Young vs. Older / Age of getting in ems

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suziquzi99

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Hey guys. Currently starting school and in a program with county to start a career in ems. I am 34. The other few with me are 18-20. I am getting a little bit of jaded opinion about starting a career in ems at such a late age from a small few of the paramedics. Most of it concerning already having small kids etc. The other thing is that the younger kids coming into this view this as "I'll start here till I find out where in the medical field I would like to be" attitude. Not all but most.
I am loving it. I know this is where I should be.
My question is how do you guys feel about the younger ones going into this to "do something". (I know this isn't all younger people so don't take offense) and what's up with the paramedics who are so distainful about ems. (Again, 3/4 LOVE LOVE thier job). I find the older ones either love or hate it. I think most would probably have to do with politics in the workplace as far as the seasoned medics. I assume I would hear more love than hate here, seeing how you are on a forum. Just curious.
 
suziquzi99 said:
Hey guys. Currently starting school and in a program with county to start a career in ems. I am 34. The other few with me are 18-20. I am getting a little bit of jaded opinion about starting a career in ems at such a late age from a small few of the paramedics. Most of it concerning already having small kids etc. The other thing is that the younger kids coming into this view this as "I'll start here till I find out where in the medical field I would like to be" attitude. Not all but most.
I am loving it. I know this is where I should be.
My question is how do you guys feel about the younger ones going into this to "do something". (I know this isn't all younger people so don't take offense) and what's up with the paramedics who are so distainful about ems. (Again, 3/4 LOVE LOVE thier job). I find the older ones either love or hate it. I think most would probably have to do with politics in the workplace as far as the seasoned medics. I assume I would hear more love than hate here, seeing how you are on a forum. Just curious.
Click to expand...

Because any paramedic without higher goals is a fool. EMS is a great job for me right now, but there's no way on Earth I'm going to build a life on it.
 
suziquzi99 said:
Hey guys. Currently starting school and in a program with county to start a career in ems. I am 34. The other few with me are 18-20. I am getting a little bit of jaded opinion about starting a career in ems at such a late age from a small few of the paramedics. Most of it concerning already having small kids etc. The other thing is that the younger kids coming into this view this as "I'll start here till I find out where in the medical field I would like to be" attitude. Not all but most.
I am loving it. I know this is where I should be.
My question is how do you guys feel about the younger ones going into this to "do something". (I know this isn't all younger people so don't take offense) and what's up with the paramedics who are so distainful about ems. (Again, 3/4 LOVE LOVE thier job). I find the older ones either love or hate it. I think most would probably have to do with politics in the workplace as far as the seasoned medics. I assume I would hear more love than hate here, seeing how you are on a forum. Just curious.
Click to expand...

Most of us that have been involved for a while do love it, but we become frustrated by people that hold EMS back or are a disservice to it.
 
I got into this field cause this is what i wanted to do. Don't get me wrong i'm going to get into medic school when i'm ready. I went to EMT school when i was 23 and i wish i gotten into it at a younger age. It works the other way around to. I'm sure some who took EMT class and wished they should have taken it a little older. Reason i say this is because i've seen a few who takes EMT class just doesn't seem to take it serious enough. Everybody got their own share of hate and love about this career. But i simply ask myself why i got myself into this type of career and not because to get my foot in the door of becomming a nurse or higher.

There are few medics who just wants to stay as medics, i've seen some BLS just can't do ALS and stay BLS. Its just what people want.
 
Many of us kids are drawn to EMS because of the adrenalin rush, the awesome feeling of invincibility driving 100mph with lights and sirens, and the feeling that every day we save hundreds of people who were otherwise dead. As we all know none of those things are true but that's how EMS has been portrayed in movies and television since I was a child so that's where many people get their reasoning as well as the launching pad to get into other medical fields.

As far as the older medics either loving it or hating it there is a perfect explanation. All older medics will realize that the current structure of the EMS system is failing. The ones that hate it are that way because they are fighting the good fight trying to make this career more respectable within the medical scope and are making no headway, thus getting incredibly frustrated with the entire system. The ones that love it have spent their time trying to grease the squeaky wheel and have seen no beneficial results so they've given up and are at the point that they no longer give a crap about EMS as a profession as long as they make it to retirement.

There is also corporate politics etc. but that makes you hate a job not a career. A lot of medics probably won't tell you that as the reason but in my experience that's what it boils down to with the ones who have truly dedicated a lifetime (at least one of my lifetimes) to EMS. I can't blame either one for their stance on it as I can see myself at some point falling into both categories if things aren't improved.

If you read a few other threads you will see that most here have a love-hate relationship with EMS. Everyone has a few high points to speak of about their profession but at the same time most here realize the system is dysfunctional at best and are helpless in changing it.
 
Suzi everyone has their own reasons for joining EMS and some are not really for the right reasons, but they need to learn that for themselves!

In New Zealand it takes a lot more effort to get the EMS training than in the States...you can't just take a course and look for a company that will hire you.
You have to be interviewed by the service, go through police and medical checks, physical fitness test,
have a current First Aid Cert. and do a induction course,before you even start to do any training.
So it is quite different.

Re the age thing....
The younger ones here tend to join the youth division as cadets and covered events and sports,
before they look at a career in Ambulance operations.

Most of those that tend to join the ambulance service are 20 years +. It takes about 2 years to get to the level you would call EMT-B.
That is with courses and time on road with other ambulance personal.
Here, all our ambulances cover 111 (911 calls) and we do spend a lot of time on the road before the courses,
during and after the course filling in log books of cases we attend, before we can be signed off at that level.

With the time and effort given to get to EMT-B...you really should know by then, that it's something you want to be and continue with.

I've noticed with the States, there are a lot of people that use EMS as a stepping stone to get into other medical careers, it's not like that here.
If you want to be a Doctor or Nurse...you apply to do those courses directly.
You do have to have a certain amount of educational points to be excepted into those courses though.

I do find it sad when I hear of people that join EMS to fill in time, or it's something to do. For those that make it their career, it's a bit of a slap in the face.

Cheers Enjoynz
 
Suzi,

Go for it, for what you want. There is a lot going on in that system right now that has a lot of older medics pissed off. It will blow over and settle down over time. it will weed out the ones that do not need to be there any longer. You are at the best age to start a new career.

From what I have seen, you love being there. It is good to see someone smile while doing their job and be so eager to start in it. Keep it up, you will do fine!
 
Suzi- I just jumped back into EMS after close to two decades of being very gainfully employed in another field. I'll be 39 this summer and I'm applying to medic school.

Don't let age be a discouragement. Go forth, study hard ... and make us proud.
 
I worked in engineering and got paid lot more than I do now but it is what I wanted to do. I have found that a lot of 18 years old (not all) really don't know what they want to do mature students have life experience we have probably worked a few jobs and know what we want. I know when I was 18 I was totally lost as to what I wanted to be when I grew up
 
Sorry I just read that it sounds a little demeaning to 18 years old "when I grew up" just trying to say for me at 18 I had no idea what direction I wanted to take in life
 
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