Should I pursure EMT training?

[franniemeow07]

Hi Everyone,

This isn't a question about whether EMT training will enhance my application. I am thinking of pursuing training for the sake of more direct exposure to the health care field. I've done all the standard volunteering and shadowing, but I suppose I am the indecisive personality type, and want to make absolutely sure that I could do nothing but medicine for my life. I'm currently in a gap year doing basic sciences research, and have started my primary application but am considering doing starting EMT training if I decide to take another year off before applying.

I've read the stickies, so I'm aware what the mods and other posters have said about EMT's becoming specialists in only a very small niche of medicine, and that liking one may not necessary mean that you would like both EMS and medicine.

Hm..so what do you all think...thanks for any advice you can give me.

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[greytmedic]

No.

 

[franniemeow07]

Pardon me for being curious...but uh why no?

 

[greytmedic]

Because EMT class won't tell you if you want to practice medicine for the rest of your life, it will show you if you might like a career in the emergency medical services. Plus, you would be taking up a seat that would otherwise go to someone who wanted to be active and involved in the career of emergency medical services, not someone trying to see if it was fun until they moved onto the next big thing. Also, by the time you took EMT class, passed National Registry/state exam, got your cert/license back, found a job, went through job orientaton, etc, etc, etc, you wouldn't have much "medical" experience to really clear up any doubt. It looks like you already have a lot of experience in research and some medical shadowing. If you want to determine if practicing medicine is what you want to do, try more shadowing or something more related to practicing medicine as a physician.

 

[MedicFL]

Agreed with the above. It will just delay you in your app. Do not take a year off to become an EMT. Do something academic to make your app more appealing..

 

[jbar]

I have a slightly different take. I was an EMT and am now a med student. First off I don't think most EMT classes totally fill, so it's unlikely that you are "taking a spot" from someone who would work as an EMT. Secondly while I agree that you shouldn't take a year off before med school to get your EMT, if you are going to take a year off anyway it is worthwhile training. The reason not to take time off to work as an EMT is that it is very tough to find jobs working 911 as an EMT with no experience. Doing ambulance transfers is a waste of time.

Most doctors have no idea what to do if they come across a car accident, or how to sling a shoulder. These are good skills to have since you will come across emergencies in real life. Also give good insight into what EMTs and medics deal with in the field before the patient comes in. Also not a bad introduction to some of the pathology that you will see in med school. (Yes you can go to med school with out the EMT, and the depth that you go into in EMT is tiny in comparison, but I liked having that background before I started. Again, not a justification to take the class, but a plus)

It isn't much time, like 6 hours a week at night. And the class doesn't cost much. So if it is something that you can fit in on the side while taking time off or applying I'd say go for it, but wouldn't plan my year off around it.

 

[leviathan]

There is some common ground between EMS and medicine. For example, whether you are capable of dealing with people from all sorts of socioeconomic backgrounds and a variety of diverse populations.

But if you're only going to be possibly working a transfer service for maybe 6 months, that really isn't going to be remotely enough time to answer those types of questions.

 

[cavalier329]

It may not give you the exposure to the "greater medical industry" but it will certainly teach you how hospital politics works.

If you become an EMT, let me be the first to welcome you to the very, very bottom of the barrel. While this may suck, it will make you see how important nurses and all other hospital staff really are. When you eventually become a doctor, you won't jerk these people around (I HOPE!)

Being an EMT will also definitely teach you how to coordinate the efforts of a bunch of other people who may not be at the same skill level as yourself. This is a valuable skill. It will also teach you how to work fast and under pressure. I worked in the bronx for some time. You may not be exposed to an equally busy call volume, but you'll get the exposure sooner or later if you work enough.

Being an EMT is very valuable, but as others said, I wouldn't take the year off just do it. If the timing works, then go for it.

 

[MadMack]

What you get out of EMT school will depend mostly on your instructors. When I went through the program my lead instructor was a 30 year Veteran of Fire Rescue, who had been a Paramedic almost as long as there'd been a certification for it in Florida. He taught above and beyond what was required by the curriculum and as a result, he produced some outstanding Basics. However, while it will make you proficient at treating trauma, its not going to give you a tremendous amount of experience in terms of medicine.

