EMT-B Jobs...Are They Hard To Find?

[Wjborder]

Hey All,

I'm a pre-PA student right now at Indiana University. I'm volunteering and shadowing as the good ol'e pre-PA guides/advisors recommend, but I'm somewhat nervous about my work experience. I really want to have solid work experience for at least a year to have a stronger application. I've been considering finishing my EMT-B certification here at school before I graduate, but I'm not sure how the job market looks for only being an EMT-B.

Would finding an EMT-B position be difficult without any professional experience besides medical volunteering/shadowing? Would I need to keep training on to an Intermediate or Paramedic level to have hope of easily finding an EMS job?

Thanks for the comments!

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[Altruist]

I don't have any knowledge of the job outlook around you, but there tend to be jobs out there for EMT-Basics. Many of them aren't glamorous by any means, and few will pay very well.

Depending on the size of the community you're in, you may be able to find work with a private ambulance company or as a tech in an emergency department. (Some places will take an EMT-B in lieu of CNA, some won't.) Ideally, you'd want to work for an ambulance company that covers 911, rather than an inter-facility transfer heavy service, for the best experience; but those jobs can be difficult to get.

While EMT-I might be an ok use of your time knowledge-wise (it's only another ~100 hours), I don't know how much it would help you in getting a job. I Definitely wouldn't recommend putting in all that time becoming a paramedic if you know you just want to turn around and move on to something else. I was a paramedic for several years, but if you asked me if you should take the same path through to where I am, in general I wouldn't recommend it.

It should go without saying but for professional training your time is best spent getting good grades and preparing for your entrance exams, if those are required at the schools you want to apply to. Clinical experience is good, but it won't usually make up for shortcomings elsewhere.

 

[Wjborder]

I guess it comes down to time then and how its best spent. I understand your point of not putting the time in to the I and P certifications...It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense if I'm not wanting to enter a career in EMS.

I'm not looking for glamour; I Just want to direct patient care, no matter how sexy it is.

Thanks!

 

[Dwindlin]

I guess it comes down to time then and how its best spent. I understand your point of not putting the time in to the I and P certifications...It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense if I'm not wanting to enter a career in EMS.

I'm not looking for glamour; I Just want to direct patient care, no matter how sexy it is.

Thanks!

Private services are always hiring. Rural Metro is the major service there in Indy (I used to work for them as a medic on a contracted 9-1-1 rig). The job is far from glamourous, mainly stuff like ED discharges back to nursing facilities and hauling people back and forth from dialysis, but getting a job there should be easy.

 

[chrisski]

Private services are always hiring. Rural Metro is the major service there in Indy (I used to work for them as a medic on a contracted 9-1-1 rig). The job is far from glamourous, mainly stuff like ED discharges back to nursing facilities and hauling people back and forth from dialysis, but getting a job there should be easy.

I am thinking about applying to rural metro in indy. How does scheduling work? I imagine shift work but how long and how many does the average employ take. Do they take students? Thanks!

 

[Dwindlin]

I am thinking about applying to rural metro in indy. How does scheduling work? I imagine shift work but how long and how many does the average employ take. Do they take students? Thanks!

I was posted on a 9-1-1 rig and did 24/48's. But I know they have 8's, 9's, 10's and 12's. Hours vary between PT (which is PRN) and FT (FT I *think* is minimum 36hr/wk). Yes you can ride as a student. If it's not too much hassle you should wander out to the Richmond area (that's where I was posted) it's roughly 45 minutes east of downtown Indy but they are a busy service, with great medics, and really good medical pathology. Trauma is pretty light out there but seriously some of the sickest EMS patients I've ever seen. Miss working there quite a bit.