Older new guy needs your input

[rockster10]

Hello everyone, I am a full time working family man in my early 40's and I want to become an EMT and, hopefully, later a Paramedic. This is a complete change in direction from my current career (which I've been in for 24 years) but I'm very excited and feel that I must do this. Money isn't my TOP priority....helping other people is, but I do have feed my family. I can work my current job till after I'm finished with school. I am already enrolled to start school in August. Classes will be two days a week, four hours per day for two semesters. I just want to ask for any advice and direction that you all feel might help give me guidance on this journey. Maybe some of the things you might have done differently if you could do it again. If any of you went into this field in your thirties or forties any insight into that would be appreciated as well. Thanks for any help.

 

[akflightmedic]

Have you done research on the area you live in?

What wages are paid to EMTs and Paramedics?

Do they have to be fire certified as well?

Your age is not the hindrance, the salary will be since feeding your family is a concern.

I suggest you go to local employers of EMTs and ask what the wages are...you will be very surprised.

 

[Outbac1]

AK gave good advice. Do some more research into EMS. EMT-B is an expanded first aid course. However the US system is set up so you usually need it before going to paramedic school. If you truly want to help people you need a good medical education to do it. A few hundered hours isn't enough. To do it right you will probably need to quit your job, borrow a bag load of money and go to school full time for at least a couple of years. Then you will have the education to do the job right and find an employer who pays enough to live on. Spend a few hours on this forum reading the assorted discussions on medic education.
Having said that, I have found it a very rewarding second career. I went to school 9 years ago at age 43. And yes I borrowed the bag of money and went to school full time. I have no regrets.
Good luck.

 

[mycrofft]

Head check.

Roger those comments above, plus some others:
1. Is your family on board with this?
2. Can you get the sense of fufillment, dedication and preparedness you are seeking as a volunteer and keep your day job?
3. Consider EMT certification as a skill and mindset, not a vocation. Gosh knows you are not joining any "band of brothers" and sisters. More like a martial art; what you do with it goes from there.

 

[rockster10]

I appreciate the input. I have researched this extensively. I think I may have not worded my first post correctly....I should have said "money is way down the priorities list". I've been blessed over the years and I have have all the "stuff" I want at this stage of my life. The starting pay will be about the same as what I have been used to for the last three years so that's not a problem. My job is flexible enough so that going to school and working can be done so as to pay the bills and feed the kiddos, but I'll have to make some sacrifices personally with time, hobbies, and other things but I'm willing to do that.

I live in TN and to my knowledge EMT's do not have to be fire certified, but I will confirm that. The course here is EMT IV. My family and friends have been totally supportive and I have a good friend in our local county EMS who is a 20 year veteran Paramedic who is willing to help me any way that he can.

I'm looking at 1.5 to 2 years, hopefully, if all all goes as planned before "quitting the day job". Any ideas you all might have I could be doing between now and August to prepare would be great too. I have been reading heavily in this forum and I am grateful for the info I've found here. Thanks to all who have posted here.

 

[Tincanfireman]

One more thing to consider, coming from a peer on the shady side of 50. EMS is definitely a young person's game, especially on the legs, back, and feet. Make sure your bendy parts are all working well; some of our more "amply endowed" customers routinely run 350+

 

[BigPoppa]

Hey Rockster10,

I'm also a old new guy in Tennessee.........I'm in First Responder right now, and also starting EMT School in August. I'll be at MTSU....you ?

 

[rockster10]

I PM'd you, BigPoppa.

 

[wolfwyndd]

I know I'm way late on this topic, but I'm definatley going to echo what tincanfireman said. As someone who started in the EMS field at 37 (and now am 43), get a good excersize program going. Not that you'll need it for school, but you'll need it for the job. SOME squads / companies require fitness / lift tests before you start. I was LUCKY that my squad did not at the time because I'm not sure if I could have passed. I could now. Some people say age isn't a factor, but in some areas, it is. For example, I live in Ohio right now. If I moved back to the Baltimore / DC area, I would, most likely, not be able to get a full time job in FF or EMS due to my age. I could probably get a part time or volunteer position, but that would be it.

I'm also not sure I agree with the advice to quit your day job, go to school fulltime and borrow lots of money. I started off just like you did. IE, went to school two nights a week and on Saturdays, got my Basic, volunteered for 6 years, then went to school two nights a week and on Saturdays and I'm awaiting to take my Intermediate test. All this while working my Mon - Fri 9 - 5 office job. That would be a decision that you and your family would have to sit down, discuss, and come to a course of action. Clearly, the advice given worked for THEM, and clearly my adviced worked FOR ME.

Anyway, there it is. Your milage may vary, GREATLY depending on your circumstances.

 

[NickD]

I did EMT school at 52 years old and now at 54 I recently completed a para-prep course and soon I'll start paramedic school at UCLA. In the two years I've worked as an EMT I never found my age a problem. In fact since I'm older than most of EMTs, fire-medics, doctors, and nurses I work around it's an advantage. On the patient care side it also helps as patients take me more seriously than they might a nineteen year old and I also relate to the elderly better. I was heartened to hear while talking to the doctor who runs UCLA's paramedic program that UCLA's medical school just enrolled a fellow for his first year of medical school who is also 54 years old. So it's never to late. Besides early 40s is still wet behind the ears. LOL!

As far as lifting and moving patients I just use my head more than my back . . .

 

[rockster10]

Thank you both for the good advice. Fortunately, I do get a lot of exercise now...5 days a week at the gym.

 

[firetender]

You're in the right place!

It ain't about the money it's the service, you have a battle plan, you're using this site as a resource and you're old enough to get everyone else around you to do the lifting because they'll assume you're Brass!

Most of us have continued in this work because, once the thin veneer of the illusion we're here to save lives scrapes away, it became a "have to". I really like this whole deal for you because it's all about making well-thought out choices. Welcome!

 

[SanDiegoEmt7]

Easiest way to get a lot of the information you are looking for is to schedule ride alongs with a few of the companies in your area. Then ask the EMTs all your questions:

What is your employer like?
What are you wages?
And just generally talk to them about becoming a paramedic yadda yadda...

A few ride-alongs with a few good EMTs/Paramedics should give you a good idea of the job and the requirements (including education) as long as you ask a lot of friendly questions.

I feel that calling employers sometimes doesn't give you the whole story, not to mention there can be a difference between employer-employee opinions.

If you a do some fire ride-alongs you will never go back to another job!!!

 

[Two-Timer]

Being on the right side of fifty I have to echo what others said: age can be a plus. It is MUCH easier to deal with the Docs, the "Powers That Be" and most patients now than it was 10-20 years ago. Somewhere around 40 I realized it isn't about earning the money but investing my time. We only get to do whatever we love for so long. Do it! If your weight and health history is decent, you stay active and work out some, physically all should be well. Most of the time age differences just don't matter as much as whether someone knows their stuff. If all else fails, old age and treachery will beat youth and enthusiasm every time. Enjoy!