Again, depending on your program you'll do ride time with either Fire Rescue or a private ambulance service and you'll also do some time in an Emergency Department. The biggest thing you can take from your time in the ED is learning what normal is; something that'll be incredibly useful if you decide to stick it out in the medical field. However, its not going to teach you a lot about medicine.

You can complete EMT school in one semester or over the summer. If you have the time to take the classes, and you would like to learn skills that are extremely useful in bad situations; triage, patient assessment, splinting, bleeding control, CPR, and how to work your way around a trauma box I highly recommend taking the course. Hell, you might end up really enjoying it and decide that you want to become a Paramedic/Firefighter instead of a doctor.

 

[TarHeelEMT]

Another EMT-turned medical student here.

I say go for it. I had no interest in medicine until I became an EMT, and I could not be happier that taking care of patients in the field led me to medicine. It helps if you do EMS in the area of a major research hospital, because that will give you access to a big hospital with lots of ER physicians to potentially shadow (Also a big part of how I got my start).

If you do EMS, though, take it seriously. It is constantly underestimated as a field, and you'll quickly learn how much respect its practitioners deserve.

 

[premedrod]

Because EMT class won't tell you if you want to practice medicine for the rest of your life, it will show you if you might like a career in the emergency medical services. Plus, you would be taking up a seat that would otherwise go to someone who wanted to be active and involved in the career of emergency medical services, not someone trying to see if it was fun until they moved onto the next big thing. Also, by the time you took EMT class, passed National Registry/state exam, got your cert/license back, found a job, went through job orientaton, etc, etc, etc, you wouldn't have much "medical" experience to really clear up any doubt. It looks like you already have a lot of experience in research and some medical shadowing. If you want to determine if practicing medicine is what you want to do, try more shadowing or something more related to practicing medicine as a physician.

why do people always talk about going into EMS just for med school is bad because you take a spot of someone else. come on, its not like med school...
if there are no jobs for EMTs then i can understand why the constant reminder of this. but if there are enough for who ever decides to get EMT-b cert, then people need to stop saying this spot nonsense.

 

[MedicFL]

why do people always talk about going into EMS just for med school is bad because you take a spot of someone else. come on, its not like med school...
if there are no jobs for EMTs then i can understand why the constant reminder of this. but if there are enough for who ever decides to get EMT-b cert, then people need to stop saying this spot nonsense.

Why well first off you are going to piss off most of your co-workers if you do actually get a job. Second EMS is not a CV building activity, it is a serious job and needs to be taken seriously. EMS has fought for years to be on an even playing field with other healthcare workers nurses in particular. What EMS doesn't need is a bunch of premed students who clog up the system only to boost there stats. It does take a spot from someone else and yes in many areas the training spots are limited as well as the clinical locations. Not to mention if you get hired somewhere they spend time and money training you only to have you leave. Just because your an EMT doesn't mean your good at it!! Finally the more EMT's that are out there the wages go down........

 

[howelljolly]

EMT, turned Medic, turned EMS instructor, turned Med Student here...

You WILL be taking a spot from someone else.
You WILL NOT be learniing if medicine is right for you

Im not so sure about the second point, but I am about the first.

There are enough spots, and there are enough applicants for the most part. There are some competitive medic programs, but lets keep it at EMT for now. EMT programs aim to throw every one of their graduates in the workforce to fill a public health need. They do not train people so they can drop out of the profession. Simple as that. Actually, I'm trying not to go on a rant right about now.

Additionally, I didnt quite understand what you wrote, but if I did... No there are not enough jobs out there for EMTs. You will likely have to volunteer to get some initial experience, then do interfacility transfers, and then 911. It takes time to become an experienced EMT.

Now, about learning if medicine is right for you. The vast majority of medicine is cramming volumes of information into your brain, the rest is using it. Part of it is if you have good bedside manner and care about patients. That last part, you can easily get from volunteering in a hospital, nursing home, etc etc. So, the majority medicine, you dont get from flying around in an ambulance. Besides, how will being an EMT help you decide if you want to be a pathologist, radiologist, surgeon, pediatrician, OB/gyn....

Sure first you have to want to take care of patients, but what you really need is to want to study till your eyes bleed.

 

[nsx]

Don't think it's a question of "spots"/available jobs as it is an attitude thing. Your dad/grandma/best friend deserves to have someone taking care of them who really wants to be there.

