For those who are/were ER Techs or Patient Care Techs how much money did you make?

[The Buff OP]

Hey guys, so right now I have taken a detour in my pre-medical studies, and I have been going to school for something else. I recently got accepted into Paramedic school and the reason I chose to go that route was to gain more advance life support skills for either an ambulance job or a tech job at hospital. After I did some 24 hour ambulance shifts I realized an ambulance job might not be what I'm looking for, it's not because I don't like the work of an EMT. There was times I wished we would get a break and after some stress build up, I knew this was not a good job to have during college, plus the shifts are always rotating. I recently found out that just with an EMT-B certification (I know, I'm late on that one lol) you could land a tech job at a hospital and they will train you on the extra skills that you need to learn for the job. After reading some past threads on here, it looks like a tech job is the way to go for a pre-med.

I basically want a job that makes enough money to pay for rent, bills, and food during college. So I ask you guys, did you guys make enough money to pay for your life expenses? If I just go up to the AEMT level (first 2 semesters of paramedic school) will I get pay more by the hour as a tech?

Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[fellowstudent92]

don't do it for the money bro.

 

[The Buff OP]

don't do it for the money bro.

There is obvious reasons why I would like to be a tech, like I love taking care of people, clinical setting, and bump shoulders with doctors. The money has to come in hand as well or else how will I survive?

A little short background about me is I still live with my parents, I'm originally from California and they have been talking about moving back to California (me and my brother want to stay in Texas for school) for a while and they have been holding back on it until I'm well enough to be on my own (income wise).

 

[2Pints]

I basically want a job that makes enough money to pay for rent, bills, and food during college. So I ask you guys, did you guys make enough money to pay for your life expenses? If I just go up to the AEMT level (first 2 semesters of paramedic school) will I get pay more by the hour as a tech?

Thanks.

Every hospital has a different pay grade. Call the hospital and ask about base rate and shift differential then do some number crunching. I don't know how much EMT levels will help you with your rate. If you don't want to be an EMT get out of the program and don't waste more money because even if you were compensated the rate wouldn't be enough. My hospital pays 50 cents/hr per certification and 50 cents/hr for a BSN but not my other degree. The hospital has to deem the certification or degree relevant to the position.

You might be able to pick up extra shifts when you don't have classes and earn some nice OT differential to help save for when you are in school. One good thing about the ED is they have strange shifts. Our ED offers 8 hour shifts at odd hours. Anywhere else in the hospital is most likely 7 - 7 or something similar.

 

[The Buff OP]

Hey y'all, I don't expect a big feedback from this thread since not all of you guys have gone through this route, but if you know someone who has let them know about my question. Of course, I will be emailing and calling my local hospitals, but I came here first.

What I have heard about my area is that people with an EMT-B certification get paid more as techs or at transport service companies. EMT-B's at a 911 service make around $12.00 an hour.

My most important question:
Will and advanced EMT (EMT Intermediate) certification give me a higher pay for a tech position (any part of the hospital)?

 

[Dr.kennethnoisewater]

Hey y'all, I don't expect a big feedback from this thread since not all of you guys have gone through this route, but if you know someone who has let them know about my question. Of course, I will be emailing and calling my local hospitals, but I came here first to ask for help.

What I have heard about my area is that people with an EMT-B certification get paid more as techs or at transporting service companies. EMT-B's at a 911 service make around $12.00 an hour.

My most important question:
Will and advanced EMT (EMT Intermediate) certification give me a higher pay for a tech position (any part of the hospital)?

I know that my hospital requires that you have your phlebotomy certificate and CNA. Recommends EMT. The techs I know make around 15/hr unless your per diem its about 16/hr or something like that.

 

[The Buff OP]

I know that my hospital requires that you have your phlebotomy certificate and CNA. Recommends EMT. The techs I know make around 15/hr unless your per diem its about 16/hr or something like that.

Is it in Texas?

 

[Dr.kennethnoisewater]

Is it in Texas?

