Studying in California

[EMTstudent7]

Hello,

I am a student in California. Currently I am taking a work experience class. Through a series of career aptitude and personality tests, EMT is one of my prospective career matches. I am hoping that someone will be able to help me with an informational interview regarding being an EMT. I may be interested in enrolling in an EMT course next semester. Please help.

1. What sort of education do you have?

2. What was your career path from college to present? Why did you
decide to follow this career path?

3. What are your basic duties performed during a typical day? Week?
Month? Do you have a set routine? What are the major job responsibilities?

4. How much variety is there on a day-to-day basis?

5. How many hours do you work?

6. Does the typical EMT have a set schedule or are the hours
flexible?

7. Which skills do you feel are most important to acquire?

8. What types of technology are used and how are they used? How
often are changes made when it comes to new technologies?

9. What educational program do you recommend as preparation? What
kinds of courses are most valuable in order to gain skills necessary for
success in this occupation?

10. What degree or certificate do employers look for? What kind of work/internship
experience would employers look for in a job applicant?

11. How can a person obtain this work experience?

12. What entry level positions are there?

13. What steps besides meeting educational and experiential requirements are necessary
to "break into" this occupation?

14. What are opportunities for advancement? To what position? Is an advanced degree

needed? (If so, in what discipline?)

15. Is there a typical chain of command in the field?

16. What are the different salary ranges?

17. What other kinds of workers frequently interact with this position?

18. What are the main or most important personal characteristics for success in the
field?

19. What are the satisfying aspects of your work?

20. What are the dissatisfying aspects of the work? Is this typical of the field?

21. How would you describe the atmosphere/culture of the work place?

22. Is there evidence of differential treatment between men and women EMTs with

respect to job duties, pay, and opportunities for advancement?

23. What do you feel are the toughest types of problems and decisions that you must make?

24. What are the demands and frustrations that typically accompany this type of work?
What are the greatest pressures, strains or anxieties in the work?

25. What do you know now which would have been helpful to know when you were a student?

26. Any other important questions that I have not asked that would be helpful in learning
about the job or occupation?

Thank you for your time.

[MariB]

Yeah, sorry, I worked a long shift, maybe someone else will have the brain power tonight

[MikeEMT]

Hello,

I am a student in California. Currently I am taking a work experience class. Through a series of career aptitude and personality tests, EMT is one of my prospective career matches. I am hoping that someone will be able to help me with an informational interview regarding being an EMT. I may be interested in enrolling in an EMT course next semester. Please help.

1. What sort of education do you have?

Police Academy, Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Business Management, EMT school

2. What was your career path from college to present? Why did you

decide to follow this career path?

Became a police officer, got hurt went into the private sector. Ran my own Private Investigator business. Wasn't happy so followed my dream and went to EMT school. Now a full time EMT and happier than I have ever been in my life.

3. What are your basic duties performed during a typical day? Week?

Month? Do you have a set routine? What are the major job responsibilities?

Basic duties are all the same. Keep ambulance properly equipped and ready to respond. I start out the day by doing an ambulance check. Once I leave base I don't return until the end of my shift 12 hours later. Nothing is predictable about my day

4. How much variety is there on a day-to-day basis?

Every day is different. Every patient is different. I can respond to 5 flu patients for example and every one will have different needs and be a different challenge. Only thing predictable is the unpredictable nature of the job. Even though I am a basic, I have treated some very serious patients that in other systems would require paramedic level care. I have had stabbing victims, shooting victims, traumatic unresponsive, non traumatic unresponsive, anaphylaxsis, cardiac problems, etc. all in the back of my ambulance.

5. How many hours do you work?

I work 12 hours a day on a 3/4 split schedule. One week I work 3 days, next week I will work 4.

6. Does the typical EMT have a set schedule or are the hours

flexible?

This depends on where you work. At my company we employ over 400 EMT's and have a variety of schedules. We have 3/4 split, Spokane, 5 8's, 4 10's, 14 and 24 hour shifts. We also have part time and full time as well as full time float for the EMT's taking college courses.

7. Which skills do you feel are most important to acquire?

Assessment skills. You can't treat if you can't figure out what is wrong. Knowing your basics is the most important.

8. What types of technology are used and how are they used? How

often are changes made when it comes to new technologies?

Computers have made their way onto our ambulance. The ALS side of the field is experimenting with things like Ultrasound on board the ambulances. Various inventions have come around to ease the burden on the provider. In the field technology is very hard to implement. Despite all the advances in medical technology we still do things the old fashioned way. Most of the advances comes in the form of newer versions of similar products. For example, updates to the C collar.

