HELP! from fellow Firefighters or paramedics!

Started by firemedic_278
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firemedic_278

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2+ Year Member
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Okay I am taking pre-med classes currently. I am a full time firefighter and I just recently got a part time job on an ambulance. How did you guys manage to get the time off of work to attend classes? My department is absolutely useless for anything other than the fire service. I need help!
 
Fire/EMT x8 years here. I found someone I got along with well from another shift and we swapped a lot. Otherwise, I used vacation time when I couldn't find coverage. This did result in some stress because I worked at a busy station and sometimes had to do 48 hr shifts. I would take 2 lectures and a lab. Later I took a pay cut and switched to an ER tech position (x3 years). The Emergency room was much easier (You can work Sat-Sun-Mon x12 hr shifts) and then go to school all week. I also got tons of personal time with the physicians there which yielded plenty of DO/MD LORs.
I would have to say that setting time for the MCAT while in school FT and working was the hardest part and I would advise waiting an additional year (I wanted to get in a year earlier)
I haven't been accepted yet but I attended 4/6 of my IIs so far (5 DO 1 MD). I'm hoping for an acceptance this week, maybe next!
You can pm me if you wanna chat or with questions or whatever. I might also have some resources for the prereqs or MCAT material.
 
I am very luck in the fact that I get to work Fri/Sat/Sun every week. Rotating schedules are a b***h when it comes to attending classes. Any options around you who have that schedule?
 
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There are a couple of options. I could go work for the ambulance company in my town "part time" and select my days or an ER tech position. The only real problem is insurance. Insurance is very expensive with those other two jobs. I am also the bread winner for my family. My wife is in nursing school. The only other thing I can think of is pay people for shift changes..
 
Here's what I did. Not sure if this is applicable or realistic to your life, especially because I don't know what your living/family situation is. I was a paramedic in a city environment prior to going back to school. I decided I wanted to go to med school, so I enrolled in a post-bacc. I found a great program in Philadelphia. I saved up a decent amount of money in the months before dropping to part time. Then basically lived on loans and supplemented with part time work as a medic at 2 companies. People are always calling off and some of the slow fire stations offered 24 hour shifts. I would pull those on the weekend and had class all week.

Post bacc programs are great too because schools will see that you can handle a large science course load and do well. Anyone can take 1 class at a time and maintain a 4.0 over 3 years. Not everyone can pull a 4.0 taking full time pre-med classes while still working. Admissions committees like to see that.

Just my opinion and how I did things in pre-med. Feel free to message and Id be happy to provide more info! Best of luck! Stay safe on the trucks as well.
 
My old job actually had a Kelly shift that I got on after a while. Tuesday/ Saturday 24s and I would work on whichever unit was on Kelly that week. Not as nice of a position but then you had Mon/Wed/Thu/Fri every week with no swaps.
 
It's rough. I did a full-time student schedule for about a year and knocked out a lot of classes that didn't have labs (basic core comm, statistics, etc). I finally retired early to pursue school full time. Prepping for MCAT and taking 2-3 classes with labs at a time was a no-go for my department. They don't allow part-time. Besides, I have a family and young children, so it just made sense. I'm also very fortunate that we have been able to live off my wife's salary. We are definitely on a strict budget now, but it's really the most ideal way to tackle the last year or so of prerequisites.
 
My Kelly day was a Wednesday and I would schedule my classes on that day and study the rest of the week. As you get closer to your dream of med school you may need to step away from the department sooner than you might like to.
 
As soon as my wife finishes nursing which should be in a year, I have thought about quitting the FD and just working part time on an ambulance. My wife actually made this suggestion. I just have a fear of failure and if this Adventure doesn't work out I threw away a carrer..
 
firemedic_278 said:
As soon as my wife finishes nursing which should be in a year, I have thought about quitting the FD and just working part time on an ambulance. My wife actually made this suggestion. I just have a fear of failure and if this Adventure doesn't work out I threw away a carrer..
Click to expand...

How old are you?
 
