FDNY EMS - Basic to Medic and More...

[matrixdutch]

Hey all,

Just had some questions regarding FDNY EMS. I'm currently looking to make a change in careers and am considering joining FDNY EMS. I have no intentions of becoming a fireman like most others, I would like to be a paramedic though. I am deciding whether to do 6 months of volunteer work after I get my EMT-B, and they apply to medic school, or perhaps apply directly to the FDNY as an EMT, and then apply to go for medic training once I'm in.

If there's anyone in FDNY EMS that is active or retired that could help, it would be greatly appreciated.

[Richard B the EMT]

FDNY is supposed to be cutting back some 16 fire apparatus, and eliminating 30 EMS tours, unless Gov. Patterson and the state legislature come up with some major money.

However, if you want to try for employment with us, the link is at http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/home2.shtml

[tskstorm]

Hey all,

Just had some questions regarding FDNY EMS. I'm currently looking to make a change in careers and am considering joining FDNY EMS. I have no intentions of becoming a fireman like most others, I would like to be a paramedic though. I am deciding whether to do 6 months of volunteer work after I get my EMT-B, and they apply to medic school, or perhaps apply directly to the FDNY as an EMT, and then apply to go for medic training once I'm in.

If there's anyone in FDNY EMS that is active or retired that could help, it would be greatly appreciated.

Rumor around the mill is paramedic upgrade training from the FDNY will be restricted if not removed, until the budget gets larger.

[NYCEMS]

Hi, I'm on the Job. There are a lot of cutbacks going on with us. Several units have been reassigned to other areas of the city and the private hospitals are being offered to run more units to cover those areas. The medic program is currently on hold but no talk about us losing it.

You can go to the FDNY website and type in EMS for an application. I'm pretty sure we're on a hiring freeze right now but we do have a high turnover rate so that can change. I'm on the job 17 yrs and constantly seeing new faces. We don't have a residence requirement so you don't have to worry about moving into the city.

Personally I feel you should have at least 3 yrs being an EMT before becoming a medic. If your hired with us as an EMT the medic program is free. 10 month's just school. Something to think about.

Any other questions fell free to send me a message.

[chbare]

Why three years before paramedic? If the program in question cannot produce good entry level providers, it stinks IMHO. I never had to work as a LPN for three years prior to entry into a RN program. I do not know of any doctors who were forced to work as PA's prior to acceptance into medical school. The list goes on. Why is EMS still among the few fields where people think working as a lower level provider is mandatory?

Not trying to bust you down; however, my question is serious.

Take care,

chbare.

[matrixdutch]

Thank you for your replies all!

NYCEMS, I shall PM you.

[Richard B the EMT]

In the days before the FDNY/EMS merger, even if you had NYS DoH certification as a Paramedic, policy was, you had to work as an EMT for a year, so you'd be used to department policies, before they'd "retrain" you, to their "standards", as a Paramedic.

Even when you came on as an EMT, as per the lieutenant in charge of my class, we came in with training from many counties, or even from neighboring counties in New Jersey, but we had to be trained to the way the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation EMS wanted us to do things. I even joked about it at the time,

The right way, the wrong way, and the Army way.

Nowadays, in addition to "in-house" classroom "book", hospital "clinical" and tightly monitored field time, the FDNY has accepted Paramedics trained from outside the agency.

[Dragoon]

Personally I feel you should have at least 3 yrs being an EMT before becoming a medic.

I don't know why we have some who continue to think that? When I started about three years ago in my EMT class I heard the same thing. I also heard it out on the street too. "Get experience before you go to medic school." Flash forward to today and I can tell it is total BS and how wrong those that said it are. You do not need EMT experience to become a paramedic. You need an education: A&P, pharmacology, english composition, math to name a few, Use the search function here and you will see the consensus of what the members here think you need. Experience is not one of them.

Hearing this nonsense again and again gets my blood boiling.

[HERBIE1]

I don't know why we have some who continue to think that? When I started about three years ago in my EMT class I heard the same thing. I also heard it out on the street too. "Get experience before you go to medic school." Flash forward to today and I can tell it is total BS and how wrong those that said it are. You do not need EMT experience to become a paramedic. You need an education: A&P, pharmacology, english composition, math to name a few, Use the search function here and you will see the consensus of what the members here think you need. Experience is not one of them.

Hearing this nonsense again and again gets my blood boiling.

Most paramedic schools "require" experience- around here it's usually one year but too often that is waved. Sorry, but I disagree with the notion that experience is not necessary. I am curious to hear why you feel this way.

New doctors spend a year internship right out of medical school and then progress to their residencies. They are evaluated by veterans, their skills are verified and honed. Same with nurses. Most shadow veterans for awhile before they are turned loose to work on their own.

Why should the transition from EMTB to paramedic be any different?

[NYCEMS]

Why three years before paramedic? If the program in question cannot produce good entry level providers, it stinks IMHO. I never had to work as a LPN for three years prior to entry into a RN program. I do not know of any doctors who were forced to work as PA's prior to acceptance into medical school. The list goes on. Why is EMS still among the few fields where people think working as a lower level provider is mandatory?

Not trying to bust you down; however, my question is serious.

Take care,

chbare.

I've seen too many what I like to call as Harvard Medics, there book smart but common scents,street smarts is out the window. To me doctors , nurses all work in controlled enviroments. Plus does't a doctor have to do some yrs residence work and get signed off by another established doctor. The pt's are coming to you. You decide if you see them now or they wait. If there a problem security handles it.

In the street your now in the pt's turf. Talking down to them could cause a dangerous situation. It's just you and your partner. Your a psyc doctor, trauma doctor, medical doctor and labor and delivery in one. You deal with whatever is thrown at you. You can"t pass it on to another tech.

I also see alot of 20 yr old medic who think that emt's are all stupid. Yet they have less then 6 months as a EMT and fell there season profesionnals because there medics now. Yeah maybe 3 years is along time but look at this, Was it 3 years in a high volume system or a 2 to 3 call a day system.

My first time stepping into an ambulace was working 911. I never volley'd, never did transport. First call of my career was a shooting to the face in the south bronx. See what I mean.