No, Washington state. So I guess that wage will vary quite a bit state to state.

 

[The Buff OP]

No, Washington state. So I guess that wage will vary quite a bit state to state.

Yeah, it will. Well thanks for your input, bud.

 

[The Buff OP]

Thanks again for the people who voted on the poll. I found out that techs make around 25k-30k a year that's enough for a college student to pay for rent, bills, and other things.

 

[ems2doc]

Where I'm from it's sort of bizarre. I was an EMT-B that scribed and I got paid more than an AEMT directly involved in patient care.
11.10 vs 10.60
To be fair though... the AEMT only finished high school (no interest in college) and I was president of the college's biological honors society.

 

[The Buff OP]

Where I'm from it's sort of bizarre. I was an EMT-B that scribed and I got paid more than an AEMT directly involved in patient care.
11.10 vs 10.60
To be fair though... the AEMT only finished high school (no interest in college) and I was president of the college's biological honors society.

Yeah, in my area supposedly you make more money in transports or as a tech. To be honest, I think I'm not gonna go through the paramedic school anymore, I made some calculations for the cost of one semester (I got the total cost of the semester sent to me this week), plus the books, and other items I might need and I won't be able to afford it.

 

[ems2doc]

Yeah, in my area supposedly you make more money in transports or as a tech. To be honest, I think I'm not gonna go through the paramedic school anymore, I made some calculations for the cost of one semester (I got the total cost of the semester sent to me this week), plus the books, and other items I might need and I won't be able to afford it.

Yeah I wouldn't do paramedic unless I wanted a career in paramedicine.

 

[The Buff OP]

Yeah I wouldn't do paramedic unless I wanted a career in paramedicine.

That's what most medical students who were EMT's told me, EMT-B is enough for a pre-med or sometimes up to AEMT.

 

[ems2doc]

That's what most medical students who were EMT's told me, EMT-B is enough for a pre-med or sometimes up to AEMT.

Now there's EMR too, which is lower than EMT-B. It's mostly for firefighters and first responders, but some ambulance services accept them and let them take vitals and such.

 

[The Buff OP]

Now there's EMR too, which is lower than EMT-B. It's mostly for firefighters and first responders, but some ambulance services accept them and let them take vitals and such.

I'm way past that, bro.
EMR -> EMT-B -> AEMT -> EMT-P

 

[AllyK]

I work as a patient care tech at a hospital in Michigan, and I make $14.60. CNA and BLS required for pretty much any tech position

 

[ems2doc]

I'm way past that, bro.
EMR -> EMT-B -> AEMT -> EMT-P

Yeah, that post was more for people who haven't been in EMS yet. Probably not the best place to post it.

 

[The Buff OP]

I work as a patient care tech at a hospital in Michigan, and I make $14.60. CNA and BLS required for pretty much any tech position

Well would you look at that, your first post on TheBuffOp's thread thats an honor. lol

I think I should be golden since EMT-B's learn more stuff than CNA's. We are also required to to have a BLS certification every two years.
Thanks for your input.

 

[The Buff OP]

Yeah, that post was more for people who haven't been in EMS yet. Probably not the best place to post it.

Ah, gotcha. Did you ever worked on ambulance while you were in college, if you did how long were your shifts?

 

[allantois]

salary.com

 

[ems2doc]

Ah, gotcha. Did you ever worked on ambulance while you were in college, if you did how long were your shifts?

12 h0ur night shifts. 0600 to 1800

 

[The Buff OP]

salary.com

That kinda helps, but they don't tell you how much you can earn as a tech with an EMT-B or EMT-I certification.

 

[The Buff OP]

12 h0ur night shifts. 0600 to 1800

When did you have time to go to school? Was it a stable shift schedule, like one on another off?

 

[ems2doc]

When did you have time to go to school? Was it a stable shift schedule, like one on another off?

It varies from place to place, but I only worked either 12 or 24 hours per week. We had a set shift (every week)... mine were Thursday nights for a while. Nobody had shifts every weekend, so we took turns. So I either did Thursday night or Thursday night + one weekend shift.