Sure lots of people work jobs they hate. But the pay in EMS is so low that it theoretically should weed out anyone who doesn't love the field. It's awesome to work with people who mostly enjoy their jobs. Working a low paying job you don't like warps economics into a parallel universe, and screwing with physics is a bad idea...hence ems for resume fluff is a bad idea. If that doesn't make sense, ask your boss if you're taking up a spot.

 

[howelljolly]

Its also a cost/utilization thing. A few years ago, when I was teaching, it cost $96,000 (give or take) to train a paramedic. Tuition was a fraction of that.

 

[nsx]

absolutely, resource allocation is key...but people who have no intention of using that 96K probably won't see themselves as wasting it, ya know?

Its also a cost/utilization thing. A few years ago, when I was teaching, it cost $96,000 (give or take) to train a paramedic. Tuition was a fraction of that.

 

[howelljolly]

absolutely, resource allocation is key...but people who have no intention of using that 96K probably won't see themselves as wasting it, ya know?

sad but true

 

[nsx]

haha, didn't mean to be so cynical about it, I was just hoping that a slightly different angle would resonate with someone. This is a hard subject to talk about without pissing someone off..the end.

 

[slick27]

I'm don't like most of the response on this question. If the OP wants to learn some vaulable life skills, such as what to do in a trauma situation than he/she should take it. If the OP wants to take it to help them get into med school and it gets him/her in med school then take it. I don't buy the agurment that they are taking the spot away from someone else. In my EMT-B class only 40 percent actually graduated. Some dropped out early deciding it wasn't for them. Some dropped out deciding they could deal with tramantic experienes after training on ride alongs. And I hate saying this, but half the people in my class were idiots and had no place sitting in a college classroom. The OP is a college student, thus will get through the program and hopefully will find out if he has a passion to serve others in their time of need. The key is you never know till you try it.


Even if the OP never becomes a seasoned EMT or even gets employed as an EMT. This class is teaching life skills and you never know when this training will come in handy.

I say go for it, if you're serious about spending a semester learning to become an EMT.

 

[howelljolly]

I'm don't like most of the response on this question. If the OP wants to learn some vaulable life skills, such as what to do in a trauma situation than he/she should take it. If the OP wants to take it to help them get into med school and it gets him/her in med school then take it. I don't buy the agurment that they are taking the spot away from someone else. In my EMT-B class only 40 percent actually graduated. Some dropped out early deciding it wasn't for them. Some dropped out deciding they could deal with tramantic experienes after training on ride alongs. And I hate saying this, but half the people in my class were idiots and had no place sitting in a college classroom. The OP is a college student, thus will get through the program and hopefully will find out if he has a passion to serve others in their time of need. The key is you never know till you try it.

Even if the OP never becomes a seasoned EMT or even gets employed as an EMT. This class is teaching life skills and you never know when this training will come in handy.

I say go for it, if you're serious about spending a semester learning to become an EMT.

I dont like your response either. Not buying that taking an EMT training seat with the intention of getting into med school is simply a matter of not understanding the details of personell selection, training, management, etc. Not totally your fault really, but I'd take it on faith if I were in your position.

As for the rest of the stuff, what a lot of us are telling you is that you will probably not get those things. You'll get a lot of other things, and probably feel pretty satisfied with yourself, but you will not get too many life skills from EMT school. A Red Cross first aid course will give you the significantly more useful life-skillset you are looking for. What are you going to do in a trauma situation? If you are working as an EMT, you'll do your job. If you are the lucky witness to a medical emergency, whether you are Red Cross certified, EMT, or MD, youll do the same thing - call 911, keep the patient calm, and keep an eye on the ABCs. If the patient craps out on you, you'll still do the same thing - BLS.

We're telling you that EMT school will not get you into med school. A GPA above 3.7, MCATs above 30, volunteering in a hospital, library, nursing home, homeless shelter, or after school group or research lab, will.

Its pretty silly, people come on this thread asking about going to EMT school with the hopes of getting into med school, and then they argue with the people who have done just that. There are dozens of us who have done the same thing, and we are giving you our life experiences. If you want, I'll give you a list of EMS guys that never made it to a US med school and ended up going offshore thats so long you'd think it was the military draft list that Bush wrote.

If you want people to tell you what you want to hear just so you can internally justify your own decision, you'll be disappointed. Just look at all the threads with the theme of "I just dropped $150 on this stethoscope, it's the best one out there isn't it? I dont hear an S4 because the patient doesnt have one, right?"

