Actually, I and one of my classmates, an 18 y/o girl tied for the highest overall score in the class. That got us some respect. But yes you do have to work yourself silly to show people that you are actually worth it and that you aren't just some kid who don't know their (pardon the expression) "backside form their elbow!";)


GOOD LUCK!!

P.S. Skip First Responder. If you want to first respond, (with an agency of course) you can do it as an EMT-B just as well.

Oh, and welcome to the club of deranged, misfit people, who like the sight blood and guts and who boast about being puked on, who sit around all day itching to hear that pager go off telling them someone's day has just been ruined and they are probably circling the drain, who jump in their rig and drive 150 miles and hour with all kinds of obnoxious lights and loud noises coming from it. Who use gallows humor at least twice a shift(required to stay sane), and who aren't allowed to talk about their day at the dinner table. This club is sometimes called: The world of EMS.
;)
 
CFR is ~40 hours. EMT-B is ~150 hours. Not really a big difference. And you can't "upgrade" from CFR to EMT-B, you will have to take the entire class.
There is no point in taking CFR unless:
a) you are under 18
b) you won't be involved in emergency services and only want advanced first aid.
 
or c) its required by law.


KempoEMT said:
So In Marin County(My Neck of the woods) You are Required to have title 22 CPR and Advanced First aid. THe only way to do that I found was thru the First Responder Class unless I wanted to Drive to Sacramento or Humboldt.:wacko: SO I took the the First Responder, took me a semester and Now I'm doing Basic.
Click to expand...

up until he posted that, i agreed with you.
 
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