*Why did you decide to become a EMT?
I've been an EMT since I was 17. always liked being able to help people.
*Did you have another career before you went to school to become a Emt? What was it like to change from one career to another?
I was working in IT, commuting from NJ to NYC 5 days a week, and two nights a week, I was running from the train to EMS Station 1 for a shift. I did the math, and while I was going to take a paycut, my commute was going to change from a 1 hour train ride each way to a 15 minute walk from my front door. I also went from working 5 days a week to 3 days a week, with the potential to pick up OT on my days off. I very rarely worked more than 5 days a week in EMS even with OT. Since 2015ish, I have gone back to IT, and do EMS related jobs on the side.
*Where did you go to school for this job? What was the hardest part of school for you?
I attended an EMT course held in a neighboring couty's high school, ran by an EMT instructor. hardest part of school was cardiology section. Paramedic school was several years later, at a local community college in another state.
Currently, I teach EMT classes at the local community college, where the pay is a lot better than being on the truck.
*What is a typical workday like? Hours, breaks, coworkers
12 hour shifts are standard, but I've worked 24s as well. I've done 18 hour shifts when needed, but I wouldn't recommend 24s unless you get adequate downtime for sleeping. My busiest shift was in a small city, where we did 11 calls in 12 hours, did calls in three separate counties, transported to 5 different hospitals, and broke into my apartment near the local trauma center because my drunk girlfriend and her friend got themselves locked out. But I worked in systems where doing 18 calls in 12 hours was busy for a summer day. I've also had a few no-hitters. Coworkers vary depending on where you work; I have some who have a HS education and no desire to do anytime more, and have worked with people with a PhD or masters that just liked being on the ambulance. Breaks occur during your downtime; rarely scheduled if you work 911, but you can get some during the IFT.
*Do you work under a lot of pressure in this job? (If yes) Can you give me an example of a typical high-pressure situation?
yes. People are dying, and the family/bystanders are expecting you to show up and save the day. sometimes you can... often, if it's their time to go, nothing you can do to change it. You can also have a seemingly stable dispatch, and show up and find a critical patient, where all you can do is scoop and run to the hospital.
for example, my partner and I were dispatched to an orthopedic doctor's office for a sick person (and I think I was on a non-emergency truck that day). These are typically not anywhere near an emergent call, and more often than not, you are just a taxi ride to the hospital. we grabbed our equipment, and took our stretcher in, asked the receptionist which room our patient was in. We were directed to the room, and when we went in, found a person sitting on the exam bed. She said she didn't need help, we were there for her 35 year old bf in the chair. he looked like crap. asked him medical history, and he said 5 heart attacks. and I was pretty sure this was #6. We did a scoop and run to the hospital with a CATH lab, advised them what we had, and had a bed waiting for us when we walked in. Dude was sick...
*Is there a lot of take-home work in this job? (If yes, Do you ever find it hard to turn-off work at home and enjoy a personal/family life?)
not really take home, however, many/most people in EMS work a side job. Some people have side job within EMS, while others are completely unrelated.
*What kinds of professional development opportunities are there in this field? Can a person advance in this career?
haha. that's funny.
you can become a supervisor. or a paramedic. or even work in communications. there are administrative positions, but not every system has them. sadly, there isn't much room to advance.
*Does this job give you the challenges you need to stay interested in this field?
I liked it. having a good partner could make the difference between a good shift and a horrible shift.
*Do you see yourself doing this job for the rest of your work life? Why (or why not)?
as long as my body allows me to. but I don't do it full time anymore, as I wanted to pursue a job that was more conducive to raising a family and owning a house.
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