 

[MedicFL]

I dont like your response either. Not buying that taking an EMT training seat with the intention of getting into med school is simply a matter of not understanding the details of personell selection, training, management, etc. Not totally your fault really, but I'd take it on faith if I were in your position.

As for the rest of the stuff, what a lot of us are telling you is that you will probably not get those things. You'll get a lot of other things, and probably feel pretty satisfied with yourself, but you will not get too many life skills from EMT school. A Red Cross first aid course will give you the significantly more useful life-skillset you are looking for. What are you going to do in a trauma situation? If you are working as an EMT, you'll do your job. If you are the lucky witness to a medical emergency, whether you are Red Cross certified, EMT, or MD, youll do the same thing - call 911, keep the patient calm, and keep an eye on the ABCs. If the patient craps out on you, you'll still do the same thing - BLS.

We're telling you that EMT school will not get you into med school. A GPA above 3.7, MCATs above 30, volunteering in a hospital, library, nursing home, homeless shelter, or after school group or research lab, will.

Its pretty silly, people come on this thread asking about going to EMT school with the hopes of getting into med school, and then they argue with the people who have done just that. There are dozens of us who have done the same thing, and we are giving you our life experiences. If you want, I'll give you a list of EMS guys that never made it to a US med school and ended up going offshore thats so long you'd think it was the military draft list that Bush wrote.

If you want people to tell you what you want to hear just so you can internally justify your own decision, you'll be disappointed. Just look at all the threads with the theme of "I just dropped $150 on this stethoscope, it's the best one out there isn't it? I dont hear an S4 because the patient doesnt have one, right?"

HAHA thats funny you might have to add my name to that list come next cycle.. I will be trying US DO first but thats a whole other issue.. IF your not careful you can spread yourself too thin as I have and your grades can suffer. Would I trade all my EMS experience for a 3.8+ GPA ya there is a real good chance... Only time will tell for me, but please take the advice of those that have done this and made there own mistakes.

 

[jbar]

another way to look at it is that most people who are EMTs (not medics) only do it for a year or two before moving onto something else. There are a variety of reasons for this, the main one probably being that you can only live so long on $18K a year before you get fed up and either get out or move up to medic/nurse/FF. So to me it doesn't really matter if people leave to go to med school or leave EMS and go into banking.

But I agree that you need to take it seriously and try to be the best EMT possible.

I'm not sure how I feel about this "taking a spot" thing. From what I hear in most places in the country there is a shortage of EMTs, so plenty of spots. Also if a lot of pre meds want to become EMTs then those areas tend to offer more EMT classes, supply and demand. People make money teaching those things.

 

[docB]

When I did my EMT class (which granted was ~17 years ago) space was tight. You had to do EMT to get into fire service so there was a waiting list. Anyone taking a seat in that environment was bumping someone else.

I'm not sure what "life skills" are. I always thought life skills were things like tying your shoes and balancing a check book. If we're talking about life saving skills then I echo what howelljolley said, take a first aid course.

I still think those who want to do EMS should do EMS and those who want to do medicine should do medicine. I say again that EMS is not the minor league of medicine and that getting an EMT just to go to medical school is like becoming a police officer because you really want to be a lawyer.

 

[howelljolly]

I still think those who want to do EMS should do EMS and those who want to do medicine should do medicine. I say again that EMS is not the minor league of medicine and that getting an EMT just to go to medical school is like becoming a police officer because you really want to be a lawyer.

Well said.

About the "taking a spot" issue. As DocB said, it depends on the location. It might be that you are taking a spot off a waiting list, or you are wasting $96,000 from the budget. One way or another, you are ab-using the system.

Its also things like this which contribute to the astronomical attrition rate in EMS, which is a major factor in what prevents it from being a "profession" How can EMS develop services that offer the same "20-and-out" pension benefits that PD and FD have when the average EMT survives 2 years?

Incidentally, the FDNY EMS combats this issue by a very strict selection process, which includes a psychologic interview (maybe even a polygraph, but Im not sure). They deal with any "I secretly want to be a doctor" issues right there. I had a co-worker (medic) whos brother is a pulmonary disease specialist (which they did a background check to find out). They went TOTALLY Freudian-psychoanalytic on him.

