Taking a break from EMS?

[terrible one]

Has anyone on here took a break from EMS? If so what were your experiences getting back into it? Pros/Cons?

My situation:

I recently quit working because I wanted to go back to school to finish my BS. I worked for a little less than a year as a medic (not long I know) but my schedule wouldn't have allowed me to go to school and work (part time working was not an option either). So I quit moved back to my parents to finish taking the 5 classes I have left to transfer.
I am applying to Loma Linda University's EMC program, which is essentially a paramedic degree, for the fall 2011 class.
INFO here:
http://www.llu.edu/allied-health/sahp/emc/programinfo.page

I plan on working a regular job while I finish the classes I have left and then would go back to applying to paramedic jobs next summer. I am testing with a volunteer FD with ALS capabilites to hopefully stay some what in the loop and will be doing ride alongs as well with the local ambulance companies.

I worry that I will be out of the game too long with minimal medic experience and jobs are already difficult enough to find, however, I'm hoping that by volunteering and going to school to expand my EMS knowledge that I will still be able to practice.

My BS is something I have always wanted and I figured that if I don't go back to school now while I can I never will. Im also contemplating going further and into PA school but one step at a time.

 

[MrBrown]

Good on you mate, furthering your educational opportunities is a great idea. A Bachelors Degree just opens up so many doors and I congratulate you for being in the minority (it seems) of American Paramedics who actually want to get a Degree, and a 4 year one at that.


Brown is basically in the same boat, I am just working to save and then go to medical school.

Or I could just pay like a grand and buy that HEMS jumpsuit with "DOCTOR" written on it .... but that just seems kinda like cheating

 

[Melclin]

Dammit Brown, you're gonna beat me to that MBBS.

terrible one,
when I was considering further education (again, medical school) I spoke with a friend of mine who is a pediatrician. He told me that just after he qualified as an attending psychiatrist, he felt he really wanted in on paeds. He spoke to a mentor of his complaining about having to do another fellowship all over again and his mentor told him, "Do you want to spend 30 more years working wondering what could have been if you'd done what you wanted, or do you wanna spend 4 more years doing something hard, and spend 26 years doing it the way you always wanted". Or something to that affect. I'm sure it was said more elegantly at the time, but you get the point. Whether or not I end up doing medicine is beside the point, its a good message. You got a whole pile of life left to spend regretting stuff. May as well spend a few years working so that doesn't happen.

Go for it while you still can, I reckon.

 

[terrible one]

Thanks for the words of encouragement from those down under. So you don't think being out of the box for a year is too much time?

 

[firetender]

Consider that during that year you are also gaining other life skills and experience and maturity that will broaden your abilities in the field when you choose to re-enter it.

 

[terrible one]

Very true.

 

[MDA]

I did exactly this. Got in EMS late 2006 and half of 2007.
Left to continue school, and I become a Probation Officer.

Fast forward to now, found out the LE wasn't totally for me. Combination of being burnt out and the caseload I had. Going to work was miserable, I hated it.

I then realized that being in EMS was my calling, regardless of money, the schedule or anything else, it's where I was happy. I loved the people I worked with, and I loved what I did. So that was that, I got back into it and I haven't regretted it since. Orientation was good because I got re-familiarized withe the new units, and checking off my rigs. Other than that it has been great.

After furthering my education and growing up a little bit going back into the field I had a slightly better mentality, I handle it better, I retain more information and things are just easier.

Already improved my quality of life, I go to work happy, I come home happy (even though I'm tired), I like to be around the people I work with, my wife/son can come hang out with me for dinner, and I generally get to see them more than if I was working a full-time 9-5.

It's like riding a bike though. You got this.