becoming emt

[MrJosh9788]

Thinking about becoming an emt, will this look better than just the usual volunteer work? I'm a student, what's the best way to go about taking a course, and where could I find one?

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[146233]

Moving to Pre-Hospital/EMS...
You should also check out this FAQ about EMS as it relates to medical school apps. Good luck!

 

[Parthenon89]

EMS service looks VERy good, i became an EMT, and it shows medschools that u took initiative to go out, take a course pass teh exam and become certified, also, as an EMT ur a part of allied health care, with that, ur just one step closer to becoming a doctor.

 

[howelljolly]

it does not look VERy good.

Read the sticky thread on the top the the pre-hospital forum.

Taking the EMT class will not look good. Working as an EMT will not categorically look any better than the usual volunteering in a hospital, or anywhere else for that matter. Being an EMT (paid or volly) will build up your application just as much as any volunteer experience will.

It will not look like you took the initiative to take a class and pass an exam. Med schools may make the interpretation that you dont understand, or have any regard for the public health and safety system. They might note that you used the system for your own personal gain, and that in effect, because of you there are TWO less EMTs on the street to save lives and make differences (both you, and the EMT hopeful that you took the seat in school from).

Get into EMS because you want to get into EMS, not because you want to get into medical school.

 

[Snake Doctor]

it's not whether you get it, but what you make out of it that counts. You'll probably get drilled in interviews if you end up getting certified and not putting your skills to good use (well a red flag at the least). Don't do it for the apps. From what I have gather, med school adcoms can tell if it's genunie interest or whether you are doing it soley for apps. Plus if in the unfortunate event that I'm down, I rather have someone who is committed to performing his or her job than someone who is eyeing medical school even before starting EMT work (hey, you can be day dreaming about med schools during a critical lesson being taught). Research and figure out why you really want to do it before you jump in. Good luck!

 

[pseudoknot]

I agree that there is no point in getting certified if you are not going to actually work in EMS.

However, if you're going to be able to work for at least six months or a year as an EMT, there may be value in doing it solely for the clinical experience. You can learn a lot from the experience and I know of no other way to get such hands on involvement with patient care so quickly. Remember that EMS and medicine are different fields, and a lot of what you need to learn to be a good EMT is different from what you need to know in the hospital or clinic.

The most important thing is that whatever you do, you dedicate yourself to doing a good job to the best of your abilities. Having a positive attitude, commitment, and professionalism are much more important than why you became an EMT in the first place. I've had some excellent partners who were planning to go into med school, nursing school, the police force, and one who didn't have any career plans whatsoever. I've also had partners who were gung ho about continuing in EMS and going to paramedic school, and yet were terrible EMTs because they wouldn't put forth the effort to do a good job.

 

[MrJosh9788]

well, i wouldn't put the effort into getting certified if I didn't plan on using it. is it easy to find part-time emt-b jobs?

 

[BostonEMT]

Agree with what others have said here regarding motivation to get involved with EMS. EMTs make virtually no money, are frequently condescended to by more experienced and educated staff, and the work can be difficult -- not in an intellectual sense so much as it is physically and emotionally exhausting. Becoming certified is embarrassingly easy and you will likely work with a wide variety of people, some brilliant and hardworking, others will tell the triage nurse that they gave the patient "the effineffrin" to treat their "analactic shock" before putting them in "Trendenborough" position (which helps you to understand the condescension).

Depending on what service you work for (private vs. municipal) your job might entail working codes all the way to the ER while you wait for medics that never arrive or you might be taking grandma to the dermatologist and back. If the emergency aspect of it appeals to you I would seek out a service that you know has 911 contracts. If all your looking for is to cultivate your bedside manner and see a bit of how prehospital care works (in my experience it's about 25% recognizing acute distress, 75% social work and calming family and bystanders with the sight of your uniform), any service will do. As far as part-time work, that shouldn't be a problem. Almost every service I know of has part-time and per diem employees and ambulance services are usually very flexible with regard to scheduling.

