Advancement In EMS with a bachelores degree?

[emtbasic13]

I am a emt who is going to school for a bachelores in health care administration. I love ems but as you know advancement isn't really big in this field once you become a medic. I was wondering with my degree when I finsih it, what options would I have in ems with this degree to advance. Because I really don't want to leave ems, but I don't want to have a BS and not be able to use it. That would be a waste of four years.

Does anyone here also have a BS or MS degree ? Do you get to use it ? If so what do you do with it in ems ?

[fiznat]

When you get your BS it will be EMS that is the waste, not the degree.

Opportunities vary from location to location, but my impression is that advancement in EMS is pretty much a transition to management. Where I work, the "highest level" includes QA/QI coordinators, senior supervisors, safety managers. It seems that a BS is "loosely required" for some of these jobs. Some folks have the degree, others don't. The real advice is if you go to college, you're going to want to start looking for opportunities outside of this field.

[paramedicmike]

Gotta agree with Fiznat (again!). If you think a four degree will be a waste then you need to sit down and rethink your priorities.

What options do you see available to an EMS provider with a degree in health care administration? What options would you like to see available for an EMS provider with a degree in health care administration? What options do you think you could create for yourself with that kind of degree?

You're only limited by your imagination. If you can't imagine where you want to be in five or ten years then we can't help you.

I can tell you that your degree won't be a waste. If you think it might be a waste then perhaps you're not in the right field of study. The degree you earn through the education you'll receive will take you much, much further than any career in EMS might.

[emtbasic13]

I don't look at my degree as a waste. I choose to get a bachelores degree for a few reasons

1. So I can have something to fall back on in case I have to leave ems.

2. I can use my degree in HCA for ems as well as bussiness management. I have always toyed around with the idea of opening up a bussiness or two in the future. I like the HCA program because it teaches you about finances, personnal management, and organization management also.

3. Advancement oppurtunites. Example if you go up for a Lt. position and everyone is a medic with the same amount of years in service and the same qualifications. What is going to seperate you from the next person in line.

4. There are some agencies I have found that pay there medics more if they have a degree verses if they don't.

So there are a lot of reasons

[HERBIE1]

EMTBasic- No degree is waste- at least in terms of personal growth. As for helping you in the future, that's another story. It all depends on what your plans are and what goals you have for yourself. I went back after 25 years in the business and got my Masters in Public Safety Administration. Why? Because I knew that at any time, my career could be cut short because of an injury. I also knew that once I retire from this gig, I will not be ready to sit on a porch and rock away my life. I am now teaching part time at a university, and plan to expand that role soon. Do you want to teach, train, or get into something totally different?

I would concentrate on management and leadership classes. Homeland Security is another rapidly growing field right now. It all depends on your age, your resources, and your short and long term goals.

The more tools you have in your tool belt(experience, education, certifications, etc), the better off you will be. More opportunities will present themselves, and you will be qualified to do far more things.

I would advise you to make a list of what you like about this business, what you don't like, what outside/corollary interests you may have, and where you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years. Don't forget to include a family if you do not have one already- they do complicate and influence your decisions.

Good luck.

[emtbasic13]

Thanks Herbie we seem to be on the same page. I didn't mean to call a degree a waste. What I meant is I don't want to be 15-20 years into the bussiness and still haven't had the oppurtunity to leave the ambulance at and go into something else in ems like management or administrative work where I could really use what I learned in my degree program. Also I have the option of specilaizing my Health Care Admin. degree in the are of emergency management, which is geared towards emts, and firefighters. And I would really liker to take my education and use it in ems and not have to leave and go to something else. This career field really excites me and makes me want to stay in it. I have thought about a lot of other careers like PA, RN, cop, and even lawyer. But I am mostly drawn to the ambulance.

[Addb]

I have a B.A. And B.S. In unrelated fields I got right out of high school. Sometimes I wish I hadn't, but on the other hand I like knowing I can go to pa or MBA or mph school with only 1-2 years. Might get a Ph.D in public health down the line. It's nice to have that option. My degrees will get me a job I hate making about 10k more than a starting medic. I'd rather stay in ems and take my chances on the future finding a use for the degrees.

Btw, i met my 2 best friends in college, almost left my wife, remembered why I love her, Found God, changed my political party/beliefs and learned how to learn and interact On an intelligent level. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

Edited December 11, 2010 by Addb

[HERBIE1]

Thanks Herbie we seem to be on the same page. I didn't mean to call a degree a waste. What I meant is I don't want to be 15-20 years into the bussiness and still haven't had the oppurtunity to leave the ambulance at and go into something else in ems like management or administrative work where I could really use what I learned in my degree program. Also I have the option of specilaizing my Health Care Admin. degree in the are of emergency management, which is geared towards emts, and firefighters. And I would really liker to take my education and use it in ems and not have to leave and go to something else. This career field really excites me and makes me want to stay in it. I have thought about a lot of other careers like PA, RN, cop, and even lawyer. But I am mostly drawn to the ambulance.

I don't mean to be a pain in the arse, but here's also another piece of the puzzle. You can be eminently qualified on paper to be a manager/supervisor, but there are also a host of other factors you need to consider, depending on where you work. Clout issues, politics, affirmative action, nepotism, or just plain bad luck- all possible obstructions to your career path. Trust me- been there, done that, got the T-shirt. LOL It can be frustrating.

Sounds like you have a plan. Good luck with it.

[Alex Woo]

There are many wasted degrees. Its not the degree; its the person. For the most part. I'm waiting for the BS in Paramedics to be available in all 50 States; mainly NY. Lol. If not I'll go for my BSN. It is EMS Mgmt incorporated into the Paramedic BS Degree... Its going to take time for it to be the norm. I'm fighting for EMT-P to have CCEMTP & an AAS as a norm... See my thread... Paramedics are going down the path Nursing has; hundreds of years ago & nbursing has progressed to the ASN, BSN, MSN, & PhDN. With licenses as RN, CNS, NP, RNA, & DNP.

Professions are mostly defined by Education... A degree is a degree; nothing else will change your Social Status. You can only move up w/ Academia, according to Funds of Sociology...