Emt!

[moto_za]

HI, Anyone have any advice for becoming an EMT? Is it worth it? Does look good to med schools and does it count as clinical experience? Anyone have any experiences they can share?
thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ramstam]

I'm an EMT and a volunteer firefighter. I would say become one if you are going to use it. If you have time to work on a ambulance or an emergency room. Just to have it on your resume would look strange, if it wasn't used. In most states the NREMT website will guide you to classes and tests.
I do feel much better about emergency situations now that I have seen and done some stuff. On the other hand I might have to unlearn some habbits later to adapt to the emergency room (instead of some strange bloody livingroom).

 

[OSUdoc08]

HI, Anyone have any advice for becoming an EMT? Is it worth it? Does look good to med schools and does it count as clinical experience? Anyone have any experiences they can share?
thanks!

1. It is worth it, since you will get better clinical experience here than any other non-degreed health profession.

2. Yes it counts for clinical experience, and my interviewers always asked me about it.

3. You will be at a great advantage over your classmates during your clinical skills classes and at the start of your clinical years.

4. Not only can you get paid experience, but you can get volunteer experience. If you promise to volunteer, then you can get your EMT course paid for. Some volunteer services even offer free volunteer training.

 

[LizzyM]

Does look good to med schools and does it count as clinical experience?

It counts as clinical experience but some the adcom members at one school seem to think that it is so common these days that it is not impressive but it is adequate.

 

[ramstam]

That's true about getting stuff paid for. For me not my EMT, but they put me through the fire academy and some haz mat class. I will not have problems putting my hands on people or taking bp's in a noisy room. So it may make the first clinicals in year three easier.
I also have not interviewed yet, so I don't know if it will help...I hope it will

 

[OSUdoc08]

That's true about getting stuff paid for. For me not my EMT, but they put me through the fire academy and some haz mat class. I will not have problems putting my hands on people or taking bp's in a noisy room. So it may make the first clinicals in year three easier.
I also have not interviewed yet, so I don't know if it will help...I hope it will

Just don't apply to LizzyM's school.

 

[OSUdoc08]

It counts as clinical experience but some the adcom members at one school seem to think that it is so common these days that it is not impressive but it is adequate.

Oh mighty adcom member Lizzy, please tell us.

What IS impressive?

 

[LizzyM]

Oh mighty adcom member Lizzy, please tell us.

What IS impressive?

We are so jaded it is hard to impress us with any particular clinical activity. A lifetime of service around the globe might be impressive but is hard to get unless your parents are missionaries.

Leadership (organizing the efforts of many people), Fulbright scholarships (et al) & research publications are still unusual enough to be impressive at schools that train academic physicians.

 

[OSUdoc08]

We are so jaded it is hard to impress us with any particular clinical activity. A lifetime of service around the globe might be impressive but is hard to get unless your parents are missionaries.

Leadership (organizing the efforts of many people), Fulbright scholarships (et al) & research publications are still unusual enough to be impressive at schools that train academic physicians.

Who would you rather have as your family practitioner? A guy who served his community as a volunteer paramedic for 7 years and brought countless people from the brink of death to a fulfilling life or a guy who never met his next door neighbors because he slept in a lab that tested rats while writing research papers?

I'll take the paramedic EVERY TIME.

Some medical schools have the wrong priorities. Fortunately, when applying for residency, your clinical performance is MORE IMPORTANT than your "nerd factor."

Believe it or not, a VAST MAJORITY of applicants do not want to be academic physicians. You should consider recruiting accordingly.

 

[carn311]

Who would you rather have as your family practitioner? A guy who served his community as a volunteer paramedic for 7 years and brought countless people from the brink of death to a fulfilling life or a guy who never met his next door neighbors because he slept in a lab that tested rats while writing research papers?

I'll take the paramedic EVERY TIME.

Some medical schools have the wrong priorities. Fortunately, when applying for residency, your clinical performance is MORE IMPORTANT than your "nerd factor."

Believe it or not, a VAST MAJORITY of applicants do not want to be academic physicians. You should consider recruiting accordingly.

It's about time somebody said this!! Glad I'm not the only one left with a bad taste in his mouth from "research experience"...

 

[CardiacIntensivist]

Who would you rather have as your family practitioner? A guy who served his community as a volunteer paramedic for 7 years and brought countless people from the brink of death to a fulfilling life or a guy who never met his next door neighbors because he slept in a lab that tested rats while writing research papers?

I'll take the paramedic EVERY TIME.

Some medical schools have the wrong priorities. Fortunately, when applying for residency, your clinical performance is MORE IMPORTANT than your "nerd factor."

