I am a new paramedic and have no intent of being an average provider. I very much enjoy expanding my clinical knowledge and becoming better at this job everyday.
However, I don't think that is going to get my career moving at any reasonable pace. No matter how good you might be as the three-five year medic, there is always the guy who is as good or better and has been around for fifteen years. Clinical education roles and the like can and should go to that person. EMS is great, but being a line provider for fifteen years is not something I can see myself doing personally.
Unlike many, I actually enjoy the business side of EMS. Like it or not, healthcare is a business in this country. Sometimes getting paid is like getting water from a stone, but it's a great challenge for me as a field provider as my own efforts are felt directly everyday. We have great equipment and above average pay because a group of us work very hard to leave nothing unturned in search of funding. I'm not sure what my career will look like in the future, but I hope that I always get to keep this role.