Again, echoing others here, don't do it to pad your application. Do it because you genuinely want to help because it's often a damn thankless job.

 

[howelljolly]

Agree with what others have said here regarding motivation to get involved with EMS. EMTs make virtually no money, are frequently condescended to by more experienced and educated staff, and the work can be difficult -- not in an intellectual sense so much as it is physically and emotionally exhausting. Becoming certified is embarrassingly easy and you will likely work with a wide variety of people, some brilliant and hardworking, others will tell the triage nurse that they gave the patient "the effineffrin" to treat their "analactic shock" before putting them in "Trendenborough" position (which helps you to understand the condescension).

Depending on what service you work for (private vs. municipal) your job might entail working codes all the way to the ER while you wait for medics that never arrive or you might be taking grandma to the dermatologist and back. If the emergency aspect of it appeals to you I would seek out a service that you know has 911 contracts. If all your looking for is to cultivate your bedside manner and see a bit of how prehospital care works (in my experience it's about 25% recognizing acute distress, 75% social work and calming family and bystanders with the sight of your uniform), any service will do. As far as part-time work, that shouldn't be a problem. Almost every service I know of has part-time and per diem employees and ambulance services are usually very flexible with regard to scheduling.

Again, echoing others here, don't do it to pad your application. Do it because you genuinely want to help because it's often a damn thankless job.

True that.

And thats from all sides. Want your head to spin? Have a doctor yell at you for not pronouncing a patient in the field since their core temp is 94*. The fact that they are on a lidocane drip, and have a pulse, doesnt matter.

And you thought you were part of the medical community.

 

[robo]

There are more EMT-Bs than there are jobs. AFAIK, there are some positions in hospitals that are attainable with EMT-B certification, such as an ER tech or (what my local hospital calls) Patient Care Tech.

I plan to call around and search for jobs online for this summer, since I'm a student right now, though. (At the moment I'm in the dispiriting limbo between completing my class and getting my certification - my state practical's on 2/23. )

 

[TarHeelEMT]

True that.

And thats from all sides. Want your head to spin? Have a doctor yell at you for not pronouncing a patient in the field since their core temp is 94*. The fact that they are on a lidocane drip, and have a pulse, doesnt matter.

And you thought you were part of the medical community.

The other day I was chewed out by a freaking P.A. for not following "her orders." Lady, your orders don't mean crap.

 

[MichiganEMTInt]

For those considering EMS...

Please check out this article on the SDN homepage.

EMS is for those who are interested in others, not their own medical school application. Trust me, admissions committees will know!

 

[deleted92121]

I guess I can throw my two cents in here...

I have been in EMS for about 2-3 years, only working full-time as an EMT-B for the past year or so. Currently I am finishing up my Paramedic class so I can sit for the NREMT-P exam. While doing this I am also a full-time undergrad aiming for medical school within the next year. So do I think this helps...

YES ! ! !

One slight caveat though: it only looks good/great/excellent if you have done more than simply been in a volunteer service or only worked as an EMS provider for < a year. Show dedication to the field. Let me tell you, it is a thankless job that beats your body to a pulp. But I love it. Strangers trust you to come into their homes and do whatever it takes to help them or their loved one. It is a huge responsibility, don't let anyone tell you different. You really can make a difference.

I recommend getting your EMT-B ONLY if you want to be in the EMS field. We are not like a lot of people you deal with in college. We are intelligent but most of us don't have college degrees or any higher education than our certification (EMT-B, NREMT-P). We are rough, crass, and many times a bunch of a**holes. But we love what we do and take it seriously. Some of us start IVs, cardiovert, interpret ECG, pace, intubate, perform needle decompressions, deliver babies, establish surgical airways, and push some very serious drugs.

but then again what do I know

 

[MedicFL]

I guess I can throw my two cents in here...

