Working as a Paramedic and going to school question.

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boilingcrab

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Hey guys, I'm planning on becoming a Paramedic but I might also want to continue my education while working as a Paramedic. I read that they usually work 24 hour or 12 hour shifts and the days are not set.

My question is that is it possible to go to school while working or would it be too demanding? I was also wondering if the days you work are always the same like you work every Monday Wednesday Thursday all the time. Thanks guys.
 
Depends on the company you work for, but just shop around until your offered a schedule that works for you, definitely continue to educate yourself beyond paramedic school, if your not working for a Fire Dept or a third service like Austin EMS, or FDNY, EMS is dead end job, you will be exploited by an ambulance company, maybe there is good companies out there but I have never seen a good company with good pay and bennies, just good schedules , Good luck with your education
 
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boilingcrab said:
Hey guys, I'm planning on becoming a Paramedic but I might also want to continue my education while working as a Paramedic. I read that they usually work 24 hour or 12 hour shifts and the days are not set.

My question is that is it possible to go to school while working or would it be too demanding? I was also wondering if the days you work are always the same like you work every Monday Wednesday Thursday all the time. Thanks guys.
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During medic school you will most likely be focused entirely on your medic training and work. After you are working as a medic it is possible to go to school with the right shift schedule.

At my employer we do work 12s and 24s, but the days are set, which makes it even easier to fit a schedule into. Now if you are working at a FD or EMS company that works a Kelly Shift schedule (24hrs on, 24hrs off, 24hrs on, 24 hours off, 24 hours on, 4 days off, repeat) it might become more difficult. It all depends where you work.
 
iftmedic said:
Depends on the company you work for, but just shop around until your offered a schedule that works for you, definitely continue to educate yourself beyond paramedic school, if your not working for a Fire Dept or a third service like Austin EMS, or FDNY, EMS is dead end job, you will be exploited by an ambulance company, maybe there is good companies out there but I have never seen a good company with good pay and bennies, just good schedules , Good luck with your education
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To be fair, I don't see it as being a deadend job, if he's interested in working as a medic during college and then moving on to another career. Yea the pay and benefits aren't great, but I don't see it as being any better then the typical college job (except those jobs don't require all the prereqs and education) Working as a medic while going for an RN, BSN, PA, or another prehealth bachelors MD/DO (if you are interested in getting into the emergency medicine aspect of that job) can provide great experience.
 
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If the service runs 12 hour shifts, usually you are on set days. Plus you might find a service that values education. The chief here is willing to rearrange schedules to help people make it to their classes and clinical sites, so I don't have any worries for when I start school again
 
Thanks for all the fast responses guys. It's good to know that I can still attend school while working. I do plan on being a medic for a while before going to school or not if I really enjoy the work. Again thanks for the info guys. Cheers! :beerchug:
 
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