TwoHighways said:
You wouldn't have thrown away anything but time with your current department. I didn't even become a fireman until I was 27 and didn't become a paramedic until 28. I wish I was your age when I had discovered an interest in medicine. Now I'm staring 30 and finally feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel. I'll be applying to schools next summer. Being a fireman is a great career. Pension, opportunities to promote, generally well liked in the community you serve, station camaraderie, opportunity to pursue other interests on days off, but it also comes with plenty of sleepless nights, time away from family, missed holidays/birthdays/games, and the job itself is inherently bad for your health.

I'd recommend sticking with it until your wife gets out of nursing school, taking what you can comfortably handle. If that's only 4-8 hours a semester, so be it. When she gets out and lands a good paying job with benefits, you can go to class full time and work part time if you so desire. I'd also put off having any kids, if you don't already have them. If for whatever reason, things don't pan out, you can always go back. Having a structural firefighting cert along with being a medic almost guarantees you a job in Texas.
Click to expand...

If I could second this sentiment.
Just to give you a slightly different perspective: sometimes going all in is the best way to achieve your goal. There's no turning back when you turn in your 2 week notice and step away from your job.

On the other hand, if you feel like you don't have it in you to commit 100%, there may be something deep inside you that is holding you back. Of course, I am saying this without knowing anything about you. This may have nothing to do with your actual abilities. Medicine will require a good portion of your life. It's a serious consideration you should think about.
 
Until he starts Orgo and Physics and realizes he doesn't wanna do it. I'm sure he will be fine but the process is known for weeding out many people. Lots of hoops to jump through... I would say if he can handle part-time, and the SO finishes RN, then dive in full force.... If it doesn't work out and you land just short you can go PA/ Dent/ Pod. wouldn't suggest Pharm 2nd saturation.

The finances play out better for PT--> wife RN ---> FT
It's also to the advantage that OP can build his study habits and get a feel for the heat.
 
Blanky said:
Until he starts Orgo and Physics and realizes he doesn't wanna do it. I'm sure he will be fine but the process is known for weeding out many people. Lots of hoops to jump through... I would say if he can handle part-time, and the SO finishes RN, then dive in full force.... If it doesn't work out and you land just short you can go PA/ Dent/ Pod. wouldn't suggest Pharm 2nd saturation.

The finances play out better for PT--> wife RN ---> FT
It's also to the advantage that OP can build his study habits and get a feel for the heat.
Click to expand...
I can see it from that perspective as well. IMHO it doesn't matter how hard those courses are . I am going to do well no matter what. Because I have to. But, not everyone has to be me or do it my way.

Just about any career in health care that requires bachelors will pay better than a firefighter. I always knew I could fall back on some other career if it really went horribly. Every year I didn't commit to going full time I was 1 year away from being a doctor.
 
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I did one year at 7 credits 2 science and 1 lab, and then went to work in an ER and started pounding away. Took my MCAT during a 12 credit upper-level science semester and the wife was in her third trimester. I didn't wanna waste time and obviously my MCAT suffered (507 balanced)
Got accepted to my number one DO, and II at my number one MD (instate) praying to the heavens for an acceptance but if not I'm more than confident in the education I will have access to at DMU.
You are in a good place in Texas for medical school.
 
Blanky said:
I did one year at 7 credits 2 science and 1 lab, and then went to work in an ER and started pounding away. Took my MCAT during a 12 credit upper-level science semester and the wife was in her third trimester. I didn't wanna waste time and obviously my MCAT suffered (507 balanced)
Got accepted to my number one DO, and II at my number one MD (instate) praying to the heavens for an acceptance but if not I'm more than confident in the education I will have access to at DMU.
You are in a good place in Texas for medical school.
Click to expand...
Maybe I can interview you on my Youtube channel about your success and strategies in the future?
 
This semester I took 8 hours of sciences and 10 hours of other classes that I need for my degree. I talked to my instructor tonight she said I am leading the class in grades and offered a letter of recommendation. It added more motivation than I already had!
 
firemedic_278 said:
This semester I took 8 hours of sciences and 10 hours of other classes that I need for my degree. I talked to my instructor tonight she said I am leading the class in grades and offered a letter of recommendation. It added more motivation than I already had!
Click to expand...

That's great! Bio1/ Chem1? Or other sciences?
 
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