 

[premedrod]

Why well first off you are going to piss off most of your co-workers if you do actually get a job. Second EMS is not a CV building activity, it is a serious job and needs to be taken seriously. EMS has fought for years to be on an even playing field with other healthcare workers nurses in particular. What EMS doesn't need is a bunch of premed students who clog up the system only to boost there stats. It does take a spot from someone else and yes in many areas the training spots are limited as well as the clinical locations. Not to mention if you get hired somewhere they spend time and money training you only to have you leave. Just because your an EMT doesn't mean your good at it!! Finally the more EMT's that are out there the wages go down........

this is where i'm coming from. i have an interest in emergency medicine and so wouldn't this experience as an EMT be useful? i heard that having EMT experience was helpful to some med students applying to emerg med residencies...if you're taking vitals and being able to perform BLS as an EMT, it would be much more often than a person who just took a first aid class so it would not be better. i plan on taking the class seriously and i believe there will be many useful things to learn from the experience. it's not like i wouldn't be doing the volunteering on the side...(referring to other posts after this one i'm quoting of yours)

EMT, turned Medic, turned EMS instructor, turned Med Student here...

You WILL be taking a spot from someone else.
You WILL NOT be learniing if medicine is right for you

Im not so sure about the second point, but I am about the first.

There are enough spots, and there are enough applicants for the most part. There are some competitive medic programs, but lets keep it at EMT for now. EMT programs aim to throw every one of their graduates in the workforce to fill a public health need. They do not train people so they can drop out of the profession. Simple as that. Actually, I'm trying not to go on a rant right about now.

Additionally, I didnt quite understand what you wrote, but if I did... No there are not enough jobs out there for EMTs. You will likely have to volunteer to get some initial experience, then do interfacility transfers, and then 911. It takes time to become an experienced EMT.

Now, about learning if medicine is right for you. The vast majority of medicine is cramming volumes of information into your brain, the rest is using it. Part of it is if you have good bedside manner and care about patients. That last part, you can easily get from volunteering in a hospital, nursing home, etc etc. So, the majority medicine, you dont get from flying around in an ambulance. Besides, how will being an EMT help you decide if you want to be a pathologist, radiologist, surgeon, pediatrician, OB/gyn....

Sure first you have to want to take care of patients, but what you really need is to want to study till your eyes bleed.

first off, i think you contradicted yourself. you said there were enough spots and then you said there werent...
whats wrong with being an EMT for two years and being good at it, also enjoying the work? how can you say to that pre med, "Dont do it, b/c you're not worthy of being an EMT since you plan on going to med school...." it doesnt make sense...
like i said above, i plan on doing volunteer activities alongside being an EMT so i dont know why all this hating with the "spot" talk. (some stuff i'm talking about refers to posts after this one i'm referring to thats yours...didn't want to keep adding quotes in here to respond to them)

I'm don't like most of the response on this question. If the OP wants to learn some vaulable life skills, such as what to do in a trauma situation than he/she should take it. If the OP wants to take it to help them get into med school and it gets him/her in med school then take it. I don't buy the agurment that they are taking the spot away from someone else. In my EMT-B class only 40 percent actually graduated. Some dropped out early deciding it wasn't for them. Some dropped out deciding they could deal with tramantic experienes after training on ride alongs. And I hate saying this, but half the people in my class were idiots and had no place sitting in a college classroom. The OP is a college student, thus will get through the program and hopefully will find out if he has a passion to serve others in their time of need. The key is you never know till you try it.


Even if the OP never becomes a seasoned EMT or even gets employed as an EMT. This class is teaching life skills and you never know when this training will come in handy.

I say go for it, if you're serious about spending a semester learning to become an EMT.

i agree with you slick. hopefully i finish the EMT training and start working so that i can give some encouraging advice to the premeds thinking about being an EMT....then they can take many more spots in the EMT programs

 

[howelljolly]

this is where i'm coming from. i have an interest in emergency medicine and so wouldn't this experience as an EMT be useful? i heard that having EMT experience was helpful to some med students applying to emerg med residencies...if you're taking vitals and being able to perform BLS as an EMT, it would be much more often than a person who just took a first aid class so it would not be better. i plan on taking the class seriously and i believe there will be many useful things to learn from the experience. it's not like i wouldn't be doing the volunteering on the side...(referring to other posts after this one i'm quoting of yours)



first off, i think you contradicted yourself. you said there were enough spots and then you said there werent...
whats wrong with being an EMT for two years and being good at it, also enjoying the work? how can you say to that pre med, "Dont do it, b/c you're not worthy of being an EMT since you plan on going to med school...." it doesnt make sense...
like i said above, i plan on doing volunteer activities alongside being an EMT so i dont know why all this hating with the "spot" talk. (some stuff i'm talking about refers to posts after this one i'm referring to thats yours...didn't want to keep adding quotes in here to respond to them)



i agree with you slick. hopefully i finish the EMT training and start working so that i can give some encouraging advice to the premeds thinking about being an EMT....then they can take many more spots in the EMT programs

1. knowing how to take a blood pressure will never help you in med school. e-ver.