9. What educational program do you recommend as preparation? What

kinds of courses are most valuable in order to gain skills necessary for

success in this occupation?

Biology, Anatomy and Algebra. If you can find one a medical terminology course.

10. What degree or certificate do employers look for? What kind of work/internship

experience would employers look for in a job applicant?

High School Diploma, State EMT Certification. Work experience not necessary

11. How can a person obtain this work experience?

Need your EMT certification, then volunteer or get hired.

12. What entry level positions are there?

They are all entry level. Some companies / departments want experience, however once you have your EMT cert you have met the minimum requirements no matter where you work. Whether you can do the job is dependent on individual person.

13. What steps besides meeting educational and experiential requirements are necessary

to "break into" this occupation?

Volunteer for Search and Rescue or a Fire Department. Work for a hospital

14. What are opportunities for advancement? To what position? Is an advanced degree

needed? (If so, in what discipline?)

Field training, Supervisor, Paramedic, RN or PA. Paramedic and above require advanced training

15. Is there a typical chain of command in the field?

We have Crew Chiefs, Supervisor, Ops Manager, General Manager

16. What are the different salary ranges?

EMT is not a highly paid career path. Though at my company we get decent pay, the majority of EMT's make minimum wage or slightly above.

17. What other kinds of workers frequently interact with this position?

Fire fighters, police officers, paramedics, nurses, doctors, flight teams, pilots

18. What are the main or most important personal characteristics for success in the

field?

Mentally stable, able to handle stress, critical thinking, friendly

19. What are the satisfying aspects of your work?

Getting to help people

20. What are the dissatisfying aspects of the work? Is this typical of the field?

Getting blood, poop, pee, vomit, etc on you. Dealing with violent patients. Seeing death. Having patients that you know you can't help.

21. How would you describe the atmosphere/culture of the work place?

Happy, fun, light hearted

22. Is there evidence of differential treatment between men and women EMTs with

respect to job duties, pay, and opportunities for advancement?

At my job no, I would assume in some areas though that there probably is.

23. What do you feel are the toughest types of problems and decisions that you must make?

Knowing that making the wrong decision can have a negative impact on patient.

24. What are the demands and frustrations that typically accompany this type of work?

What are the greatest pressures, strains or anxieties in the work?

See number 20

25. What do you know now which would have been helpful to know when you were a student?

Would have paid better attention in Biology

26. Any other important questions that I have not asked that would be helpful in learning

about the job or occupation?

Nope

Thank you for your time.

I'll play, hope it helps.

[EMTstudent7]

Thank you MikeEMT! The job sounds like it can be pretty intense. Your time and your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

[ERDoc]

I will answer your questions based on when I became an EMT (circa 1993).

Hello,

I am a student in California. Currently I am taking a work experience class. Through a series of career aptitude and personality tests, EMT is one of my prospective career matches. I am hoping that someone will be able to help me with an informational interview regarding being an EMT. I may be interested in enrolling in an EMT course next semester. Please help.

1. What sort of education do you have?

High school diploma (though not required)

2. What was your career path from college to present? Why did you
decide to follow this career path?

Didn't need college. A friend convinced me to become a volley and said it was a great way to meet girls.

3. What are your basic duties performed during a typical day? Week?
Month? Do you have a set routine? What are the major job responsibilities?

Keep the ambulance clean and stocked. Respond to calls as dispatched. Provide care to whoever thinks they need it and get them to the hospital.

4. How much variety is there on a day-to-day basis?

Every call is different.

5. How many hours do you work?

It's up to you.

6. Does the typical EMT have a set schedule or are the hours
flexible?

Depends on where you work/volley.

7. Which skills do you feel are most important to acquire?

Learning how to talk to someone and convey complex medical information in layman's terms.

8. What types of technology are used and how are they used? How
often are changes made when it comes to new technologies?

It again depends on where you are. Some places are progressive and some not even close. When I was an EMT we were just getting cell phones.

9. What educational program do you recommend as preparation? What
kinds of courses are most valuable in order to gain skills necessary for
success in this occupation?

Start by taking some anatomy and physiology courses. If there is one thing that EMT classes are lacking in, it is the basic science preparations.

10. What degree or certificate do employers look for? What kind of work/internship
experience would employers look for in a job applicant?

They want to see an EMT card and a pulse (breathing was optional).

11. How can a person obtain this work experience?

Experience not necessary

12. What entry level positions are there?

EMT

13. What steps besides meeting educational and experiential requirements are necessary
to "break into" this occupation?

None

14. What are opportunities for advancement? To what position? Is an advanced degree

needed? (If so, in what discipline?)

