EMT experience: indispensible?

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Hey all,

I am an undergrad and have no plans to become an EMT, but I do have a mild interest in EM. Will the fact that I will not have EMT work hurt me if I decide to go into EM after med school? Does everyone who goes into EM have EMT experience? Looking for opinions/experiences, thanks.

 

[emtp6811]

In a matter of knowing whether or not emergency medicine is the type of environment you would like to work in, it is helpful, but not indespensable. Extensive physician shadowing and even observation ride-alongs on a paramedic ambulance should help you realize the reality vs. the tv portrayal.

On the other hand, I myself am a paramedic and have been in EMS for the past six years. Through this, I not only have a realistic expectation of what EM will entail, but I think I have the advantage of having something "to hang my hat on" while I am sludging my way through school. I get to practice ALS skills in the field that I am not yet allowed to do in the hospitals (IV skills, drug admin, adult and pedi intubation (incl. RSI), surgical airways, thoracotomy, pericardiocentesis, etc.). This keeps me interested in school and other clinical rotations because I have previous experiences to apply it all to, and I can apply that combined knowledge set into my future pt contacts. This helps me stay motivated.

In this way, EMS would be a great benefit even as a volunteer EMT-Basic(especially in a higher call volume system), just as well as working as an ER tech or CNA in an ED would help you. In EMS, I have been able to develop professional and personal relationships with many of the doc's in my area hospitals. And they are more than helpful in supporting my education in any way that I need- shadowing, tutoring, Saturday night stress-relief drinking parties... 🙂

The EMT-Basic training is rather simple to obtain. It is 120 hrs of course work, usually 2-3 evenings per week and a Sat or two per month for about 6-8 months depending on the school you choose. My EMT-B was $600, but the going rate in my area is now about $850. EMT-Intermediate (IV, intubation w/o RSI, dual-lumen airways, front-line resusc. drugs) is typically another 3 months (80-100 hrs) and $800-1000, and is the same certificate-program format as the EMT-B with a not-so-easy national registry test to complete it.

I got my EMT-Paramedic through an associates degree program, which is nice because all of the classes transferred to my pre-med major. However, most Paramedic courses are still 9-12 month certificate courses that cost $8000-10,000. During the professional year, my program was 700 hrs of didactic coursework, plus just over 1000 hrs of clinical rotations including 24 24-hr preceptorship shifts on the ambulance providing the full scope of practice under the supervision of an assigned paramedic. Keep in mind that even if you do a certificate program, many pre-med programs will grant some credit for the experience.

I 😍 LOVE 😍 working in EMS, and plan to continue the relationship once I am an EM doc. If you have any more questions, definitely drop me a line. I am happy to help.

 

[docB]

Does everyone who goes into EM have EMT experience?

Absolutely not.

I am an undergrad and have no plans to become an EMT, but I do have a mild interest in EM.

If you are not looking at EMT for any reason other than a mild interest in EM your time would probably be better spent shadowing, going to interest group meetings and so on. For just about everyone I know EMT led to and interest in EM rather than the other way around.

Will the fact that I will not have EMT work hurt me if I decide to go into EM after med school?

No. Lots of academic EM docs don't care at all about EMS experience and there are even a few dinosaurs out there that hate EMS and think EMTs are just box jockeys.

 

[se80]

can you mention how a medical student could do some of these ride alongs or is there ever an elective that would be available to do as a 4th year????

In a matter of knowing whether or not emergency medicine is the type of environment you would like to work in, it is helpful, but not indespensable. Extensive physician shadowing and even observation ride-alongs on a paramedic ambulance should help you realize the reality vs. the tv portrayal.

On the other hand, I myself am a paramedic and have been in EMS for the past six years. Through this, I not only have a realistic expectation of what EM will entail, but I think I have the advantage of having something "to hang my hat on" while I am sludging my way through school. I get to practice ALS skills in the field that I am not yet allowed to do in the hospitals (IV skills, drug admin, adult and pedi intubation (incl. RSI), surgical airways, thoracotomy, pericardiocentesis, etc.). This keeps me interested in school and other clinical rotations because I have previous experiences to apply it all to, and I can apply that combined knowledge set into my future pt contacts. This helps me stay motivated.

