What made you do it?

[ProjectCamaro]

So I drone on to ask a simple question, what made you do it?
Would you give up a well paying career to start over? To do something meaningful?
Do you feel your jobs are meaningful, do you come home proud, and accomplished?

- I initially went to my EMT license after I joined my department's SWAT team and found out we didn't have any medics on the team. Seemed pretty stupid to me so I figured I'd put myself through the classes so I wouldn't have to watch someone die because the scene wasn't safe for EMS.
- That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm giving up my law enforcement career that'll guarantee me of a salary of at least 70k a year in just a couple years because I now hate it.
- My job as a police officer is meaningful and I know I'm doing good but dealing with low lives all day, every day take a serious toll on you. I have become incredibly cynical because of it.

At my current job I currently make about 50k/year. But I wake up every morning depressed, hating life. Because my job sucks. And im a slave to it. I have no other job skills beside law enforcement.

So im living proof that money isnt the key to happyness.

Same here, I'm also a police officer making in the low to mid 50k a year. We have a union contract so I can tell you my exact pay for many years to come and will be in the 60k range in two years not counting OT. While I have been very successful in my law enforcement career I don't care for the job at all anymore.

I started working part time as an ED Tech and will be using the tuition assistance to pay for my ADN and then my BSN. Hospital jobs are much more stable, easy to come by, and pay better than law enforcement so it'll be a win/win. Not to mention I won't have people trying to kill me on a regular basis. My only regret is not going for my ADN right out of high school and wasting money on my Criminal Justice degree.

 

[Run with scissors]

Exactly how I feel, I feel like in law enforcement. Some one is trying to take my job at every turn. and where will I go if I get fired? No where!

Im 23, and ive wasted so much time in a career that I hate. Ive learned the true meaning of money doesnt buy happiness. I would like to get my bsn and look into reenlisting into the army as an officer. Or just going straight to msn to become a nurse practitioner.

The money as a nurse practitioner is better than anything I can ask for. and its something I like. Cant beat that

 

[ERDoc]

So I drone on to ask a simple question, what made you do it?
Would you give up a well paying career to start over? To do something meaningful?
Do you feel your jobs are meaningful, do you come home proud, and accomplished?

Thank you so much for reading!

1. I got into EMS as a student member with my volley at 16 because a former friend was doing it and said it was a great way to meet girls. I decided to go to medical school because I ended up enjoying EMS but didn't want to call for orders all the time and being a volley doesn't pay the bills.

2. Hard to answer this question, it is a personal decision that only you can make.

3. Yes, yes and yes.

 

[BinaryBryan]

Thanks LocNar! I definitely agree. The knowledge and skills I will learn are worth it, even if I don't want to pursue it for an everyday thing.

 

[BinaryBryan]

1. I got into EMS as a student member with my volley at 16 because a former friend was doing it and said it was a great way to meet girls. I decided to go to medical school because I ended up enjoying EMS but didn't want to call for orders all the time and being a volley doesn't pay the bills.

2. Hard to answer this question, it is a personal decision that only you can make.

3. Yes, yes and yes.

I think you are the second or thid that listed 'a good way to meet chicks' or something similar hahaha.

 

[Run with scissors]

All I really want is girls

 

[redundantbassist]

All I really want is girls

All I really want is a substantial paycheck...

 

[BinaryBryan]

All I really want is a substantial paycheck...

Which leads to all the girls?
haha

 

[redundantbassist]

Which leads to all the girls?
haha

Girls who then proceed to take all of your hard earned money.

 

[squirrel15]

-
- Hospital jobs are much more stable, easy to come by, and pay better than law enforcement so it'll be a win/win

Do you mean hospital jobs are easy to come by as an EMT? If so please let me know where you live so I can start applying there

Im 23, and ive wasted so much time in a career that I hate.

Just curious, youre 23 have military experience and work as a cop, which means you have what 1-2 years on the job? I wouldn't say thats wasting to much time, in a career. I'd consider that a life learning experience!

I got into this because it was a job that meant I didn't have to sit in an office all day, got to meet new people all of the time, and it worked really well with my school schedule in college.

 

[Run with scissors]

Yeah, 3 years on the job. But it just feels like so much time has been wasted away.

But hey, all I really want is girls. Who take my hard earned money

 

[ProjectCamaro]

Do you mean hospital jobs are easy to come by as an EMT? If so please let me know where you live so I can start applying there.

I never said it was easy as an EMT, that comment was made right after talking about receiving an ADN and BSN so clearly that's what I'm talking about.

I can't speak for anyone else but after getting my EMT-Basic license I applied for an ED Tech position and was offer the job less than a week later so for me it was very easy to get hired.

 

[squirrel15]

I never said it was easy as an EMT, that comment was made right after talking about receiving an ADN and BSN so clearly that's what I'm talking about.

I can't speak for anyone else but after getting my EMT-Basic license I applied for an ED Tech position and was offer the job less than a week later so for me it was very easy to get hired.

