Transitioning from unrelated career to EMT/Paramedic?

[417Hog]

Hello everyone. I'm new here and just wanted to say hello. I'm currently about to start my EMT basic courses so thought this would be a good time to join a forum like this.

I'm 31 years old and have two college degrees in a field totally unrelated to this field. However, it's something I always wished I would have done, so now I'm taking the leap. I've spent a lot of years being stuck in a field that I did not like and helped no one (other than "the man"!), so I'm excited to be going into a career direction that will actually mean something.

I was curious if there were any EMTs or Paramedics on this forum that got into the field late like myself. If so, what kind of field did you come from, what were your expectations, how do the differ from reality, do you regret it, etc.

I appreciate any and all advice and I look forward to being a part of EMT Life.

Thanks!

 

[NomadicMedic]

I became a paramedic at 40 after a long career in broadcasting. I had been an EMT since the 80s, so I knew what I was getting myself into.

I found that more opportunities presented themselves to me because I was older than most of the other new medics and I came to the job with a robust set of life experiences that most of the 20 year old medics didn't have. I had 10+ years as a senior manager and lots of experience with interpersonal communication and decent skill at quickly establishing rapport with strangers. That's certainly not the key to paramedicine, but it really helps.

I don't regret my career change one bit. I enjoy the ever changing job, the opportunity to continue my education on the county's dime and the pay and schedule fit my life pretty well.

 

[martyhuff]

I am 33 and just finished EMT basic in the spring and I am now in my first semester of medic school, so I too am a lot like you because I decided I wanted a career that meant something and not just a number at a factory job or something.

I work as a ER Tech and a local hospital while going thru medic class so I know for sure this is what I want to do for a career, I can tell you now that emt school is nothing compared to what you will learn in medic school!! Study..study and then study some more so you have the basics down flat, because medic school will blow your mind!!:blink:

 

[Akulahawk]

In many ways, I'm going to have to second what DEMedic said. I got into EMT transport about 15 years ago. At the time, I was in my late 20s and I had just received my bachelor's degree in Sports Medicine. At that point, I have some life experience under my belt already, but I did the EMT thing for a little while to find out if I really wanted to do that type of work. It turns out that I really enjoyed the work, so I became a paramedic. Because of my background, I was probably more well-educated than most of my paramedic peers.

I really enjoyed the work, I generally enjoying who I was working with at the time, but for my circumstances and my local area, the pay and benefits just did not add up to what I needed. So I ended up getting out of paramedic work for a while and found a nonmedical job that allowed me to provide for my family. A few years later, I came to the realization that what I really wanted to do was patient care, and have a career pathway that would provide for my family's needs. I am now in my very early 40s, I have a lot more life experience under my belt than I did way back when, and I am set to graduate from nursing school in a few months and return to (at least part-time) work as a paramedic shortly thereafter while I search for a job as a nurse.

In the 7 years that I spent working on the ambulance, I found that a lot of the intangibles that made the job a whole lot easier had to do with your ability to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger. A lot has to do with your interpersonal relationship skills. This is because most of the time, you will not be doing much with your patients other than holding their hand, chatting with them, and generally finding a way to make them comfortable. You spend a lot of time dealing with people that are hurt, scared, or angry and make them feel a bit better so that you can help them, or someone else can help them.

Someone who is almost fresh out of high school or college and is (maybe) in their early 20s won't easily have the life experience to help patients deal with the things that made them hurt, scared, or angry. As a person in their early 30s, you now have at least some life experience that you can draw from to help with this and may make your life/job as a prehospital provider a whole lot easier.

When you're actually new at doing this kind of job, it rarely hurts to not look like you're just some kid... Just a small benefit from starting a job like this when you're a clearly not in your teens anymore .

 

[mgr22]

I got into EMS when I was 39, after working as a journalist, an engineer, and a software developer for 18 years. I felt, as you do, that I was helping no one except my bosses and myself. I was excited about the prospect of contributing to the greater good.