In this way, EMS would be a great benefit even as a volunteer EMT-Basic(especially in a higher call volume system), just as well as working as an ER tech or CNA in an ED would help you. In EMS, I have been able to develop professional and personal relationships with many of the doc's in my area hospitals. And they are more than helpful in supporting my education in any way that I need- shadowing, tutoring, Saturday night stress-relief drinking parties... 🙂

The EMT-Basic training is rather simple to obtain. It is 120 hrs of course work, usually 2-3 evenings per week and a Sat or two per month for about 6-8 months depending on the school you choose. My EMT-B was $600, but the going rate in my area is now about $850. EMT-Intermediate (IV, intubation w/o RSI, dual-lumen airways, front-line resusc. drugs) is typically another 3 months (80-100 hrs) and $800-1000, and is the same certificate-program format as the EMT-B with a not-so-easy national registry test to complete it.

I got my EMT-Paramedic through an associates degree program, which is nice because all of the classes transferred to my pre-med major. However, most Paramedic courses are still 9-12 month certificate courses that cost $8000-10,000. During the professional year, my program was 700 hrs of didactic coursework, plus just over 1000 hrs of clinical rotations including 24 24-hr preceptorship shifts on the ambulance providing the full scope of practice under the supervision of an assigned paramedic. Keep in mind that even if you do a certificate program, many pre-med programs will grant some credit for the experience.

I 😍 LOVE 😍 working in EMS, and plan to continue the relationship once I am an EM doc. If you have any more questions, definitely drop me a line. I am happy to help.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

As a former EMS instructor, please, please, please if you don't have a genuine interest in EMS, more than just a passing urge to check it out- don't do it. Nothing irritates we EMS professionals more than someone who is more or less just in it for resume and application padding. It's not really going to help you much in getting a residency or admission to med school, so please, find a more constructive and original extracurricular.

But if you do have a genuine interest in EMS, please check out www.traumacentral.com/forums. There is a good bunch of us there who are more than willing to nurture new EMT's. 🙂

 

[emtp6811]

can you mention how a medical student could do some of these ride alongs or is there ever an elective that would be available to do as a 4th year????

The best way to go about it is to find out who the major 911 coverage in your area is and call their business office to set up a ride-along time.

As far as a clinical elective, many programs will include a couple EMS ride-alongs as part of the EM elective. Some will even set you up with an air ambulance (helicopter) ride along, but these usually require some persistent begging-- get to know the medics and they'll likely help you with this too.

 

[medicality]

As others have said, EMT experience is certainly not required for a career as an EM physician but I truly recommend it if you have time. As a paramedic and current med student, I wouldn't trade my time in the field for anything. I have always been sure that I would pursue EM, but opted to work as a medic for a few years before returning to school. It has deffinately given me a head start on patient examination and clinical skills. That is nice to have, but these are things that are thoroughly taught in school so I could have done without that. What I have appreciated most is the experience that I gained in interacting with patients and how much I learned about myself.
Everyone who works in medicine gets their initiations somewhere... the first patient interview, the first patient who codes, the first critical ped, the first baby you deliver. I had many of mine on the streets. In medical school, I have watched many of my classmates go through these things... learning how to respond, how to deal, how to go on to the next patient.... and trying to do it on top of the pressure and stress of the academics. My school is quite nurturing to its students and has great resources, but it can still be a lot to manage. Certainly, this is all part of the process and people survive, but I am quite glad that I had the opportunity to become more comfortable with patients and some of the various situations as a medic. It has allowed me to truly enjoy my clinical experiences and made them far less stressful.
I agree that being an EMT for the resume experience alone is not worthwhile. It can be difficult to find an opportunity to use the skills after a basic class and honestly there are other resume builders that take less effort. But if you are interested in being an EMT because you want to learn, because you want experience, because you want to see how you like the work, please do it. Good luck!

As for the ride along question: some ambulance and flight companies will not allow public ride a longs. If you are a medical student, try to organize this through an EMIG group or if necessary contact the medical director of the agency to get permission.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Word of warning about helicopter ride alongs: be prepared to be left on scene or at a far flung hospital if the helicopter crew decides they are cutting it close on the weight limit. This has happened to several riders around here.