Believe it or not, a VAST MAJORITY of applicants do not want to be academic physicians. You should consider recruiting accordingly.

I agree except the point of going to medical school is to learn how to become a physician so it really doesn't matter too much how much you can do before medical school. Being an EMT is very different from being a physician. Perhaps since you are a paramedic it is a different story, you can push more drugs and don't have to call medical control for every little thing. Yes, the practice will probably make you more prepared for 3rd and 4th year but when it's all said and done, everyone has learned the skills to survive in a hospital. Thus it doesn't matter too much if you do have more experience before medical school because everyone will be on the same boat leaving medical school.

Anyway, I think what LizzyM was saying is that being an EMT is becoming more common so it loses the effect. Sort of like how everyone is on Dean's list or in honor's societies, still something nice you've done but not very unique. While you may have more experience with patients, adcoms are trying to find those unique individuals. Good research and publications as an undergrad is pretty uncommon since most undergrads get stuck with scut.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I agree except the point of going to medical school is to learn how to become a physician so it really doesn't matter too much how much you can do before medical school. Being an EMT is very different from being a physician. Perhaps since you are a paramedic it is a different story, you can push more drugs and don't have to call medical control for every little thing. Thus it doesn't matter too much if you do have more experience before medical school because everyone will be on the same boat leaving medical school.

Anyway, I think what LizzyM was saying is that being an EMT is becoming more common so it loses the effect. Sort of like how everyone is on Dean's list or in honor's societies, still something nice you've done but not very unique. While you may have more experience with patients, adcoms are trying to find those unique individuals. Good research and publications as an undergrad is pretty uncommon since most undergrads get stuck with scut.

You would hope so, but this is not always the case. Depending on the school, waiting in line for procedures behind interns and residents may leave some graduates with less experience than someone who has been a paramedic during the same time period.

 

[CardiacIntensivist]

You would hope so, but this is not always the case. Depending on the school, waiting in line for procedures behind interns and residents may leave some graduates with less experience than someone who has been a paramedic during the same time period.

Well EMT-Bs will not have that advantage. The amount of anatomy and knowledge a basic is required to know is laughably minimal to a doctor. I know as I basically breezed through my EMT-B course but am still able to practice my BLS skills very well. If my AP biology taught me as much anatomy as the EMT course, the 1st and 2nd year of a medical student would definately be more extensive. Basically by 3rd year, having that license won't make you more competent than any regular 3rd year.

The one true advantage a basic would have would be bedside manner and dealing with rowdy patients. But again, that is something that can probably be picked up pretty quickly doing rotations.

Trust me, I wish being a basic gave me that much of an advantage. I almost considered CC school because it would allow me to do more and my squad offers the course for free. The time commitment was just too much for my already strained social life. You probably have a great advantage being a paramedic but not many undergrads have time to put in that year to a year and a half to go to medic schooling.

Sorry to the OP for getting off topic. I'll stop with this one.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Well EMT-Bs will not have that advantage. The amount of anatomy and knowledge a basic is required to know is laughably minimal to a doctor. I know as I basically breezed through my EMT-B course but am still able to practice my BLS skills very well. If my AP biology taught me as much anatomy as the EMT course, the 1st and 2nd year of a medical student would definately be more extensive. Basically by 3rd year, having that license won't make you more competent than any regular 3rd year.

The one true advantage a basic would have would be bedside manner and dealing with rowdy patients. But again, that is something that can probably be picked up pretty quickly doing rotations.

Trust me, I wish being a basic gave me that much of an advantage. I almost considered CC school because it would allow me to do more and my squad offers the course for free. The time commitment was just too much for my already strained social life. You probably have a great advantage being a paramedic but not many undergrads have time to put in that year to a year and a half to go to medic schooling.

Sorry to the OP for getting off topic. I'll stop with this one.

I'm a paramedic. I'm not arguing for just EMT-B. I was discussing being an "EMS provider."

 

[ShyRem]

Let us not forget that for many, EMT=EMTB, and EMT is *not* the same as paramedic. We all know that a paramedic is an EMTP, but to the general public (i.e. anyone NOT in EMS) they don't necessarily know that. Heck, many adcoms (and non-ER docs) don't even know what a paramedic does!!! Personally, I find that appalling.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Let us not forget that for many, EMT=EMTB, and EMT is *not* the same as paramedic. We all know that a paramedic is an EMTP, but to the general public (i.e. anyone NOT in EMS) they don't necessarily know that. Heck, many adcoms (and non-ER docs) don't even know what a paramedic does!!! Personally, I find that appalling.

As we have obviously seen in this thread!

