PA in EMS

[donedeal]

Hello all,

Been I awhile since I've hit up the forum...but, I've got some questions about PAs in EMS. I've been a paramedic for a few years now and a basic for a few before that and its time for me to further my education. I love being a paramedic but i can't see myself surviving and raising a family off my income. Do any of you work for agencies that have PAs as assistant medical directors, training officers, or upper admin staff? I suppose my ultimate goal/dream would be to finish PA, work as a PA and paramedic for awhile and become an assistant medical director for an EMS agency or in a mgt position.

I'd love to hear any bios for yourself or people in your org that are PAs.

Thank you.

[stcommodore]

Find a real posistion...plenty of jobs in the southeast you can make 40-80k a year at.

[paramedicmike]

EMS cannot afford to pay a PA salary.

Once you're through with PA school you will absolutely have earned every dollar you command in terms of salary and total compensation package.

And if you don't believe me now, wait until you're in PA school.

[stcommodore]

I misread your thread I thought you ment pennsylvania ems jobs, oops.

[46Young]

The Fairfax County FD in Va employs three PA's, an NP, and one BSN FT M-F to teach our continuing ED, alphabet card recerts, and to run the ALS internship process for our new recruits. They also run our studies.

I worked for Charleston County EMS for a little while, and while I was there, one of the two FT OMD's would run the CEU Sessions. Nowhere, to my knowledge, employed PA's in EMS; it would be cost prohibitive.

How about get a FT PA position at one of the hospitals, and then get per diem position at CCEMS or somewhere else? SC is a right-to-work state, so the salaries in EMS are substandard. Nurses make 50% more in NYC as a comparison, and I suppose the same would be true for PA's. Look at the Mt. Pleasant FD. Their FF/medics make maybe 30-33k to start. It's not much more up in Myrtle Beach/Horry county. I was making more than double that right out of the academy in FFX. Less than an hour out of the county, the housing wasn't much higher than SC either. Maybe PM TomB, a member here. He's a Lt at Hilton Head, I believe. I've heard good things about their dept.

Keep trying to get in a NOVA FD if supporting your family is your primary concern. Down in SC it's a real, right-to-work good 'ole boy, our way or the highway type of environment. If you rub one person the wrong way, or if a superior sees you as a threat, they'll start positioning themselves to get you out. These systems are typically one-sided in favor of management, so expect undesireable working conditions. If you have to move down there, only do EMS PT if you can. If they own you, you'll be miserable, and probably never see your family due to all the 12-24 hour holdovers, recalls, lousy leave policies, etc.

[NYCEMS9115]

In NYS, in the Hudson Valley Regional EMS; PA are Medical Control and so are NP. As for Medical Directors; you have to be a MD. Be a PA and if you have time for EMS then do it. All the best.