suggested career path

[Thumper33]

I have recently been thinking hard about getting my emt-b cert so I can become a firefighter. The hang up for me though is that I'm only 10 years out of school from getting my degree in Mechanical Engineering and I feel like I should study something that at least has a degree prereq. What has me attracted to the firefighter path is that I like doing something different and adventurous every day. I know it takes a while to get in with a paying fire department, so I thought I'd get my emt-b and work as a volunteer firefighter and/or emt to get some experience while I wait for a department to pick me up. I got thinking though, since I have a degree, can anyone suggest something else in the medical field that would pay more but have the veriety of emt work? I don't really want 4 more years of school to become an MD, and EMTs don't make much. I'm just not really happy with the Engineering thing, and if I had it all to do over I'd probably have gone to med school. I'm 33 now though, so not wanting that much to do again.

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[pseudoknot]

I think you should read this article and then think about what you want without trying to go to school for the sake of it.

EDIT: In most of the places I've been firefighters make a decent living or more.

 

[Salvorix]

Just as an aside, although it would take 4 years to get an MD it will take an additional 3-7 years to complete residency to get full practice rights.

I'd recommend you look into PA programs. PA School is 2 years long (no residency) and you are able to do many of the same things that MD's do. The salary is also very good, I think the average is in the 70-80k range. Job opportunities are plentiful as they are with most healthcare fields. Also doing an accelerated BSRN course would let you become a nurse and from there you could become a NP, which is similar to a PA (although you need to decide which is more appealing, nursing or medicine).

Good luck!

 

[Octagonecology]

The novelty of firefighting/emt wears off very quickly. I did it for 6 years. 99% of it consists of sitting at a fire station watching tv and doing menial station chores. The EMS side mostly is BS calls/system abusers or in the case of an actualy sick person...you are just taking them to someone who can actually fix them,i.e. ER doc.

You do get some good calls but they are very few and far between. You may actually save a life once or twice in your career. The money isn't that great really and it isn't worth spending 33% of your life (if your on a 24on 48off schedule) away from your family.

 

[easyrock]

The novelty of firefighting/emt wears off very quickly. I did it for 6 years. 99% of it consists of sitting at a fire station watching tv and doing menial station chores. The EMS side mostly is BS calls/system abusers or in the case of an actualy sick person...you are just taking them to someone who can actually fix them,i.e. ER doc.

You do get some good calls but they are very few and far between. You may actually save a life once or twice in your career. The money isn't that great really and it isn't worth spending 33% of your life (if your on a 24on 48off schedule) away from your family.

I whole-heartedly agree. My station had grooves in the couch from where people planted themselves in front of the television watching horrible daytime television. The work itself is nothing like what the media glamourizes it as.

Follow up on the PA suggestion. It may be just what you're looking for

 

[greytmedic]

My station had grooves in the couch from where people planted themselves in front of the television watching horrible daytime television

That's the best frikin' part.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

The novelty of firefighting/emt wears off very quickly. I did it for 6 years. 99% of it consists of sitting at a fire station watching tv and doing menial station chores. The EMS side mostly is BS calls/system abusers or in the case of an actualy sick person...you are just taking them to someone who can actually fix them,i.e. ER doc.

You do get some good calls but they are very few and far between. You may actually save a life once or twice in your career. The money isn't that great really and it isn't worth spending 33% of your life (if your on a 24on 48off schedule) away from your family.

I full heartedly agree having worked the streets on a 24 hour car. I can also apply the same to my current job of being a Remote Duty Medic in Iraq. Except here, we plant ourselves in front of the computer and see more general medicine patients interrupted by the occasional true emergency. The money here is good, but compared to being a full-fledged clinician instead of just practicing at the clinician level without the training and knowledge that you need and having to acquire it on a steep learning curve, I'd definitely vote for becoming a clinician.

 

[Octagonecology]

I full heartedly agree having worked the streets on a 24 hour car. I can also apply the same to my current job of being a Remote Duty Medic in Iraq. Except here, we plant ourselves in front of the computer and see more general medicine patients interrupted by the occasional true emergency. The money here is good, but compared to being a full-fledged clinician instead of just practicing at the clinician level without the training and knowledge that you need and having to acquire it on a steep learning curve, I'd definitely vote for becoming a clinician.

Props to you for taking that assignment. Are you a civilian contract EMS provider? I've heard the money is outstanding for a 1 year contract.