That was 22 years ago. A disabling back injury reminds me of that decision every day, and my financial situation is not nearly as robust as it would have been, had I stayed in the corporate world. However -- and I mean this, even though it sounds gratuitous -- I wouldn't have wanted to do it differently. I feel that my life has been much more fulfilling -- in ways that go beyond money -- than it would have been had I not changed careers. I think I do a better job as a medic because of my engineering background. I don't think I've helped nearly as many people as I'd thought I would, because so many patients need so much more help than what EMS providers can give; but at the end of the day, I'm pretty comfortable with whatever my coworkers and I contributed.

I wouldn't presume to tell you what to do. I'll just say that what you're considering can come close enough to meeting your expectations to make it worthwhile.

 

[granitendirt]

I'm 27 and graduated a few years back with a bachelors in natural resources. I've worked a variety of jobs for the past decade and currently work as an event coordinator at a nonprofit.

I am just finishing my EMT-basic course and am testing soon. I've found that I love EMS work more than anything else I've studied. I worked full time while taking my class, so I'd leave work at 5:30 and then be in class from 6-10 a few days a week, and I will say there wasn't a single day that I ever felt that I would rather just go home! I'm sad that the class is over now, actually.

I'm in the stage of "Dang, do I need to change careers? Is this what I'm supposed to be doing?" I feel like EMS is a place where I belong in a way I've never felt with other jobs I've had.

I don't hate, or even dis-like, the job that I have now. I just don't have any passion for it.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

about half my paramedic class had degree's in unrelated fields and many where changing careers in there 30's and 40's.

 

[417Hog]

Thanks to all of you for your replies. They have been extremely helpful. Sounds like many of you feel the same as myself. I certainly have no passion for what I'm doing now. I consider it boring, meaningless and nothing but "working for the man."

I have a lot in common with several of you too. I have journalism and English degrees, and have been working for large advertising agencies ever since I graduated college. I "escaped" from that industry two years ago and did telecommunications/fiber optic engineering for a little over a year. I loved it because I was out an about all day--totally opposite from an ad agency--but I was traveling and away from home usually 5 days a week. It just got to be too much when I had my little girl.

Can you guys talk about the hours, schedules/shifts, etc. and the affect it had on your family/wife/kids? I think I have a good idea of what to expect. My mother is an RN, and I can remember her working holidays and nights. I think my passion for it would overcome these inconveniences, but I just want to be fully prepared and nobody knows it better than you guys I'm sure.

 

[NomadicMedic]

My wife is a vet. An emergency vet that works nights, holidays and weekends. Nobody understands what I do better than her. We celebrate our holidays on days we have off together and occasionally start our weekends on a Tuesday. If your spouse understands, it'll work out. If she doesn't, and resents you missing dinners, weekend stuff and family gatherings... You're in for a tough road. It's not if YOUR passion can overcome it, most importantly... can your family?

 

[mgr22]

Hours have been long and irregular, but no less predictable than when I was in the corporate world. I'd say being in EMS had more of a negative impact on family life than the hours in EMS. A lot depends on other family members' experiences with essential services.

 

[AtlasFlyer]

I'm 38, took my EMT-B class last spring semester. I was the oldest in the class by over 2 years. But I also know I wasn't exactly the typical demographic for a daytime community college class. If I'd done a nights/weekends class I probably would have been more among my age peers.

I was hired by a large municipal urban 911 service in Oct, went through their 6 week academy and am in FTO right now. In our class of 13 I was the ONLY one in class with no prior EMS experience. My age and "life experience" were undoubtedly contributors to a not-so-entry-level job being my first EMS job. Someone 15-20 years younger with a brand-new EMT cert probably wouldn't have been hired. So having life experience I think, is a HUGE plus for employability.

