Paramedic Program Employer Contracts

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Dodges Pucks
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My agency will pay for paramedic school (minus books), provided you sign a contract for several years of service as a paramedic. I am curious how other agencies go about this as well, so:

How many years do you sign on for?

Does your service commitment start the day you sign it (before school starts) or after you become a paramedic?

What sort of arrangements are made so you can attend class? Are you taken off line but still paid (or not)? Do you go to class and still work your regular shifts? If you are in class but scheduled to be on shift, are you still paid?

Are you expected to use vacation/sick time to cover your absences?

Are you expected to seek grants or other funding for your education?
 
A couple of the places here have programs like that. For the EMT to medic program, they had a C-Shift class. You worked your regular 24hr rotating shift, and the class rotated around the work schedule. The county footed the bill if you signed a 2yr contract after you got your medic. If you didn't pass the class, didn't pass NR and get your medic, or quit working your medic contract early, all tuition was to be paid back to the county.
 
Where I went to school you had to be an employee before starting the medic program, and upon completion (with a contract for two years of service as a licensed medic) they will reimburse your tuition costs. Full time employees was full reimbursement, part timers was 50%.

Attempts are made to work around your school schedule, although some PTO usually has to be used to complete your clinical and internship shifts.
 
I wish. No programs like that around here and medic school is around 20 grand
 
My all-volunteer agency historically has paid for members to get their EMT-I. That cost is around $1,800, for which you have to run about 900 hours (one year’s worth of shifts). I’m doing the paramedic program at a local(ish) community college. The cost is up to $8,000, and I commit to doing 3,600 hours (about 4 years of shifts). So If I pull extra shifts, my time is paid back to them sooner. If the cost ends up being less than estimated, we may adjust the hour commitment. Time starts once certified at the new level. Since we are a volunteer agency, there is a fair amount of flexibility when it comes to duty shift scheduling.
 
Here, after 6 months of full time employment, any EMT can apply to the in-house program which is just under a year in length. You'll be in class Monday through Thursday 0800-0500 and work 2 12 hour shifts during the other 4 days. All hours in class are paid minus an hour each day for lunch. All books are supplied in hardback and PDF and uniforms are a given. In return, you agree to work full time for three years after class ends. I also think they're going to offer the option of paying tuition for EMTs to go to the local community college this fall.

I also hear that lot of in-house programs just pump out terrible paramedics as quick as possible to have warm bodies, but in this case, thanks to an excellent teacher, we have one of the better programs in the state.
 
My volly service paid the $1,500 initial deposit with an agreement to 10 hours a week for 2 years after licensure. Our course was $5,000 with reasonable monthly payments.
 
There's a neighboring service that pays for school, pays you your hourly wage to be in school/clinicals/internship, and requires a 3 year commitment.
If you fail out they'll get you back into the program. If you leave or don't finish your commitment, you pay back a prorated amount.
 
Our in-house program lasts a little less than ten months, and requires college pre-reqs such as A&P and Pharm. We're partnered with VCU. Our students are taken out of the field, receive the didactic portion at the fire/EMS academy from staff NP/PA's and our EMS Lt's, do clinicals down in Richmond, where they're given hotel rooms. They do their txp rotations on our ambulances, not with their regular shift. While they are doing their field ambulance time, they are not permitted to participate in any fire suppression training/activities, or any suppression-based incidents. The txp unit that the student is on is not to be out of service for anything other than mechanical issues. VCU does not want fire department activities to take away from the student running calls and training, and they do not want the student to be injured during suppression related activities.

I'm not sure of the commitment - it may be 3 yrs or 5 yrs. I think FDNY EMS had (has?) a similar set-up where the student is taken out of the field, and owes the city 3 yrs as a medic after graduation. I had to work full-time for NS-LIJ for 11 months while I did my medic program. Pure torture where sleep deprivation is concerned!

Whoever is paying $20k for a paramedic program is getting ripped off!!! You can get a 2 yr EMS degree with a Paramedic Cert for a little more than half of that cost. I paid $6k including books, but that was back in 2004-2005.