I have been in EMS for about 2-3 years, only working full-time as an EMT-B for the past year or so. Currently I am finishing up my Paramedic class so I can sit for the NREMT-P exam. While doing this I am also a full-time undergrad aiming for medical school within the next year. So do I think this helps...

YES ! ! !

One slight caveat though: it only looks good/great/excellent if you have done more than simply been in a volunteer service or only worked as an EMS provider for < a year. Show dedication to the field. Let me tell you, it is a thankless job that beats your body to a pulp. But I love it. Strangers trust you to come into their homes and do whatever it takes to help them or their loved one. It is a huge responsibility, don't let anyone tell you different. You really can make a difference.

I recommend getting your EMT-B ONLY if you want to be in the EMS field. We are not like a lot of people you deal with in college. We are intelligent but most of us don't have college degrees or any higher education than our certification (EMT-B, NREMT-P). We are rough, crass, and many times a bunch of a**holes. But we love what we do and take it seriously. Some of us start IVs, cardiovert, interpret ECG, pace, intubate, perform needle decompressions, deliver babies, establish surgical airways, and push some very serious drugs.

but then again what do I know

I find your advice kind of hypocritical. On one hand you tell someone not to go into EMS if it is only for less than a year and to do it only if it is what they want to do. But you are getting your paramedic only to apply to medical school in one year? I don't understand that logic. So in a field already plagued by shortages you yourself took up a spot for someone who might have wanted to do this as career and went through the class to only apply to medical school next year. I do respect your service to the field as an EMT...

IMHO, if you like EMS go for it get into it, but only if you would consider it as a career if you don't end up going onto medical school. If you are already in a Premed program I say stay in school get loans or another job, because being up all night running 12 or 24 hour shifts does affect your grades to some extent. And the time spent training you could study more or take additional classes for medical school or MCAT review. For me this was my career, but then I was able through grants and scholarships to go back to school with the hopes of becoming a medical director. But thats my advice I have been a medic for 5 years now and I can say it is a rewarding career its just not the one for me in the long haul...

 

[deleted92121]

I find your advice kind of hypocritical. On one hand you tell someone not to go into EMS if it is only for less than a year and to do it only if it is what they want to do. But you are getting your paramedic only to apply to medical school in one year? I don't understand that logic. So in a field already plagued by shortages you yourself took up a spot for someone who might have wanted to do this as career and went through the class to only apply to medical school next year. I do respect your service to the field as an EMT...

IMHO, if you like EMS go for it get into it, but only if you would consider it as a career if you don't end up going onto medical school. If you are already in a Premed program I say stay in school get loans or another job, because being up all night running 12 or 24 hour shifts does affect your grades to some extent. And the time spent training you could study more or take additional classes for medical school or MCAT review. For me this was my career, but then I was able through grants and scholarships to go back to school with the hopes of becoming a medical director. But thats my advice I have been a medic for 5 years now and I can say it is a rewarding career its just not the one for me in the long haul...

I am getting my Medic because I will be applying next year but it will be two years or so until I start med school. I love EMS and am becoming a medic for myself and becuase I want to. There is a huge shortage of medics in my area and I want to help the best way I can.

dxu

 

[foxmedic108]

I am a medic right now and I for one love to see docs who have been in the field working in the ER. They are aware of the trials and the limitations that field work encounters on a daily basis. They have a better understanding of why we do. They can better anticipate what they will see when the doors swing open and i bring my patient in and transfer care.

 

[Blue58]

What is the best way to get EMT-B training/cert? I will finish my degree this May, and I am interested in working as an EMT for a year while I apply to med schools. I know they have programs at tech schools that take a year or two, but I thought there was a quicker way?

 

[pseudoknot]

EMT-B takes a semester at most. Often quicker for the class, but there will be some waiting for your certification exam. Check your local community college.

 

[leviathan]

when the doors swing open and i bring my patient in and transfer care.

You guys don't have motion-sensor sliding doors in your ED?