Was it always a calling to you?

[AmeriMedic21]

(im sure this has been posted here somewhere, but id like to ask ya'll)
Was this career field always a calling for you?

I was never the kid that wanted to go into this field since i was *insert age here*. I was never the kid who got a fisher price BP cuff and stethoscope and went around playing doctor on my family. If you can believe it, when i was fresh out high school, i enrolled in college to take classes because i wanted to be a U.S. Government teacher. I didnt really get any fulfillment from the classes i was taking, but felt compelled to still go to school. I never even thought about doing EMS until this one day. When i was at work, i went to break, i walked outside to smoke a cigarette and walked past a fellow employee who was also smoking a cigarette. I nodded and said hi as i walked by. I went to my car to grab my water but realized that it wasnt there. So i decided to go back inside to go and grab a water. I headed back to the building and then that man that i said hi to was collapsed on the ground, with a ton of people around him, someone said he was having a heart attack. I heard the sirens of the ambulance in the distance and knew where they were going. I felt helpless. no one knew what to do, this mans life hanging in the balance of us, and i couldnt do anything about it, it was a horrible feeling. I was shaken by that incident and felt guilty with myself for not being able to do anything for the man. I went home after work and told my dad about what happened. I then started doing some research in EMS and then about a week later decided thats what i was going to with my life, be an EMS professional. After some hard work, countless hours of struggling, and some help from above, i made my dream become a reality and i am where the EMS was that day the man collapsed. This wasnt a always a life calling for me, until one day i made it become a calling. Do you guys feel the same way?

 

[fast65]

EMS was definitely not always a calling to me, in fact, I never really considered it. I used to want to be a doctor when I was in middle school and had pondered the idea of being a firefighter like my grandfather, but once I reached high school I switched to pursuing a career as an engineer. I never really felt that desire to learn when I was in my classes though, then one day, I was browsing the Mustang forums and I saw a post about someone wanting to be a firefighter, after reading that discussion I felt like it was something that I would really like.

After that I went down and talked with a family friend at the FD and he told me that I had to be a paramedic if I wanted to be a firefighter. The next term I enrolled in my EMT-B class and the material just enthralled me, then on my first ride-a-long we had a patient that we took in and when we dropped her off she thanked us and told me that I was lucky to work with such great paramedics; that's the moment that really got to me. I soon switched my interest away from firefighting and dove full force into being a paramedic. It's a bit of an odd story, but eh

 

[Sasha]

EMS isnt a calling, just something i find interesting.

 

[fortsmithman]

(im sure this has been posted here somewhere, but id like to ask ya'll)
Was this career field always a calling for you?

I was never the kid that wanted to go into this field since i was *insert age here*. I was never the kid who got a fisher price BP cuff and stethoscope and went around playing doctor on my family.

I did have toy steth and BP cuff as a little kid. I even used shoes has defib paddles. When I was a little kid I used to watch faithfully all the time Johnny and Roy on Emergency. I had fun those years. Later on I wanted to be a traffic cop after watching Jon and Ponch on CHiPs.

 

[8jimi8]

I would have went to paramedic school, after i burned out at the national domestic violence hotline, but I met a firefighter captain who told me nursing was the same training with more opportunity. He was half right. And hey, now my paramedic class is easy

 

[Zodiac]

Not really a calling, just something to do while in college but it's been fun thus far so I'm not complaining about my decision ^_^ Plus the nursing school I plan on applying for is a stickler for healthcare experience.

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

EMS isnt a calling, just something i find interesting.

I don't even think it's interesting

 

[Mike K]

It wasn't a calling for me. After seeing a high angle climbing accident (we were two pitches over feeling helpless) I got interested in wilderness medicine. I joined a nordic SAR team in N Lake Tahoe. They offered to send me to a WEMT school, and I happily agreed. The only contact I really had with patients were either healthy lost people or decease avalanche victims, plane crashes, ect. I married a ER nurse, and after the downturn in the economy, decided EMS will be more stable than general contracting.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Had an accident in 2nd grade where the fire department had to be called for me. Since that day I only wanted to be a firefighter. The day after my 14th birthday I joined the fire department as an explorer. That's when I learned that to be a firefighter for California you have to be at least an EMT-B. 3 months after I graduated high school I was in the EMT program. And 3 months after I graduated the I got hired on with a 911 company. The day after my 19 birthday I started my field training time. I wouldn't say it was a calling for me. I also was not running around the house playing doctor. I was always camping and doing other stuff outdoors.

