What has your bachelors degree done for you in EMS?

[epipusher]

Promotion to supervisor level. It was a requirement.

 

[medicdan]

Promotion to supervisor level. It was a requirement.

I would LOVE to see that more widely. I know of several ambulance companies where many of the street EMTs and medics have BA/BS, and virtually none of the supervisors, managers or owners.

 

[Bosco836]

I knew I couldn't be the only one working on my BA in Political Science in EMS!

Political Science seems to be quite popular around here...I'm also just finishing up my Poli Sci degree.

 

[Veneficus]

Political Science seems to be quite popular around here...I'm also just finishing up my Poli Sci degree.

With all the politics in EMS, it will probably be the most useful thing you could study.

Don't need biology to slap an NRB and a backboard on somebody.

 

[Bosco836]

With all the politics in EMS, it will probably be the most useful thing you could study.

Haha...very true!

 

[DrParasite]

Promotion to supervisor level. It was a requirement.

oddly enough, I have seen many EMS (and FD) that want advance degrees for their officers. A degree won't always help a person get a entry level position, but it will help become a supervisor.

Well, that's not entirely accurate; they want all supervisors to get degrees while working FT, as many jobs don't require degrees (or have them help at all) to get hired for the entry level position.

Plus, there are too many old timers who never want to college, and became supervisors and directors, and the agency didn't fall apart under their watch, so requiring degrees for supervisory personnel only restricts the ability for experienced personnel to become supervisors, in favor of young kids with all that crazy book learning and minimal experience.

 

[mycrofft]

It is axiomatic that a majority of the folks who earn a degree will not wind up earning their living doing something it was directly designed to prepare them for...except occupational schools like colleges of medicine, nursing, and other specific professions . Then you discover and seek the "wiggle room" later.

 

[cynikalkat]

bachelors, Ohio Univ, 2007

I won't mention was my Bachelors is in, but it hasn't helped me in THIS field yet. I started out in social work/behavioral health and it helped a lot there. It might help when I look @ going for RN.

 

[MochaRaf]

Like many of you, my BA has done absolutely nothing for me in EMS... Not that I was really expecting it to, haha... I double majored in International Relations / Geography for my undergrad, with a few political sciences and some traditonal sciences here and there to satisfy medical school. I chose those majors for my undergrad as there was a time where I considered joining the UN as well as gotten a few embassy job offers.

Ultimately I want to become an emergency physician... So in that sense, if you asked me what has my EMS experience done for my future career then the answer would be A LOT.

 

[Underoath87]

Besides being useful for putting condescending medics, nurses, etc. in their place...nothing.
But it will speed up nursing school for me.

 

[julesdamedic]

I have a Bachelor of Science in Paramedicine, an A.A.A.S in Fire Science, and a Master of Science in Education. My paramedic degree enabled me to serve as a paramedic program director. In general, having an AA (or higher) provides an edge when competing for jobs, and negotiating salary.

I recently spoke with an overseas recruiter who commented that the U.S. has much lower standards regarding EMS education and training than our UK and AU counterparts. She said that not only do they have a degree requirement, but also a 1-year internship for new graduates.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

Thanks for all the replies and info guys!

 

[ExpatMedic0]

Hey everyone, sorry to resurrect this old thread. I just wanted update everyone and say I picked the Paramedic B.S. degree from CWU which can be found here http://www.cwu.edu/health-science/paramedicine but i got to enter into "advanced standing" which can be found here http://www.cwu.edu/health-science/paramedicine-advanced-standing

Quit my EMS job before the semester started and am now a full time student on campus at 30 years old lol. Once I knock out enough of the non EMS credits on campus I'll complete the last year of course work online.

 

[Veneficus]

congrats.

Don't let the younger crowd call you grandpa

 

[Jambi]

Hey everyone, sorry to resurrect this old thread. I just wanted update everyone and say I picked the Paramedic B.S. degree from CWU which can be found here http://www.cwu.edu/health-science/paramedicine but i got to enter into "advanced standing" which can be found here http://www.cwu.edu/health-science/paramedicine-advanced-standing

Quit my EMS job before the semester started and am now a full time student on campus at 30 years old lol. Once I knock out enough of the non EMS credits on campus I'll complete the last year of course work online.

Congratz...Looks like a cool program

I have an AS in science from a local CC

I'm doing my last course from my bachelors in emergency and disaster management found here

The degrees allow me to be in a more stable position at the local CC where I teach in the EMT program instead of just skills instruction.

The bachelors major opens up a lot more choices in, well, the major. I recently applied for an emergency services coordinator in my county. They want a paramedic that also has relevant education...cool

most of the EDMG jobs are going to be government work, though larger companies like AMR have disaster response teams and a corporate like gig may be an option.

I like teaching and have become very interested in the whole community paramedic concept as well as researching educational trends and needs. Such trends and needs are obvious to many, but as Vene has written, the resistance is much and the will very little.

With that said I've been looking at this master's degree with the intent of it having relevant graduate education in education and doing relevant research and the applied project/internship developing the CP concept for my area.

 

[terrible one]

I'll let you know when I'm done in June.

 

[BassoonEMT]

I'm about a semester away from getting a B.M. in Music Education, and a B.M. in Music Performance.

When I got certified a couple years ago, I knew I wasn't going to do anything with these degrees, but figured I would finish them out anyway. I figured I could use the education to help with ems trainings and whatnot.

I have considered getting another degree in something more related to EMS. Not sure what exactly I would do though... I'm somewhat interested in emergency management as well

 

[ExpatMedic0]

Nice BassoonEMT. I am curious though, whenever I see an EMT-B with a university degree who is staying in EMS, why not just knock out a 1 year Paramedic program?

 

[BassoonEMT]

That's more or less part of my plan. My only real concern is being able to make a living. If I had the medic, as well as some other degree in something, I'm hoping it would open up some other opportunities as well

 

[NomadicMedic]

An extra yearly 1500