OK, I was just clarifying. Because reading comprehension is near impossible on online forums lol. Especially with how some people organize paragraph structure like myself sometimes.

 

[Tigger]

So I drone on to ask a simple question, what made you do it?
Would you give up a well paying career to start over? To do something meaningful?
Do you feel your jobs are meaningful, do you come home proud, and accomplished?

This may not make a lot of sense, but I shall try. I graduated in 2013 with a Political Science BA from a tiny but well respected liberal arts college, and I had no idea what I was going to do with myself. However, I got my EMT in 2010 during my undergrad and had been working on ambulance over college breaks as well as for an NCAA hockey program doing more of sports medicine type role. When I finished classes, I figured that I was qualified to get a half decent ambulance job, which sounded a hell of a lot better than some sort of barely paying internship. And I really enjoyed working on the ambulance and knew I could be successful, so I just put all my eggs in that basket and figured I'd deal with what happens next at a later time.

I then got hired by a really excellent agency that's shown me that it is possible to make a career out of EMS and they want to help me do that. They're sending me to medic school now and I have some other, non-patient care duties like grant writing and PIO that will hopefully help me move my career forever. In college I figured that eventually I'd come up with an exit strategy and a new healthcare career aside from EMS, but for now I no longer want that. Given how young EMS is as a profession, significant change happens frequently, and I think I can eventually install myself in a leadership position that helps to implement and direct that change. That will eventually require me to get some sort of administrative degree, but I'm actually interested in that (especially when compared to the prereqs for nursing school). It's tough though, to know that I could probably be making quite a bit more money if I "used my degree" in the traditional sense. I doubt I'd be as happy though. The schedule is great, and I enjoy being out there and running calls and talking to people.

This job is meaningful and I am proud to do it, though I don't exactly wear that image. I'm not sure I feel accomplished at the end of the day, but is slightly rewarding to know that you provide an essential service, regardless of how the day went.

 

[canardroti]

Dude, you're only 22 ? You made it sound like you were 40 and wondering if making a switch of career was worth it, I would have probably said no if it was the case.

At 22, you are no where STUCK or have things holding you back to pursue this. Just do it, try it out for 1 year. If you don't like it or can't see any future in it ( although getting your EMT license open a tons of door and opportunities) then go back to working for TWC.
I switched at 32 years of age, it's my first year in the EMS world and if it doesn't pan out well, I'll just go back to my other career.
Just do it.

 

[Chewy20]

Yeah, 3 years on the job. But it just feels like so much time has been wasted away.

But hey, all I really want is girls. Who take my hard earned money

Did you sign a 2 year contract with the military? 3 years with your current job does not pan out other wise.

 

[Run with scissors]

Did you sign a 2 year contract with the military? 3 years with your current job does not pan out other wise.

I signed a 3 year, however i got med boarded out after 2 years.

 

[NTXFF]

Hello all!

Just a little introduction, my name is Bryan. I am actually I think a little different than the rest on this forum but I wanted to opinions of people who are considering and are new and experienced at being a paramedic, or EMT etc.
I have always considered the position myself but for this or that I always put it off for something.
Currently I work at a local cable company(I think we're third largest in the nation and we're buying TWC) as a lead network specialist so I have a career already that I enjoy. I am not married, or have children just my own responsibilities like car payment, insurance, etc.

But as much as I enjoy networking and my job, I still want to do something meaningful. After spending a month sleeping on the floor of a hospital when my mom was battling stomach cancer I realized how meaningful the jobs of medical personnel are(not to mention how kind they were to me as I spent every night there). And I have always had a calling to help people. To be able to help people and thats what drives me.
To be proud of what I do, not just say 'yea I made sure the nation could google their stupid questions today'.

So I drone on to ask a simple question, what made you do it?
Would you give up a well paying career to start over? To do something meaningful?
Do you feel your jobs are meaningful, do you come home proud, and accomplished?

Thank you so much for reading!

1. I'm third generation. I always tried to do something else yet here I sit at the fire station proud to be here and never been happier.
2. I left a six figure potential job in the travel industry to do this.
3. I do feel that this job is meaningful! Whether for others or just to find out what kind of person you are. Sometimes you're running into a burning building, sometimes you're giving a tour. You may be doing compression's in the middle of rush hour traffic hollering for an ETA so you can call report, or you may be holding an old woman's hand who's embarrassed you had to come pick her up off the ground.

I love this job and everything that it entails. Like any career I feel it is what you make it, no way around it. I go in every morning with a smile on my face and have every third day for 6 years.

 

[TransportJockey]

There was a waitlist for nursing school amd none for emt.

 

[evantheEMT]

For me, it's in my family and plus my sister would have seizures all the time and I was amazed how ems worked. I love being an emt and everything that comes with it. I'm honored to be able to take care of people and respond when someone calls 911. They let me into their lives and tell us personal information that they normally wouldnt. Good luck!!