Is one summer of EMS worth it?

[NP545]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Is it worth it for me to join EMS for one summer (once a week for about 12 weeks... 120 hours total) ?
I would basically be taking vitals and helping the EMTs during calls.
Do you think I should do this for the summer?

 

[aspirantmed]

If you're only doing 120 hours, that's really not a lot of time. It's a decent experience, but I would suggest investing more time if you want to show more involvement or get more exposure out of it.

 

[clocks123]

I was wondering this exact question since I'm having trouble finding EMS companies to join.
Do you already have your EMS license?

 

[NP545]

I have nothing better to do this summer because all the docs I talked to wouldn't allow for shadowing. I'll also be volunteering in the hospital during the daytime but I thought I might as well get some exposure to first responders. I won't be able to continue after the summer because of other ECs and classes.
Is the 120 better than nothing or would you recommend I not waste my time because the activity may be useless to ad coms?

And I don't have an EMT license but I have CPR and First Aid certifications which allow me to work with EMS on the first aid squad.

 

[aspirantmed]

It's better than nothing, but it won't distinguish you in a really big way, and in a sense you're better off continuing a current clinical experience instead of picking up a new one and then dropping it 120hrs in.

 

[Planes2Doc]

As long as you're not taking summer classes or studying for the MCAT, then do it! It's another box checked, which can only help you. You will also enter the magical three digit threshold for hours, which makes it a somewhat significant activity.

I hear a lot of people get their EMT certification, don't ever use it, but list it anyway. At least here you can do something. Doing it over the summer is great! But once school starts, focus on school and the MCAT. They are far more important. Volunteering only during this time will be more than enough.

 

[kyamh]

all the docs I talked to wouldn't allow for shadowing

I don't understand...how many people did you contact? What exactly did you ask for? All the physicians I have ever contacted were cool with me shadowing, I never got a "no". Did you ask to shadow every day for a whole summer? <- in which case I am not surprised since I wouldn't want a shadower every day for multiple months either....

 

[Frostbite22]

I don't understand...how many people did you contact? What exactly did you ask for? All the physicians I have ever contacted were cool with me shadowing, I never got a "no". Did you ask to shadow every day for a whole summer? <- in which case I am not surprised since I wouldn't want a shadower every day for multiple months either....

I agree with this. I've talked to a few kids that didn't know any better and they asked physicians/clinics to shadow every day for the summer and the clinics thought it was a red flag so they said no. Most places I've talked to made it clear it would only be for a a week at most, but maybe every place is different. I personally would be incredibly bored doing it all summer long. I would much rather be doing actual work.

So to answer the original question if the place is okay for you to be temp over the summer (seems like a waste of training to me to be only one day a week for a summer) but once again I don't know how this specific EC is normally performed. If everything is kosher I'd say do it.

 

[Planes2Doc]

I agree with this. I've talked to a few kids that didn't know any better and they asked physicians/clinics to shadow every day for the summer and the clinics thought it was a red flag so they said no. Most places I've talked to made it clear it would only be for a a week at most, but maybe every place is different. I personally would be incredibly bored doing it all summer long. I would much rather be doing actual work.

Wow that's nuts! That is way too excessive for shadowing. People need to get maybe around 50 hours total from a few physicians, and then call it a day.

So to answer the original question if the place is okay for you to be temp over the summer (seems like a waste of training to me to be only one day a week for a summer) but once again I don't know how this specific EC is normally performed. If everything is kosher I'd say do it.

It serves the purpose to check the box and help the application. Once school starts up again in the fall, the main focus should be grades. EMS work during the year can be a bit tedious, especially with some very long shifts. I've known people to fail the pre-med process because they managed to destroy their grades by doing EMS work during the school year. Sure people are successful, but it's definitely going to be a big commitment during a stressful academic time. After all, everyone's goal here is to become a physician, not a professional EMS. Therefore, the purpose it serves is to bolster the medical school application, nothing more, and nothing less.

 

[lmn]

It probably would be a good to see that side of medical care and help make sure a career in medicine is right for you, but I doubt it will do much in terms of your app.