Now, it's $9,500 plus fees for the 2015-2016 class (yes, it's accredited):

http://www.cahe.edu/ems_paramedic_basic.php

This is in Brooklyn, where the cost of living is among the highest in the nation, so there's no justifiable reason why a Paramedic Program should charge $20k.
 
LACoGurneyjockey said:
There's a neighboring service that pays for school, pays you your hourly wage to be in school/clinicals/internship, and requires a 3 year commitment.
If you fail out they'll get you back into the program. If you leave or don't finish your commitment, you pay back a prorated amount.
Click to expand...

Just wondering how often the service is left holding the bag if the student/employee leaves? For the most part I would think the employee would have very little money or moves out of the area.

On the other hand it would be a good way to get trained. Start your job there while looking for a place you would rather work. Get hired at the new place and then quit and pay back the money. Easy way to get a student loan.
 
LACoGurneyjockey said:
There's a neighboring service that pays for school, pays you your hourly wage to be in school/clinicals/internship, and requires a 3 year commitment.
If you fail out they'll get you back into the program. If you leave or don't finish your commitment, you pay back a prorated amount.
Click to expand...
What service is that?
 
Our 12-month medic program is paid for by the agency. A two-year commitment is required upon completion of the program, it is prorated if you leave. So if you leave after a year of service you'll owe half the cost of the program, etc. Classes are held twice to accommodate both shifts. You can attend either class as long as you fulfill the classroom requirements. (i.e. you swap shifts for some reason you can attend the "other" shifts' class and that's fine.) You are expected to continue to work your full time schedule AND complete medic school and the clinicals. Basically you don't have a life outside of work/class/clinicals for a year.

All in all it's a pretty good deal. Sure, you don't have a life for the year, but it is only 12 months and you're done. For those with family obligations, especially little kids, it's very hard. That is the reason I have not signed up for it through my agency. I respect medic school and know there's a lot of important stuff to learn, and I don't want to short either my kids or my future patients. So I'm part-time EMT to be there for my kids now, and when the time is right I'll do the medic school.
 
Good stuff, I appreciate the feedback.

I work a 24 hour rotation (modified Kelly days) and the class is Mon/Tues/Weds from 9-16. Some weeks I have no conflicts, other weeks it's twice. I'm currently negotiating to get paid to be in class if I was scheduled to be at work, and that seems to be going ok so far. I see that some agencies do pay their employees for their class time, so that's a good sign.
 
exodus said:
What service is that?
Click to expand...
Hall Ambulance in Kern County.

Before any EMT employee with the company for atleast 6-12months would be eligible. Things have changed this year.

Now a EMT has to do 6 months BLS and 6 months ALS to be eligible. Steps are: have good merit, write a letter of interest, test and interview.

Company will pay ALL tuition, All books, All uniforms , and pay you your complete salary with OT if you wish to work extra. The commitment is 2 yrs as a medic.
 
TRSpeed said:
Hall Ambulance in Kern County.

Before any EMT employee with the company for atleast 6-12months would be eligible. Things have changed this year.

Now a EMT has to do 6 months BLS and 6 months ALS to be eligible. Steps are: have good merit, write a letter of interest, test and interview.

Company will pay ALL tuition, All books, All uniforms , and pay you your complete salary with OT if you wish to work extra. The commitment is 2 yrs as a medic.
Click to expand...

This is good to know as to I've been looking into this company. Thanks
 
TRSpeed said:
Hall Ambulance in Kern County.

Before any EMT employee with the company for atleast 6-12months would be eligible. Things have changed this year.

Now a EMT has to do 6 months BLS and 6 months ALS to be eligible. Steps are: have good merit, write a letter of interest, test and interview.

Company will pay ALL tuition, All books, All uniforms , and pay you your complete salary with OT if you wish to work extra. The commitment is 2 yrs as a medic.
Click to expand...
Hmm. Rent is pretty cheap out there - http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_ren...154,34.582344,-120.592804_rect/8_zm/?view=map
 
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