I will admit I don't feel any "passion", or adrenaline rush or anything like that when I go to work. I enjoy it, I absolutely love being in a job where I'm not chained to a desk or caged in a cubicle. I have to be able to move & roam. I feel like I'm accomplishing something at work, sure we get the BS calls where the person could/should have driven themselves to a care provider, but at the end of the day I don't feel like my day or efforts have been wasted.

 

[MedicBrew]

You're in for a tough road. It's not if YOUR passion can overcome it, most importantly... can your family?

I was actually pretty lucky that I didn’t start dating my wife until after I was in the field so she knew what she was getting into. Even knowing what to expect, it took her several years to except my work schedule, or at least make her peace with it.

Depending on the service you choose, the scheduling can vary drastically but typically EMS shifts (around here anyway) can be 12’s, 16’s, 24’s, 48’s and Kelly shifts, 24 on 48 off. When you’re starting out, you will get the shifts that most don’t want, weekends, weekend nights, holidays, etc and that is difficult to explain to your kiddos, let alone your significant other. I have 3 boys the oldest being 15 and it does not get any easier. You have to find that balance between the job and the family. Don’t let this job define you, it’s just a job. It’s a very noble and essential job, but still just a job. Communication is KEY. I’ve seen a lot of relationships pay the price for this profession. You will be spending A LOT of time with your partners, often partners of the opposite sex, and some spouses/significant others seem to have issue with that.

This job is very seductive when you’re starting out, and after that first call that you know, without a doubt, that you made a difference in someone’s life for the better, you’ll know if it’s worth it or not.

 

[417Hog]

I will admit I don't feel any "passion", or adrenaline rush or anything like that when I go to work. I enjoy it, I absolutely love being in a job where I'm not chained to a desk or caged in a cubicle. I have to be able to move & roam. I feel like I'm accomplishing something at work, sure we get the BS calls where the person could/should have driven themselves to a care provider, but at the end of the day I don't feel like my day or efforts have been wasted.

I'm glad you said that. This is something I've really been thinking a lot about.

I have been lucky enough in my advertising career so far to have some really good jobs at some really great companies. I know all too well that exciting feeling of going into something new, ready to take on the world, do important things for the company, and all that jazz.

With that said, being mid-level in my career, I know all too well what it feels like after those exciting emotions are gone, and you're left with nothing but the job itself. At the end of the day, it's a desk job, in an office, with a bunch of egotistical "creatives" all battling to see who can talk the loudest and the longest. Each time I've changed jobs I've experienced that initial "flash", only to be left feeling the same as always after a couple of months. Caged in an office. Chained to a desk. Working to help nobody but the man.

I guess that's what led me to EMS/Paramedic. And while I'm excited about the EMS/Paramedic endeavor--and to be perfectly honest, right now I do have that feeling of stimulation and emotion for what my future may hold in this career--I'm also realistic to the fact that it's not "ER," and my days/nights are not going to be spent being a hero and saving lives.

Inevitably, this initial flash in the pan of excitement for EMT/Paramedic will fizzle too. However, I do still think I'll enjoy just being out in the world during my time on the job. If nothing else, I think that's an important piece of the puzzle for a career I will enjoy, even with a somewhat crazy work schedule.

 

[417Hog]

Sorry, double post.

 

[hogwiley]

I think people who have proven competence in other fields are likely to do well in EMS. I worked as an automotive technician and dynamometer tech for
years and I have yet to come across anything in EMS that requires even close to the thought or skill needed on a daily basis to make a living in my previous line of work. The only thing that I had to work on at first were my people skills, since Id never done anything customer service related in my life.

As for the age factor, it wasn't an issue in EMT school, a lot of the students were older people doing EMS either as a volunteer or as a second career. In Paramedic school Ive seen less older students because its so time consuming and older people with full time jobs and kids and debts aren't going to have the time or money to devote to Paramedic school, or if they do will go for something that pays better like Nursing. At least that's been my experience.