 

[musicistheforce]

I was enrolled at a university in Alabama, where I was pursuing a Music Education degree with a theatre minor. After 2 years I realized that I wasn't enjoying what I was doing anymore. Well Long story short, my dorm building had a mock disaster tornado drill and I was selected to be one of the "victims". I had I think metal in my eye and a altered mental status. Well the EMT/Paramedics that brought me in were so cool about answering any questions that I had about what they were doing and what would happen next that I decided that I could easily do that with my life. A year later I have graduated EMT school and am looking for a job. So no, this wasn't always a calling for me

 

[EMSrush]

I don't think EMS was a calling for me. In fact, I used to freak out every time one of my kids got a cut or scrape, and would promptly pass them over to my husband to be triaged and bandaged...!

One day, just for fun, I took a wilderness first aid class. After watching the extremely smooth "scene assessment" of the two instructors, I was both fascinated and hooked. I was amazed that anyone could be so calm and methodical during an emergent situation, and wanted to emulate that. The rest is history...

However- in hindsight, it's worth noting:

1) I loved to watch the show Rescue 911 as a child. It was my favorite show.
2) I enjoyed reading the old American Red Cross first aid book that we had.
3) My favorite books to read were home medical treatment and first aid books.

I never did have much of an interest in EMS when I was younger... at least not that I was aware of at the time.

 

[Anjel]

From the 3rd grade onward whenever someone asked me what I wanted to do in life...the answer was always an ER doc.

I went through high school. Taking the first aid and MFR class I was amazed by the medix that came in to talk to us, and thought oh ill never be able to do that...I was gonna be a doc. So then I took a year off school after I graduated.

It was too much for me to jump right into 10 yrs of school. So I said ill be a medical assistant then eventually a PA then a doc.

I hated my life and job during training to me a MA. I waa miserable. My bf at the time was an EMT and I envied him. But again thought I couldnt do it.

But the time came. I went to ems orientation. I took the class. Still hesitant. I was just going to use the class as a stepping stone.

Then my first clinical came. We coded to a psych pt. I got kicked, screamed at, and called names.

When it was over. I knew. I knew id never be fully happy doing anything other than working in EMS. This will be a life long career for me.

I have never been happier. I dont dread going to work and am happy to say im an EMT. I think I was meant to do this. I had a very round about way of doing it lol. And once I believed I could do it... And I could. I will never look back

 

[adamjh3]

Not really a calling. Wanted to be a police officer for a long time, still considering it. I worked at a grocery store for a long time out of high school, one of my friends there was an EMT, had a lot of cool stories. I took the class, and now I've got the best job a 20 year old like me could have, and I'm hoping to be in medic school by January.

So in short, no, it wasn't always a calling, but I have always wanted to help people in some way, this job helps me do that.

 

[bigbaldguy]

Definitely one of the things that calls to me. I would probably have gravitated toward either law enforcement or EMS had I not stumbled into my current job as a flight attendant. Now I'm too entrenched (and invested) in my day job to ever do EMS full time and too old for law enforcement but I love volunteering as an emt. While my skill and knowledge may never be quite on par with some of the career folks I've been privileged enough to work with I can honestly say my enthusiasm for EMS is tremendous.

 

[abckidsmom]

I struggle with being "called" in too many areas. I love doing anything I am good at, and EMS is on the list. My problem is just that I try to do too much, and end up frazzled.

 

[Smoke14]

From the 3rd grade onward whenever someone asked me what I wanted to do in life...the answer was always an ER doc.

I went through high school. Taking the first aid and MFR class I was amazed by the medix that came in to talk to us, and thought oh ill never be able to do that...I was gonna be a doc. So then I took a year off school after I graduated.

It was too much for me to jump right into 10 yrs of school. So I said ill be a medical assistant then eventually a PA then a doc.

I hated my life and job during training to me a MA. I waa miserable. My bf at the time was an EMT and I envied him. But again thought I couldnt do it.

But the time came. I went to ems orientation. I took the class. Still hesitant. I was just going to use the class as a stepping stone.

Then my first clinical came. We coded to a psych pt. I got kicked, screamed at, and called names.

When it was over. I knew. I knew id never be fully happy doing anything other than working in EMS. This will be a life long career for me.

I have never been happier. I dont dread going to work and am happy to say im an EMT. I think I was meant to do this. I had a very round about way of doing it lol. And once I believed I could do it... And I could. I will never look back

WOW! I could have written that. Congratulations to you Angel.

I have worked as a medic since 1978 and have really enjoyed every shift I have ever worked. I have worked in a large system, a rural system and I was a flight medic for several years.

I am getting ready to retire and that is waying heavy on my mind.

 

[crazycajun]

Yes i can honestly say EMS was and is my calling. As I have stated many times I believe EMS is the most important part of healthcare.

 

[EMSrush]

Is it me, or did a bunch of posts just disappear from this thread?

 

[Anjel]

Is it me, or did a bunch of posts just disappear from this thread?

hahaha yea they are gone.

 

[Chimpie]

Let's get this thread back on topic.