Paramedic or management

15. Is there a typical chain of command in the field?

Yes and it depends on where you are

16. What are the different salary ranges?

I can't answer this.

17. What other kinds of workers frequently interact with this position?

Firefighters, police, doctors, nurses

18. What are the main or most important personal characteristics for success in the
field?

You have to want to do it. It is not something you can do half-assed.

19. What are the satisfying aspects of your work?

Helping people and an occasional adrenaline rush

20. What are the dissatisfying aspects of the work? Is this typical of the field?

Unhappy, unrealistic pts. Getting called out of bed at 0300 for BS

21. How would you describe the atmosphere/culture of the work place?

Depends on where you work

22. Is there evidence of differential treatment between men and women EMTs with

respect to job duties, pay, and opportunities for advancement?

It can still be a boys club but is not even close to the FD

23. What do you feel are the toughest types of problems and decisions that you must make?

Where to get lunch. Otherwise you make some decisions that may affect someone's life or ability to function, however at the EMT level this is very limited.

24. What are the demands and frustrations that typically accompany this type of work?
What are the greatest pressures, strains or anxieties in the work?

25. What do you know now which would have been helpful to know when you were a student?

26. Any other important questions that I have not asked that would be helpful in learning
about the job or occupation?

Thank you for your time.

[EMTstudent7]

Thank you for your thoughts ERDoc!

[fakingpatience]

1. What sort of education do you have?

I have a bachelors, along with a separate associates for my paramedic certification.

2. What was your career path from college to present? Why did you

decide to follow this career path?

I started volunteering as an EMT my last year of college, and decided that I liked the field more than what I was getting my degree in, so once I graduated got a full time job as an EMT, then went to paramedic school

3. What are your basic duties performed during a typical day? Week?

Month? Do you have a set routine? What are the major job responsibilities?

Trying to describe the basic duties isn't easy! Respond to 911 calls and transfers and take care of patients. Also as everyone else mentioned, inspect the truck and other station duties (cleaning up). Don't have much of a routine aside from attempting to check the truck first thing, as you never know when you'll get a call or how long it'll take (we do LDTs also which can take us ~6 hours at a time)

4. How much variety is there on a day-to-day basis?

Generally it varies a lot, you never know what you are going to get.

5. How many hours do you work?

~60

6. Does the typical EMT have a set schedule or are the hours

flexible?

24 hours on, 48 hours off

7. Which skills do you feel are most important to acquire?

Learning how to interact with people. Assessments

8. What types of technology are used and how are they used? How

often are changes made when it comes to new technologies?

Cardiac monitors, laptops. Frequent changes in terms of new supplies. More then changes for new technologies it is changes in keeping up with current research in best practice.

9. What educational program do you recommend as preparation? What

kinds of courses are most valuable in order to gain skills necessary for

success in this occupation?

College level EMT course (usually 100 level)

10. What degree or certificate do employers look for? What kind of work/internship

experience would employers look for in a job applicant?

EMT certification. Some places also favor volunteer experience with local ambulance service.

11. How can a person obtain this work experience?

Most areas have places that will hire people without experience, to get your first "foot in the door" job. Just remember if they are always hiring and willing to hire brand new people, there is probably a reason for their high turnover.

12. What entry level positions are there?

EMT- basic

13. What steps besides meeting educational and experiential requirements are necessary

to "break into" this occupation?

Make a good impression during school and clinicals

14. What are opportunities for advancement? To what position? Is an advanced degree

needed? (If so, in what discipline?)

Becoming a paramedic (1-2 years of college), management

15. Is there a typical chain of command in the field?

Completely dependent on the agency you work for. At my agencies we have a shift supervisor on duty each shift who is our direct supervisor. Some trucks are run basic/ paramedic, and at some agencies the paramedic is considered in charge of the ambulance.

16. What are the different salary ranges?

Depends where you live. For emt-b I have seen hourly rates range from $7.25 to $13

17. What other kinds of workers frequently interact with this position?

PD, fire, nurses, doctors, aides

18. What are the main or most important personal characteristics for success in the

field?

Willingness to learn. Able to take a joke (you will be teased by your coworkers, but not usually in a malicious manner). Comfortable with people.

19. What are the satisfying aspects of your work?

I love my job, getting to help people in their times of need, even if the help just consists of comforting them.

20. What are the dissatisfying aspects of the work? Is this typical of the field?

Low pay, long hours can take a toll on you. Lack of respect from other agencis

21. How would you describe the atmosphere/culture of the work place?

Friendly, however there is frequently a lot of gossip

22. Is there evidence of differential treatment between men and women EMTs with

respect to job duties, pay, and opportunities for advancement?

