Got accepted awhile back and was wondering if it's worth renewing my EMT cert which is set to expire in March 2018. Will it serve any use if I do not plan on using it during school?
Worth renewing EMT certification?
- Thread starter xd42069
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I worked with an EMT who was in medical school, and he used his EMT to get a summer job. I don't know how much that's worth to you though.
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Don’t bother unless you have a personal definitive reason to keep it.
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You really will only have one summer to work and at many schools there is significant pressure to use that time for research. Otherwise working the shifts that EMS requires will be exceedingly difficult if not impossible while doing well in school.
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I'm in the same boat and definitely planning on letting mine lapse. I figure that I will not have time during medical school to work as an EMT. Plus, I plan on volunteering in clinics in such which doesn't require any certification past being a med student. But hey, it isn't that difficult to recert and if you have you extra time it can't hurt
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Depends on if you think you might use it. I've known people who used it for clinical volunteering, worked as an EMT during breaks (but this was always back at their previous job so they didn't do a lot of shifts), or did a few ride alongs since they were interested in matching EM. However, odds are it won't be useful for you as a medical student/physician.
I would also first look into the requirements for your state before deciding if you're going to renew (ie independent vs. in a system, amount of continuing education hours you'll need). For instance, I was an independent when I first renewed it because I was in school and didn't have the chance to actually work as an EMT. I didn't even think it was worth renewing for this reason because I thought I would need a bunch of CE hours, but when I actually looked it up it turned out the classes I took in college counted for it since I wasn't part of an EMS system and all I had to do was send in the paperwork.
I would also first look into the requirements for your state before deciding if you're going to renew (ie independent vs. in a system, amount of continuing education hours you'll need). For instance, I was an independent when I first renewed it because I was in school and didn't have the chance to actually work as an EMT. I didn't even think it was worth renewing for this reason because I thought I would need a bunch of CE hours, but when I actually looked it up it turned out the classes I took in college counted for it since I wasn't part of an EMS system and all I had to do was send in the paperwork.