 

[The Buff OP]

It varies from place to place, but I only worked either 12 or 24 hours per week. We had a set shift (every week)... mine were Thursday nights for a while. Nobody had shifts every weekend, so we took turns. So I either did Thursday night or Thursday night + one weekend shift.

Gotcha.
I thought about this today, I'm gonna go for a tech job and once I have a good understanding of my work schedule and school schedule, I will try to volunteer for a 911 service on a weekend, so for I won't miss the ambulance. Thoughts?

 

[ems2doc]

Gotcha.
I thought about this today, I'm gonna go for a tech job and once I have a good understanding of my work schedule and school schedule, I will try to volunteer for a 911 service on a weekend, so for I won't miss the ambulance. Thoughts?

Some places won't hire techs without prior ambulance experience, some will. Just check to make sure.

 

[The Buff OP]

Some places won't hire techs without prior ambulance experience, some will. Just check to make sure.

I should be okay. C'mon they hire people with CNA certifications who don't have any prior medical experience.

 

[DermViser]

Hey guys, so right now I have taken a detour in my pre-medical studies, and I have been going to school for something else. I recently got accepted into Paramedic school and the reason I chose to go that route was to gain more advance life support skills for either an ambulance job or a tech job at hospital. After I did some 24 hour ambulance shifts I realized an ambulance job might not be what I'm looking for, it's not because I don't like the work of an EMT. There was times I wished we would get a break and after some stress build up, I knew this was not a good job to have during college, plus the shifts are always rotating. I recently found out that just with an EMT-B certification (I know, I'm late on that one lol) you could land a tech job at a hospital and they will train you on the extra skills that you need to learn for the job. After reading some past threads on here, it looks like a tech job is the way to go for a pre-med.

I basically want a job that makes enough money to pay for rent, bills, and food during college. So I ask you guys, did you guys make enough money to pay for your life expenses? If I just go up to the AEMT level (first 2 semesters of paramedic school) will I get pay more by the hour as a tech?

Thanks.

Why the detour? Something tells me you're going the PA route which is perfectly acceptable.

 

[The Buff OP]

Why the detour? Something tells me you're going the PA route which is perfectly acceptable.

I'm not. I just needed something to make enough money to live on my own and pay for school.

 

[DermViser]

I'm not. I just needed something to make enough money to live on my own and pay for school.

For College? I guarantee that a Paramedic salary won't make a dent.

 

[The Buff OP]

For College? I guarantee that a Paramedic salary won't make a dent.

I'm in CC and I will be taking loans once I transfer to a university. I will not be moving forward with the paramedic school anymore, I'm gonna go for a tech job.
You have a nice day.

 

[DermViser]

I'm in CC and I will be taking loans once I transfer to a university. I will not be moving forward with the paramedic school anymore, I'm gonna go for a tech job.
You have a nice day.

I wasn't being mean. I was just being realisitic with respect to finances and college costs. I'm sorry you took it badly.

 

[The Buff OP]

I wasn't being mean. I was just being realisitic with respect to finances and college costs. I'm sorry you took it badly.

IDK bud you seem to harass people on here and troll, so you never know.

I always put a lot of thought into life choices, techs make around 30k a year that's enough for me since I live in Texas and you can get a nice looking apartment for 675-800 bucks a month. Furthermore, me and my bro will be living together so we can always put our money together to pay rent and bills.

 

[The Buff OP]

Just a quick bump.

@proster @IL Pre Med @doc4lax @Ron2126

To the people I tagged on this post:
Since you guys make the most by the hour, do you guys work night shift? What's your location (State)?

 

[IL Pre Med]

Illinois mid shift 10am-6pm in the OR

 

[The Buff OP]

Illinois mid shift 10am-6pm in the OR

Oh, you were a surgical tech, right? That's different than a patient care or ER tech.

 

[IL Pre Med]

.