On the ambulance, I consider an EMT and a Paramedic as a team, not as the "grand master" and his "servant."

With that being said, you share the SAME clinical experiences.

 

[LizzyM]

Who would you rather have as your family practitioner? A guy who served his community as a volunteer paramedic for 7 years and brought countless people from the brink of death to a fulfilling life or a guy who never met his next door neighbors because he slept in a lab that tested rats while writing research papers?

I'll take the paramedic EVERY TIME.

Some medical schools have the wrong priorities. Fortunately, when applying for residency, your clinical performance is MORE IMPORTANT than your "nerd factor."

Believe it or not, a VAST MAJORITY of applicants do not want to be academic physicians. You should consider recruiting accordingly.

The top tier med schools are operating under the expectation that many of their graduates will be the next generation of academic physicians. Other schools have a mission to train primary care providers, etc. There are no "best" schools or "best" applicant, it depends on finding the "best" fit between school and applicant. The top research schools want to see people who are open to the possibility of research/teaching/clinical care in their careers and the belief is that research prior to matriculation to med school is better than no research in identifying people who will want to pursue academic medicine.

EMS training & experience used to be rare among the most competitive applicants and it impressed adcoms. Within 2-3 years, everyone seemed to be doing it such that it is no longer impressive. This is how the bar keeps getting raised. Sometimes it just seems crazy. Don't shoot the messenger.

If EMT is your passion, go for it and go as far as you can with it. Your passion will show in your PS and your interviews. But understand that is not a requirement, it is not the "best" experience for every pre-med, and it is not something that will automatically set you apart from the "pack".

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

As we have obviously seen in this thread!

On the ambulance, I consider an EMT and a Paramedic as a team, not as the "grand master" and his "servant."

With that being said, you share the SAME clinical experiences.

Not usually. At least in LA, EMT's and P's have vastly different scopes of practice and it is uncommon as an EMT to even have a shift with a Paramedic. I still think EMT's get very good clinical exposure though.

 

[acrobat]

Not usually. At least in LA, EMT's and P's have vastly different scopes of practice and it is uncommon as an EMT to even have a shift with a Paramedic. I still think EMT's get very good clinical exposure though.

Just to confuse everyone further there are EMT-I's also which do say 500 hour clinical experience and are half a paramedic more or less.

In Wisconsin we have EMT- IV technicians- a 3 credit add on course to the basic. But for tax reasons we're know called as of this year EMT- Intermediate technicians. Everyone thinks we're EMT-I's! and we're not we're EMT-I technicians. The EMT-I's are now being called EMT Intermediate advanced. Then of course there are EMT-P's.

Each state does stuff differently. I'm glad we have the tech status in Wisconsin. I can't imagine not being able to give IV's in the ambulance! That nitro causes BP to crash. How could anyone feel comfortable giving it without having a backup of IV to give if things go bad.

ZoomZoom- I interact with Paramedics all the time. We call them and do intercepts. On bad car crashes they normally arrive on scene.

 

[ramstam]

Something funny since many people seem to be EMT's. My first partner was a medic and she told me that EMT stood for empty my trash. The funny stuff that is discussed at three in the morning to distract from a bad call is almost worth being an emt in itself.
I think that having a more complete picture of the rescue/transport system will make me a better ER doc(although I hope for derm). So many times the nurses and docs in the ER get grumpy about the person not being packaged perfect. They don't realize that we try to scoop them up and go.
I also think it is good training to realize there are two types of emergencys.
Oh sh#t! and Bull sh#t.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

.

 

[Lindyhopper]

HI, Anyone have any advice for becoming an EMT? Is it worth it? Does look good to med schools and does it count as clinical experience? Anyone have any experiences they can share?
thanks!

It's a great thing to do.

 

[Agent Splat]

In Wisconsin we have EMT- IV technicians- a 3 credit add on course to the basic. But for tax reasons we're know called as of this year EMT- Intermediate technicians. Everyone thinks we're EMT-I's! and we're not we're EMT-I technicians. The EMT-I's are now being called EMT Intermediate advanced. Then of course there are EMT-P's.

I'm still trying to figure that one out. I guess it makes me an EMT-IT or something. The redundancy in the name if you say the whole thing is just annoying.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

The top tier med schools are operating under the expectation that many of their graduates will be the next generation of academic physicians. Other schools have a mission to train primary care providers, etc. There are no "best" schools or "best" applicant, it depends on finding the "best" fit between school and applicant. The top research schools want to see people who are open to the possibility of research/teaching/clinical care in their careers and the belief is that research prior to matriculation to med school is better than no research in identifying people who will want to pursue academic medicine.

