I've been in service-type careers my whole life. And I've always secretly wanted to be an EMT/Paramedic. I'm in my early 30's now and I'm considering making a career change. The medical aspects don't scare me, what's the worst part of being an EMT? I'm looking for an accurate description of the "bad days" so I can make an informed decision. I'm determined.
Talk me out of it
- Thread starter Mtn
- Start date
Marty Mcfly
Forum Crew Member
- 75
- 0
- 0
depending on where you land a job. where i work, we bust our a$$'$ all shift, and we dont make squat.
redcrossemt
Forum Asst. Chief
- 550
- 0
- 16
Wages suck.
Jobs are hard to find.
Worries about exposure and diseases.
Respect isn't there.
You won't have the education to be a true clinician.
Jobs are hard to find.
Worries about exposure and diseases.
Respect isn't there.
You won't have the education to be a true clinician.
Tincanfireman
Airfield Operations
- 1,054
- 1
- 0
Why not contact a supervisor or director of a local service and get some ride time? First hand experience and knowledge is always better than second-hand advice. We can't possibly know enough about your situation and motivation to provide useful guidance. Best of luck!
redcrossemt
Forum Asst. Chief
- 550
- 0
- 16
Agreed. Many, including myself, do it despite all of the bad things we could tell you about it.
Madmedic780
Forum Crew Member
- 47
- 0
- 6
He be speaking words of truth.
ExpatMedic0
MS, NRP
- 2,237
- 269
- 83
haha same here.
redcrossemt
Forum Asst. Chief
- 550
- 0
- 16
Realize though that you may regret spending time on EMS training in a few years when you find out you can't support a family on $9/hour and that you could of initially gone to school for a different medical profession that pays reasonable amounts like nursing.
Exactly. I'm lucky enough to be able to volly while I look for a paid job, but when I find a job, I want to be able to provide enough for my family that we aren't struggling.
Epi-do
I see dead people
- 1,947
- 9
- 38
Good luck doing that as a basic. Heck, even most of the medics I know work 2-3 jobs to be able to make it. (Fortunately, I just have to make "enough" to make the ends meet that my husband's check doesn't quite cover or I never could have made the switch to EMS as a basic.)
lightsandsirens5
Forum Deputy Chief
- 3,970
- 19
- 38
firetender
Community Leader Emeritus
- 2,552
- 12
- 38
You're on the right track. If we talk you out of it, then you can be sure you wouldn't dig it. If we can't talk you out of it, well, then you get what you deserve and you'll probably love it, regardless!
Sasha
Forum Chief
- 7,667
- 11
- 0
The worst part is going without food or gatorade for 12 hours because it's nursing home dump day and you forgot to pack a lunch.
rhan101277
Forum Deputy Chief
- 1,224
- 2
- 36
Well you have to support your family and my current career does that for me. However I don't know where it is going, and I enjoy medicine which is why I went down this road. Money is important, but so is happiness. You need to find a happy medium. Don't wait until its to late to go to school, only to find out you wish you would have done it. Its the worst feeling.
Paramedics make pretty good, shoot for that. Over here they start out at $16/hr, still less per hour than I make now. But you work 120 hours every two weeks which is $2240, this is equivalent to $28/hr 80 hours every two weeks.
There are extra shifts to pick up to. Top pay over here is around $28/hr base, probably takes 10 years experience to make that though. Anyhow you won't make it as a basic but you can make a decent living as a paramedic in my opinion.
Also working 10 days a month is way better than 20.
Also if you plan to go to medic school, most require real college A&P I and II. Mine required A&P I, with A&P II required in the curriculum. Glad I made a "A" in it, if it would have made "D" then bye bye paramedic school.
Paramedics make pretty good, shoot for that. Over here they start out at $16/hr, still less per hour than I make now. But you work 120 hours every two weeks which is $2240, this is equivalent to $28/hr 80 hours every two weeks.
There are extra shifts to pick up to. Top pay over here is around $28/hr base, probably takes 10 years experience to make that though. Anyhow you won't make it as a basic but you can make a decent living as a paramedic in my opinion.
Also working 10 days a month is way better than 20.
Also if you plan to go to medic school, most require real college A&P I and II. Mine required A&P I, with A&P II required in the curriculum. Glad I made a "A" in it, if it would have made "D" then bye bye paramedic school.
Last edited by a moderator:
rhan101277
Forum Deputy Chief
- 1,224
- 2
- 36
While this is true for a EMT-Basic, I don't think it is for a paramedic. You get an associates degree just like a RN around here. You don't get RN pay because EMS hasn't been around long enough to be well established, there are no lobbyist or unions and thats what we need to get going anywhere. We also need people who know paramedics are well educated and professional, I talk to so many patients during clinicals who think paramedics just drive ambulance and wonder why do I need to start IV's.
If you comment was geared toward a basic that is fine, but if its for a paramedic then I am going to have to ask why you base this comment on.
Last edited by a moderator:
Onceamedic
Forum Asst. Chief
- 557
- 4
- 18
Are you working for a private? and where do you work? because here, a paramedic fresh out of school starts at 10.50 per hour, runs 48 hour shifts with 96 off, and runs an AVERAGE of 20 calls in that 48. It is grueling, back breaking work and comes out to under 40K per year. Just about everybody has a second job. It's brutal hours and crappy pay and after a year and a half and 1500 calls under my belt, I am trying to figure out what I need to do next.
reaper
Working Bum
- 2,817
- 75
- 48
Here, fresh out of school medics start at $14.72 hr, basics start at $10.80 hr.
12 hour shifts, with every other weekend off.
There are good jobs out there. You have to research jobs, before taking them. You have to be willing to move where the good jobs are. A lot of people live in areas with bad EMS and try to find a job close to home. Then they get miserable at their job and wonder why.
If you are single or your family is willing to relocate, do a search of the entire country. Do your research and find the job that is what you want.
12 hour shifts, with every other weekend off.
There are good jobs out there. You have to research jobs, before taking them. You have to be willing to move where the good jobs are. A lot of people live in areas with bad EMS and try to find a job close to home. Then they get miserable at their job and wonder why.
If you are single or your family is willing to relocate, do a search of the entire country. Do your research and find the job that is what you want.