So I'm a Paramedic

[ERMedic05]

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This is my first post, but I've been contemplating this for a long time so I figured I'd just ask. I've been a Paramedic now for 6 years, and an EMT for 8. I'm 26 years old, spent four years in the Marine Corps, and have accumulated right around 100 college credit hours from my various studies, most of which were initially geared towards a career in Nursing. It seemed to me for a long time that a Paramedic going into Nursing was a logical advancement. My wife (of almost 4 years now) was happy with that, and the prospect of me getting my NP at some point was acceptable. She has always known that I have wanted to go to Medical School, but I felt like I was forced to put that dream aside in order to have a happy marriage and a family. Recently, many friends of mine have been asking me why I don't just go to Med School to make myself happy. A few MD's and DO's that I have worked with in the hospital have asked me the same thing. Initially my wife was completely against it, and it spurred many, many heated arguments. As of late she is starting to come around to the idea, and now she is actually almost 100% agreeing that I should do it.

Long story short, I'm close to finishing my undergrad (of course now I have to change my major though), at which point I'll be ready to apply to Med Schools. I'm hoping to take the MCAT within the next 18 months. I always thought I had all this figured out, but now I'm wondering about a lot of stuff.

1. I get G.I. Bill benefits, but those will run out before I'm in my M2 year. Student loans? Can I get them to cover living expenses for my my wife and child on the way? My wife works full-time, but her income won't be sufficient to cover all of our expenses.

2. What reassurance can I provide my wife and family that this a good thing for us and something that I am passionate about and have dreamed about doing my whole life?

3. I'm pretty apprehensive about the whole process, even though I've done my research and know mostly what it's all about. Any insight on what to expect in the coming 2 years as I prepare to apply? How is the didactic environment of Med School?

4. Being a Paramedic, my license will expire in 2013 unless I renew. If I renew it, it will be good until 2017. That should get me through Med School and into my residency. Do I work to maintain it past that point or just let it lapse?

Sorry for the long post, but I really appreciate any and all input anyone can give me. I'm pretty nervous now that my wife has agreed to all of this, but I think that it will work out. I'm passionate about Medicine, and can't see myself doing anything else for the rest of my life. Thanks again!!

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

1. Yes, you can expect to take out lots of student loans. Med schools give a cost of living amount, and you can take out loans to cover that plus tuition to cover your living expenses.

2. You'll have to have your own reasons for going into medicine, and if your wife and family isn't behind you, it probably isn't going to work. To make sure you've fully considered the costs of med school, here's a good thread on why not to go:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=846648

Anyone have answers for # 3 and 4?

 

[ERMedic05]

Thanks for the thoughts!

 

[OBK]

keep the medic license...its a good job to keep perdiem

process is tedious and consuming. expect to be stressed at certain points (mcat) and anxious at others. i think my start to "finish" was 2.5 years

 

[musashi]

Welcome! I'm also a Paramedic and plan on entering med school when I'm 39 or more realistically at 40 years of age. I'm currently 37 and have 2 prereqs left (Ochem II & Physics II) and then slaying the beast that is known as the MCAT. Good luck with everything. I think our experience as paramedics will give us some insight and potential icebreakers at interviews. Just last week I worked a 4 month old cardiac arrest and performed a needle decompression last night on a guy thrown from his motorcycle. We definitely bring some healthcare insight to the table.

 

[LifeTake2]

keep the medic license...its a good job to keep perdiem

process is tedious and consuming. expect to be stressed at certain points (mcat) and anxious at others. i think my start to "finish" was 2.5 years

Renew now, but after that not an option.

Once you finish your 1st year of residency (ie intern) you will be a licensed physican. At that point you can't work as a paramedic anymore. Your medical license trumps and your malpratice insurance will definately not cover you running around in an ambulance on the side.

 

[plauto]

You can probably squeeze in a few per diem gigs while in med school (ie, none at first, plenty during 4th year) so I'd keep the license up to that point. After that it will not be useful to you. As far as reassuring your family....there are plenty of threads on here about that. My ex-wife was 110% supportive and we ended up divorcing because of med school. Many couples unfortunately go their separate ways for a variety of reasons. No matter how much you talk ahead of time, you won't know it until you are in the middle of it. Just do what is in your heart and let the chips fall where they may. Good luck.

 

[musashi]

Renew now, but after that not an option.

Once you finish your 1st year of residency (ie intern) you will be a licensed physican. At that point you can't work as a paramedic anymore. Your medical license trumps and your malpratice insurance will definately not cover you running around in an ambulance on the side.

Absolutely not true. I attended a Airlife conference recently in the San Antonio area and one of the keynote speakers was Dr. Beeson who is an EM physician in the Dallas area. Dr. Beeson started out as a paramedic, then became a flight nurse, as in now an ER physician. He is STILL a card carrying Nationally Registered Paramedic and also the assistant Medical Director for MedStar EMS. He also still jumps on the truck a couple of shifts a month as a paramedic. That must be intimitading to have your partner for the day an ER physician and your assistant medical director.