Depends where you work. For the most part I have not experienced any differential treatment, but there will always be 1 or 2 assholes out there.

23. What do you feel are the toughest types of problems and decisions that you must make?

Ethical dilemmas when it comes to patient care. Not second guessing yourself

24. What are the demands and frustrations that typically accompany this type of work?

What are the greatest pressures, strains or anxieties in the work?

As said above, long hours, low pay, lack of respect from other agencies (police, fire, drs, and nurses)

25. What do you know now which would have been helpful to know when you were a student?

Realize that what you will learn in school is important, but the real learning (especially for EMTs) begins in the streets.

26. Any other important questions that I have not asked that would be helpful in learning

about the job or occupation?

Thank you for your time.

[medicgirl05]

Hello,

I am a student in California. Currently I am taking a work experience class. Through a series of career aptitude and personality tests, EMT is one of my prospective career matches. I am hoping that someone will be able to help me with an informational interview regarding being an EMT. I may be interested in enrolling in an EMT course next semester. Please help.

1. What sort of education do you have?

When I became an EMT I had just barely graduated high school.

2. What was your career path from college to present? Why did you

decide to follow this career path?

I am currently in college trying to obtain a B.S. in Emergency Health Sciences. I am doing this to create more opportunites for myself in a field I love.

3. What are your basic duties performed during a typical day? Week?

Month? Do you have a set routine? What are the major job responsibilities?

I work for a rural 911 service. I do everything from patient care to sweeping and mopping the station.

4. How much variety is there on a day-to-day basis?

It depends on the shift and the calls you get. Some shifts are relatively the same while others are unique.

5. How many hours do you work?

48-96 a week

6. Does the typical EMT have a set schedule or are the hours

flexible?

In my area it is pretty set

7. Which skills do you feel are most important to acquire?

Communication skills

8. What types of technology are used and how are they used? How

often are changes made when it comes to new technologies?

We use technology to send 12Ld EKG's to ER's. GPS is new in my time and we use cell phones. Changes aren't made that often

9. What educational program do you recommend as preparation? What

kinds of courses are most valuable in order to gain skills necessary for

success in this occupation?

Medical terminology and anatomy are a good place to start. Also an english course would be helpful.

And the tones just dropped so I can't finish. Sorry!

[island emt]

What does a "work experience" class consist of?

[DwayneEMTP]

1. What sort of education do you have?

AAS Paramedic Medicine, assorted separate certifications (ACLS, PHTLS, etc)

2. What was your career path from college to present? Why did you

decide to follow this career path?

I went directly into remote medicine after school. Not recommended, nor possible in most cases.I got lucky and had some hardcore EMTCity friends that made it happen. Have since worked the streets in the U.S. as an ALS medic in a progressive system, but am back to remote work again.

3. What are your basic duties performed during a typical day? Week?

Month? Do you have a set routine? What are the major job responsibilities?

I do clinical and emergent care for expats and the local national populations that I serve. Lots of over the counter meds with some narcotics and antibiotics sprinkled in.

4. How much variety is there on a day-to-day basis?

Very, though most often boredom is the rule. Study, write, eat, treat a patient or two or three (Diarrhea, minor trauma, headaches, malaria) eat, go on the City, sleep, do it again.

5. How many hours do you work?

I work a min of 42 12hr days in a row and then have about 38 days off. (6wk/6wk rotation)

6. Does the typical EMT have a set schedule or are the hours

flexible?

When I worked the streets they had a set schedule where I worked with lots of opportunities for OT.

7. Which skills do you feel are most important to acquire?

Adult life experience, compassion, a desire to care for people instead of simply treat them. (Sounds like a bunch of rah rah bullshit, I know, but I truly believe that decent paramedic medicine arrises from these.)

8. What types of technology are used and how are they used? How

often are changes made when it comes to new technologies?

Varies greatly here, but with my company usually the current equipment accepted as standard of care in most 1st world countries. (Monitors, SPO2, etc)

9. What educational program do you recommend as preparation? What

kinds of courses are most valuable in order to gain skills necessary for

success in this occupation?

In my opinion should you choose this carreer path without college level anatomy and physiology then you're just playing and not really wanting to be a provider. You can't assess a patient based on protocols. Assessment takes more of an understanding of how the body works than the few hours of "This is how you breath" that you'll get in EMT school.

10. What degree or certificate do employers look for? What kind of work/internship

experience would employers look for in a job applicant?