2. I might have... its not the issue... as I said 'taking' a spot is region dependent. Point is, people dont understand they are ab-using the system by doing this. If they do understand, then they dont care. Either way...

3. Whatever, Im an EMT-P, and half a year from an MD. I have done what you are proposing to do. I wont give you encouraging advice or discouraging advice. I'll tell you what I think is right.

Are you going to tell your patients encouraging things that they want to hear? Or are you going to tell them the cold hard truth? Because, they're usually not the same.

As I said: If you want people to tell you what you want to hear just so you can internally justify your own decision, you'll be disappointed.

Go ahead, become an EMT gain some valuable experience for medical school. Gosh it did me so much good that I'll be a doctor by this time next year! Oh, but you wont run into me in Emergency Medicine, because my academic record isnt good enough.

 

[leviathan]

I went to school to become a paramedic fully well knowing I'd like to continue on to medicine. I got my undergrad degree, but then I knew I had anywhere from 1 to several more years off before I would get into medicine. I wanted a job which would allow me to feed my appetite to work in health care and do something rewarding and satisfying in my life.

I don't necessarily agree with the 'taking a spot' issue. It seems there are hundreds of EMT diploma mills which afford anyone with a pulse and a high school diploma (or sometimes less) the opportunity to take the EMT course. In my area, the paramedic program was a first-come, first-served registration policy, so I got in by applying early. I don't necessarily think that stealing a spot was such a horrible thing, as anyone with the initiative to apply could have got in the same as me, and my own intentions weren't for 'resume padding' or anything of that nature.

Just wanted to give my $0.02 on the issue of 'stealing spots', as I don't think it's always such a bad thing...either that, or maybe I'm trying to reconcile my guilt?

 

[premedrod]

I went to school to become a paramedic fully well knowing I'd like to continue on to medicine. I got my undergrad degree, but then I knew I had anywhere from 1 to several more years off before I would get into medicine. I wanted a job which would allow me to feed my appetite to work in health care and do something rewarding and satisfying in my life.

I don't necessarily agree with the 'taking a spot' issue. It seems there are hundreds of EMT diploma mills which afford anyone with a pulse and a high school diploma (or sometimes less) the opportunity to take the EMT course. In my area, the paramedic program was a first-come, first-served registration policy, so I got in by applying early. I don't necessarily think that stealing a spot was such a horrible thing, as anyone with the initiative to apply could have got in the same as me, and my own intentions weren't for 'resume padding' or anything of that nature.

Just wanted to give my $0.02 on the issue of 'stealing spots', as I don't think it's always such a bad thing...either that, or maybe I'm trying to reconcile my guilt?

i totally agree with you. if there was a first come first serve basis then its not stealing the spot at all. its the other applicants fault for not applying early so they could get in. if they wanted to have a life in EMT/paramedic work, they shouldve been able to apply early etc...




btw, howelljolly..i have no idea what you were talking about in the last paragraph.

 

[howelljolly]

i totally agree with you. if there was a first come first serve basis then its not stealing the spot at all. its the other applicants fault for not applying early so they could get in. if they wanted to have a life in EMT/paramedic work, they shouldve been able to apply early etc...




btw, howelljolly..i have no idea what you were talking about in the last paragraph.

Sarcasm doesnt translate well into print.

I totally think you are an ignoramus. (and Im not being sarcastic there) "Stealing" doesnt mean the same thing as if you were to steal a tube of PreparationH from the drugstore. And I already said that its not the major point. I also said a few times that you are abusing the seat.

The purpose of the seat in EMT school is that 5 years from graduation, there will be an experienced EMT on an ambulance somewhere. By taking a seat, you are "stealing" (if you will) one EMT out of the system. If a particular county plans to put 100 EMTs into the workforce each year, you are taking one EMT out of that pool.

