Your first job as a BASIC

DC1979

DC1979

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So I am committing to doing my emt-b this summer after changing careers from outdoor/adventure education. My goal is PA school but to be honest if paramedics made better money I would absolutely go that route. Anyways, I'm curious what peoples experience is right out of school with an emt-b.

What type of work?
How much money did you make? What part of the country?
How long did it take you to find work?
What was the best strategy you found for getting that first gig?
How long ago Did you start?

I think a post with all this info would be super helpful.

Thanks.
 
911 company
Average for EMT in my area. Southern CA.
About 3 months after I finished my EMT class.
Knowing people and having contacts is what helped me the most.
I have been employed around 3 years so far.
 
IFT

11/hr in south Texas

Applied to one place when I turned 21. They called me back the next day for an interview.

Showed up in person with a résumé in hand.

6 years ago
 
Did LA County IFTs, with lots of dialysis, discharges, and psych transfers for about a year. Took me 2 weeks from getting my state card to being accepted at my first place at 18. My strategy was apply everywhere and choose the best one that will have you.
 
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My first patient was on my own time and was a horse. :blush:
My first jobs (simultaneously started) were on-base USAF crash rescue man and civilian MOSTLY IFT.

Look at your local employers and see what job is earning what, and go for it. The only reason to take a field tech job is as an interim job which you want to try out.
 
DC1979 said:
What type of work?
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911 response for a large municipal system. Separate from municipal fire but we work very closely with them.

How much money did you make?
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New hire EMTs make $12/hr, $12.50 after 6 months.

What part of the country?
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City of Indianapolis

How long did it take you to find work?
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A couple weeks once I actually started looking for work. I did the EMT class spring semester last school year at a community college, did the testing and qualified for my state cert in May. I took the summer off, not even looking for a job during the summer because of my kids being out of school and not wanting to have to search for childcare in the summer. I applied for the testing (first step of interview process) for my employer in mid august, did the written test in late Aug, did skills testing in early sept, interview on Sept 11, was in academy Oct 21st.

What was the best strategy you found for getting that first gig?
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Review classroom material. Review the basics. I was calm and relaxed through the entire process because, honestly, I didn't figure I stood a chance of actually getting hired so I was really just looking at it is a great experience. I kept moving through the stages, and was genuinely surprised when I got the call that I was accepted to academy! I stressed my flexibility in adapting to different situations, my customer service experience, and my ability to succeed in intense, short-duration (4-6 week long) training programs. I also had experience in teaching in an airline training environment, and curriculum development, so while "brand new" to EMS, I am 38 years old with a fair amount of life experience behind me. Had I been 21 years old with the same brand-new EMT cert, I don't know that i would have gotten hired.

How long ago Did you start?
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I was in the Oct 21st, 2013 academy. Finished academy the day before Thanksgiving, spent the month of December on FTO and was released from FTO on New Year's Day. My FTO stretched a bit longer than usual because I was brand new and because I was getting passed around between many different instructors due to scheduling issues.
 
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Great responses. It's good to hear about life experiences too. No offense, but I feel like with my previous professional experience and education I would compete quite well with 21 year olds with less experience. I know I would compete a lot better against my 21 y/o self!
 
I volunteered at a local fire department. They did pay per call and it wasn't much but it's a nice little gift at the end of the month. By far the most valuable thing was the experience because everyone knows you can't teach street in class
 
Wow. Some EMTs in here start at more than I will as a medic. EMTs start at about 9.25 in Phoenix, medics about 11.75 (for southwest ambulance. Rural metro pays less).
 
DC1979 said:
So I am committing to doing my emt-b this summer after changing careers from outdoor/adventure education. My goal is PA school but to be honest if paramedics made better money I would absolutely go that route. Anyways, I'm curious what peoples experience is right out of school with an emt-b.

What type of work?
How much money did you make? What part of the country?
How long did it take you to find work?
What was the best strategy you found for getting that first gig?
How long ago Did you start?

I think a post with all this info would be super helpful.

Thanks.
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1. Software engineer on a volunteer industrial fire brigade.
2. None (for EMT), North Carolina.
3. Already had the desk job.
4. Luck of the draw.
5. 2007 (EMT; 2001 software)

My first paid gig:

1. Part-time Paramedic for 3rd-service and for ALS FD
2. $14.68 @ 3rd-service / $16.50 @ FD, NC.
3. Not long after getting out of school (one month maybe?)
4. Good resume, good people skills, do well on clinicals with same agencies.
5. 2009 @ FD, 2012 @ 3rd-service
 
this is so depressing! we are so grossly underpaid its discouraging.

1. BLS IFT, Bay Area
2. started at 9.50 got up to 13.25 with $15 call bonuses
3. 2 years but I wasn't actively looking the whole time
4. I guess it was just good timing. I took a semester off school to accommodate an open schedule
5. I got my cert in 2009

like you I was, and am considering PA school. I wanted to do it immediately but got tired of BLS, wanted more, went to medic school, and now I want to work as a medic for ~2 years and decide if I wanna do fire or go to PA, or both, PA school will always be there. but I wont be young forever and I love paramedicine.
 
Angel said:
this is so depressing! we are so grossly underpaid its discouraging.
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How do you figure? How much do you expect a single part-time semester, advanced first-aid course to pay?
 
I was making about 2K a month, as an EMT which I consider decent. but I was referring to medics, I consider it comparable to nursing (except the degree bit which is a completely different topic.)
I just don't understand how a nurse can make $60/hr (about the same as a PA-with less responsibility) and some medics here barely break $15, ~$17 seems to be the going rate here in CA.
 
60/hr?! :lol: What nurses are you talking to?! The highest paid nurses around here get paid roughly $38/hr, though the average is closer to $30/hr. 60/hr is more on par with an NP. CA may be different, but it also costs an arm and a leg to rent a 2br apartment in much of CA.

That degree bit is a pretty big bit. The lowest educated RNs have an associates degree, while most are now going towards BSN. Paramedics have essentially 2.5 semesters. The nursing unions have fought for pay increases, and raised their educational standards accordingly. Paramedic is comparable to nursing in that we're both on the low end of medical providers, but that's about it.
 
60 an hour is about what our RNs make. (Industrial Oilfield clinic) up in Canada.
 
Medic Tim said:
60 an hour is about what our RNs make. (Industrial Oilfield clinic) up in Canada.
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Don't you also make double or more than the standard medic in the US when you (personally) work as a medic in Canada?
 
STXmedic said:
Don't you also make double or more than the standard medic in the US when you (personally) work as a medic in Canada?
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Depends but for the most part yes. Medics here can start in the mid 20s to 30s an hour for regular, and 50-60 for industrial. Depends on the province. EMTs /PCPs in some places make more than medics/ ACPs in others.
 
CDN to USD is .89

Also remember exchange rates between CDN and USD
 
DC1979 said:
Also remember exchange rates between CDN and USD
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Even with the exchange being kinda crappy right now ( about 90cents on the dollar) it is still better than a lot of places.

My first ems job was in the northeast USA as an EMT I . I made 7.50 an hour (2007). The starting pay right now for medic is about 11-13 an hour.
 
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