EMS training & experience used to be rare among the most competitive applicants and it impressed adcoms. Within 2-3 years, everyone seemed to be doing it such that it is no longer impressive. This is how the bar keeps getting raised. Sometimes it just seems crazy. Don't shoot the messenger.

If EMT is your passion, go for it and go as far as you can with it. Your passion will show in your PS and your interviews. But understand that is not a requirement, it is not the "best" experience for every pre-med, and it is not something that will automatically set you apart from the "pack".

If more people are becoming EMTs then those of us who have been EMTs for longer than 6 months in our senior year of college should some how stand out. A person who has been an EMT for more than 5 years and has had several leadership position should stand out from other EMTs shouldn't they?

 

[OSUdoc08]

Not usually. At least in LA, EMT's and P's have vastly different scopes of practice and it is uncommon as an EMT to even have a shift with a Paramedic. I still think EMT's get very good clinical exposure though.

I'm sure you're talking about in LA proper. I seriously doubt smaller towns have enough paramedics for 24/7 dual coverage.

Dallas has dual paramedics but surrounding areas would have an EMT/Paramedic crew.

 

[Agent Splat]

If more people are becoming EMTs then those of us who have been EMTs for longer than 6 months in our senior year of college should some how stand out. A person who has been an EMT for more than 5 years and has had several leadership position should stand out from other EMTs shouldn't they?

Agreed. I would think Adcoms would be smart enough to evaluate the quality of the experience rather than just the fact that it existed. This is why its important to do EMS only if it's something you're pretty interested in, have the time for, and are willing to put the work in. THEN it's a great experience.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Something funny since many people seem to be EMT's. My first partner was a medic and she told me that EMT stood for empty my trash. The funny stuff that is discussed at three in the morning to distract from a bad call is almost worth being an emt in itself.
I think that having a more complete picture of the rescue/transport system will make me a better ER doc(although I hope for derm). So many times the nurses and docs in the ER get grumpy about the person not being packaged perfect. They don't realize that we try to scoop them up and go.
I also think it is good training to realize there are two types of emergencys.
Oh sh#t! and Bull sh#t.

Medics who don't realize the importance of an EMT should be shot.

This would be the same thing in the hospital if a physician says that the nurses job is to "change the patient's diaper." We all know her real job is to actually care for the patient and prevent lawsuits against the physician.

 

[sharkchaser47]

Agreed. I would think Adcoms would be smart enough to evaluate the quality of the experience rather than just the fact that it existed. This is why its important to do EMS only if it's something you're pretty interested in, have the time for, and are willing to put the work in. THEN it's a great experience.

I absolutely agree. I was an EMT for over 5 years in a very busy urban area. And in my time, I have responded to over 1500 calls... That kind of experience and practice in dealing with patients is invaluable. I know that when I start my rotations I won't have any problem talking to patients, getting histories and doing basic clinical skills.

And you really can't compare learning how to do IVs and intubating in medical school, to learning at 3am from the medics in the kitchen of the firehouse!

 

[Agent Splat]

And you really can't compare learning how to do IVs and intubating in medical school, to learning at 3am from the medics in the kitchen of the firehouse!

...or to getting strapped tightly to a backboard, turned upside-down, and tickle-tortured, almost peeing your overly-pocketed EMT pants by your friends while they practice for their paramedic registry exam.

I miss work.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

I absolutely agree. I was an EMT for over 5 years in a very busy urban area. And in my time, I have responded to over 1500 calls... That kind of experience and practice in dealing with patients is invaluable. I know that when I start my rotations I won't have any problem talking to patients, getting histories and doing basic clinical skills.

And you really can't compare learning how to do IVs and intubating in medical school, to learning at 3am from the medics in the kitchen of the firehouse!

I agree. I have been an EMT for 15 years held Line Officer positions such as Sergeant, 1st Leiutant, and Crew Chief. I cannot see how this can be tossed off by adcoms.

 

[ramstam]

I agree. I have been an EMT for 15 years held Line Officer positions such as Sergeant, 1st Leiutant, and Crew Chief. I cannot see how this can be tossed off by adcoms.

Hopefully you mean tossed out by adcoms?

 

[45408]

If more people are becoming EMTs then those of us who have been EMTs for longer than 6 months in our senior year of college should some how stand out. A person who has been an EMT for more than 5 years and has had several leadership position should stand out from other EMTs shouldn't they?

I'm pretty sure that an adcom would be able to figure out if you just took the course (big deal) or actually worked as one. I was asked a number of specific questions about what exactly I did in the field, so I'm sure they were trying to figure out where I fit on that spectrum.