The frustrating thing here is that you cant seem to put together a logical argument.

-your first-come-first-served line is nonsense, we've told you many times, that this is region specific, and some areas have a selection process not unlike college, and some have a waiting list. A waiting list does not equate to first-come-first-served. It means that there is a very specific control over who becomes an EMT. Thats an even stronger reason for YOU not to be an EMT. Try another arguement regarding how you claim that you are not abusing the public safety system for your own personal gain. End the "spot stealing" talk

-I told you that regardless of how much volunteering or working as an EMT you might do, it will not prepare you for med school. It will not give you valuable skills that you can translate to becoming a physician. Knowing how to take vitals isnt better. You asked "is it not better?" The answer is NO. It is not better. It makes no difference. Its as if you had previous experience as a model, and can stare at a camera without blinking. It is not a skill, and it is not useful.

"What about intubating?" You ask.... "Surely thats useful" No. If someone needs to be intubated, you will not be doing it. You will be observing an intubation 100 times during med school, and letting the intern, ER resident, IM resident, CC fellow, CRNA student, Resp Therapy student, Anesth. resident....do it. And guess what! If noone gets it, the surgery resident and ER resident both need to log a few surgical airways before they graduate. Letting you "take a shot" is the last thing thats going to happen.And each time, somone may have the courtesy to step back and show you Sellicks Manuever (again), or show you the different types of blades (again). If you do an ansesthesiology rotation, the attending will not let you touch his patient until he teaches you the ins and out of intubation himself. It doesnt matter that youve already done it 100 times, you cant do it unless you learn as a med student. D'you think you get to skip out on ANS Pharmacology class because you know what atropine is? Well?

-whats wrong with being an EMT for two years and being good at it? 1) its physiologically impossible to be a good EMT within two years. 2) the attrition rate for EMTs is a BAD thing, but you dont know what that means, so never mind. 3) A better question is "what's right with being a useless EMT for two years, and then getting out of the business - forcing someone with less work experience than expected to have to fill a prematurely vacated spot (in the usual student-volly-pro-burnout timeline, which is a factor in public health, but you woudnt know that since you clearly dont know anything about public health), thereby having two useless EMTs, and double on-the-job training time (aka probationary period)... where one useful EMT with one probationary period was planned for.

So, try and come up with an intelligent argument for why your plan is a good thing. Try. I know you can do it.

 

[leviathan]

Howelljolly, why did you go to medical school? Didn't you also 'steal a spot' from an EMT program? Aren't all of us guilty of it, in one form or another?

 

[howelljolly]

No, I went to EMT school ten years ago, and changed careers three years ago. When I went to EMT school I had every intention of a career in EMS. My plan at the time was to become an EMT-P, MPH. In undergrad, I didn't major in Bio or Chem... that wasnt my bag, and I had no interest in going to med school because of that. I'll admit, I did have a bit of the MD bug in me, but no interest in basic sciences.

Well, I got as far as the EMT-P, and the rest became an impossibility. I hung on in EMS education for a few years, and then that ran out...

I dunno, its all a blur.

Plans change...

To quote Bas Luhrman"
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia,
dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off,
painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

Whatever.

Go to EMT school. Do what you want. The original question was if going to EMT school would give the OP some direct exposure to the healthcare field. Since I have some direct exposure to the healthcare field, as well as EMS exposure, I think Im qualified in saying that they are not the same.

 

[slick27]

howelljolly,

You sound like one old bitter man/woman. People change jobs all the time now a days. Your job can be taken away from you at a anytime due to layoffs or various other reasons.

What I meant from life skills was how to handle stress, compassion, dynamic situations, etc... All skills a good doctor has. I hope you learned more from you SHORT career in EMS more than to be able to resuscitate a pnb or you missed out on a lot. This is something even an EMT who has only worked for two years has learned, I'm talking about myself. I will not look back at my EMS days as stealing someones spot, wasting some elses time, or not being a true EMT (in your book), but rather a fullfilling two years in which I found joy in the job I did.

I suppose you took a psychologist away from the job force since you didn't pursue a ph.d. in it when you took introductory
psychology? Think about it.


But you are right, it is not direct exposure. Since the only way to play doctor is being a doctor.

 

[howelljolly]

You are reading what you want into my statements.