I worked really hard to obtain my NREMT-P and will never allow my licensure to expire and in fact hope one day when I'm an ER physician I will still jump on a truck now and again.

It's different in the ED when you have a full staff (ER tech's, LVN's, RN's, RT's etc) to help you when the s***t hits the fan. It's quite another story when it's just you and your partner in a sometimes crazy and unknown situation. I love it when the ER nurses sometimes give me crap for bringin a pt. that has a patent IV access but may not be the prettiest looking line. I imagine them in the back of the unit trying to get a line while rolling down a bumpy ass road at 70 mph 🙂

 

[canjosh]

Absolutely not true. I attended a Airlife conference recently in the San Antonio area and one of the keynote speakers was Dr. Beeson who is an EM physician in the Dallas area. Dr. Beeson started out as a paramedic, then became a flight nurse, as in now an ER physician. He is STILL a card carrying Nationally Registered Paramedic and also the assistant Medical Director for MedStar EMS. He also still jumps on the truck a couple of shifts a month as a paramedic. That must be intimitading to have your partner for the day an ER physician and your assistant medical director.

I worked really hard to obtain my NREMT-P and will never allow my licensure to expire and in fact hope one day when I'm an ER physician I will still jump on a truck now and again.

It's different in the ED when you have a full staff (ER tech's, LVN's, RN's, RT's etc) to help you when the s***t hits the fan. It's quite another story when it's just you and your partner in a sometimes crazy and unknown situation. I love it when the ER nurses sometimes give me crap for bringin a pt. that has a patent IV access but may not be the prettiest looking line. I imagine them in the back of the unit trying to get a line while rolling down a bumpy ass road at 70 mph 🙂

Paramedic x 12 years, now an MS-2.

The whole physician on the box thing is a bit of a slippery slope. If he's acting as a "paramedic" then he's under somebody else's medical license...whose is it? If he's acting as a "paramedic", can he exercise his physician scope of practice? It's a tricky situation for sure.

Back to the OP, as I said, I was a paramedic for a few years before I started medical school. I was also a firefighter for a couple of years, after which I did some aeromedical pedi/neonatal critical care, and several years in the ED. I'm now an MS-2 at Baylor in Houston.

1. Regarding loans...yes you should be able to get financial aid to help cover family expenses.

2. Regarding wife...very personal decision. No way to predict the future. She has to be okay with being essentially a single parent at times.

3. Med school is tough, the subject matter is not too difficult...just a lot of stuff. It will be your full-time job essentially. It's an easier adjustment for somebody who has had to work full-time and go to school as an undergrad. That's not to say that it's an easy adjustment!

4. I would likely renew in '13 and then see what happens. No sense worrying about the next expiration in '17. You might go into radiology or something and not even need/want your certification.

Good luck!

 

[medicsb]

1. I get G.I. Bill benefits, but those will run out before I'm in my M2 year. Student loans? Can I get them to cover living expenses for my my wife and child on the way? My wife works full-time, but her income won't be sufficient to cover all of our expenses.

2. What reassurance can I provide my wife and family that this a good thing for us and something that I am passionate about and have dreamed about doing my whole life?

3. I'm pretty apprehensive about the whole process, even though I've done my research and know mostly what it's all about. Any insight on what to expect in the coming 2 years as I prepare to apply? How is the didactic environment of Med School?

4. Being a Paramedic, my license will expire in 2013 unless I renew. If I renew it, it will be good until 2017. That should get me through Med School and into my residency. Do I work to maintain it past that point or just let it lapse?

Sorry for the long post, but I really appreciate any and all input anyone can give me. I'm pretty nervous now that my wife has agreed to all of this, but I think that it will work out. I'm passionate about Medicine, and can't see myself doing anything else for the rest of my life. Thanks again!!

EMS for 8 (6 as a medic).

1. Get your credit rating in check if it's not good. The better the rating, the better your loans.

2. $$$ in 9 years (assuming a 3 year residency). And loans in the meantime. She needs to get down with your plan, accept it, and support it. Reassurances will only go so far, honestly. It won't be easy. You WILL still be able to make time for her and the kid, but some days you are going to have almost no time available. She will need to understand that.

3. You'll work your ass off in med school. But, some subjects like cardiopulmonary physiology, ECGs, certain aspects of pharmacology, pt. interviews, physical exams, etc. will come a little easier than your fellow students (you'll still have a lot to learn, though). Everyone I know is trying read dubin cover to cover right now. I don't plan on touching it. I barely studied CV phys last year.

4. Recert. At least maintain your NR, if you have it. I worked between 1st and 2nd year and I still teach on the side a few hours per week. A little spending cash is nice.

When applying, talk up your experience in your personal statement and in interviews. You're head and shoulders above other applicants with the medic experience alone.