I thought I viewed EMS as the best job anyone could ask for, and a profession in and of itself... not a stepping stone to something better. You are reading what you want in my statements.

Im not saying that the individual EMT with 2 years of experience is worthless. I am saying that it is not worth it for anyone in terms of stress on the system. The EMT, the traning program, and the municipality. Look at the big picture. Again, youre reading what you want into it.

I dont think theres a valid analogy between one college class that nearly everyone takes, and an complete training program for a specific profession.

A 'life skill' i picked up as an EMT was in humility, and realizing that its not all about me, and doing what I find joy in. Because what I might find "joy" in is the worst time in someone elses life, and filled with sheer terror for them.

 

[premedrod]

howjelly, *hahahha*
i wasn't being sarcastic. i didn't understand what that paragraph meant. you then go on this tirade trying to belittle me, which i stopped reading after a couple of sentences. you seriously have stress problems or something...you're probably having a crappy time in medical school so you're taking out your frustrations on here. CALMATE....


leviathan was right. you stole a spot from a potential EMT...HOW DARE YOU!

also howjelly, learn to write concisely...you're using up studentdoctors bandwidth!!!! hahahahahha


peace out peeps....

I'LL DO WHAT I WANTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT *cartmans voice*

 

[howelljolly]

The last paragraph is saying that a high GPA is more important then all the EMT experience in the world, so dont misplace priorities.

I just realized that I'm talking to children who watch southpark and say things like "peeps"

 

[leviathan]

The last paragraph is saying that a high GPA is more important then all the EMT experience in the world, so dont misplace priorities.

I just realized that I'm talking to children who watch southpark and say things like "peeps"

I realize that the thread has offtracked a bit. I agree with howell that EMT school does little to help with your success in medicine, or with your success in getting INTO medicine. I think it does help build your skills communicating with patients and developing rapport. As for 'stealing spots', I think it's OK as long as you have a genuine interest in EMS and want to do it for more than just a resume padding activity. I don't think my own case is selfish to want to work in EMS for a few years while I tried to get into medicine, rather than sitting around working boring dead-end jobs that I get no satisfaction from. Let's try to avoid the insults though on both ends and keep this thread on track.

 

[MedicFL]

peace out peeps....

I'LL DO WHAT I WANTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT *cartmans voice*[/quote]


So why did you get on here and ask the question then?? Just to annoy people? People gave you there thoughts and you fought with them. So why ask the question at all then? Please don't take this type of attitude into the field with you, or you may find yourself with lots of people who wont work with you.. I wouldn't let you work on my rig acting like that....

 

[slick27]

howelljolly,

No hard feelings about this topic. Everybody has different opinions. But, with this guys last comments ragarding south park or whatever show it is, I'm starting to questions the OP's maturity level. Maybe he isn't ready to become an EMT.

I also agree, mcat and gpa trump all including EMS experience.

 

[dogpython]

As an EMT during my college career, I found it an extremely useful experience. I worked at a 911 campus EMS service for several years and for a First Responder organization as well. If you take the job, training, and classes seriously, I think that it does provide useful insight into the medical system, particularly relevant if you plan to pursue a career in EM. Will it provide you with a look into the life or job of a physican, no, obviously shadowing or hospital volunteering will be better for that and research will be more likely to help you look more appealing on an app, but I think that the patient interaction and hands-on approach of being an EMT is rewarding on a personal level. I also think it gives valuable insight into the situational constraints that prehospital workers face out on a scene and gives perspective to why patients aren't always packaged per the textbook upon arrival to the ED, again relevant mostly for future EM doctors. I don't think that experience should ever be discounted because regardless of how you interact with patients as an EMT, MD, etc., many of the strategies stay the same and I am a firm believer that practice , whether it is patient interaction, basic medical skills, etc., on real patients is an invaluable resource. Additionally, I did not see this as a stepping stone to med school. If you take this course with that intention, you are doing a diservice to yourself (becuase your wasting time, money, etc.) and your community. But if you truly intend to put your all into become an EMT, plan to work and give back to your community for any length of time, I think that there is no problem. I found if you have a true passion for EMS work, if even for a little, you will recruit people into your passion as well to fill any void you may or maynot create if you decide to go to medical school. I would like to think that I did not waste my training or community resources, and I hope the hundreds of people I treated didn't think my education was a waste as well. Just my $0.02