Employers of remote medics nearly universally want NREMTP, PHTLS, ACLS, and sometimes some specific stuff, like BOISET, Deep water/cold water survival. But usually you won't worry about such things.

11. How can a person obtain this work experience?

Make friends and earn the respect of people that are already doing it making it worth taking the risk to refer you.

12. What entry level positions are there?

Many. Most times your willingness to fly on short notice will trump any extraordinary qualties that you may bring to the job.

13. What steps besides meeting educational and experiential requirements are necessary

to "break into" this occupation?

As above. Without knowing someone getting hired is akin to hitting a pretty liberal lottery. You can play, but it's best not to hold your breath.

14. What are opportunities for advancement? To what position? Is an advanced degree

needed? (If so, in what discipline?)

Unsure. I avoid anything and anyone that interacts with offices or white shirts.

15. Is there a typical chain of command in the field?

Typically, but it rarely works. Radio and phone communication unreliability can make it difficult when your medical director is in a different country many time zones away. Most often chain of command comes into play long after the dust has settled.

16. What are the different salary ranges?

From $50k/yr to $250k/year for medics carrying weapons in the war zones.

17. What other kinds of workers frequently interact with this position?

Sometimes local national medical staff, employees of the client, OSHA safety divisions.

18. What are the main or most important personal characteristics for success in the

field?

Unfortunately you can make it as a remote medic with almost no morals or ethics if you're willing to stay in some pretty shitty places withoug quitting. If you want to be a decent medic you need to be able to do your best medicine, to provide your most compassionate care, even after discovering that most of the people that you serve can't complain or sue you. In my opinion, nearly no one can manage this...

19. What are the satisfying aspects of your work?

Bringing paramedic level first world medicine to people that are considered by many, if not most, to be beneath human dignity. Truly, the less society cares for someone the more joy I find in doing my very best for them. In trying to convince them that society's percieved value of them is bullshit. Other than getting well layed, nothing brings a bigger smile to my spirit than that.

20. What are the dissatisfying aspects of the work? Is this typical of the field?

Watching shitheads that have never done anything, or been anywhere strutting around like heroes simply because they got on a plane that flew a long ways from home. One medic that I'm aware of spends his whole day in quarters. He has the staff deliver his custom made meals to his room, sleeps with a couple of the women in camp to pass the time, and then goes on Facebook talking about what a studd he is. He's not treated a patient in months. Makes me want to spit...

Frustration with the sometimes uncertain nature of contract work. But you have to accept that as part of the gig.

21. How would you describe the atmosphere/culture of the work place?

Very emotionally challenging. It can be tough to live in an environment where you share almost nothing culturally with those that you live with. Rewarding, but exhausting too.

22. Is there evidence of differential treatment between men and women EMTs with

respect to job duties, pay, and opportunities for advancement?

For the women that work in the field there is no difference in compensation. For example everyone in PNG, where I work doing a single medic gig makes the same amount of money. I believe, and for good reason, that a woman working in this environment often have better paths for advancement. But they've also paid their dues to get hired.

Many places won't allow women. PNG is a good example. The culture has women far down on the food chain compared to men or and even pigs in some provices (Don't think of pigs in the American sense, but instead as you might, say, a rare and expensive horse. Better, right?). There are many clinics that employ expat women, but none, that I'm aware of in the bush.

Also, because of the freedom that some of your sisters enjoy when playing the sexual harrassment card, many places where women would rock wont' accept them because of the carreer ending/sometimes company ending devistation caused simply by the accusation, without it being proved.

But, I also know of many, many women in this field...it can be done, and as a woman you can see many advantages and increased career opportunities, in my opinion, once people come to respect you and cease being afraid of you. The field would certainly benefit from more women.

23. What do you feel are the toughest types of problems and decisions that you must make?

Whether to follow the rules, or follow my heart, morals and ethics. For example I recently went into one of the local villages to assess the dying son of the lady that cleans the clinic. Because of the violent nature of this area we're not allowed out of secured areas without security present, and there was no way that security was going to waste their time on this person. Others would make a different, and likely more carreer savy decisions, but mine seem best for me.

24. What are the demands and frustrations that typically accompany this type of work?

What are the greatest pressures, strains or anxieties in the work?

Being away from my family weeks at a time. There can be a gazillion others, lack of necessary supplies, etc, but you have to choose to compartmentalize those as part of the gig and try to slowly improve them, or you need to stay home. If you get frustrated over bad food, being sweaty all the time, bugs, spending your day with people that dont' bath or brush their teeth...You could be frustrated all the time. I'm almost never unhappy...

25. What do you know now which would have been helpful to know when you were a student?

I don't understand.

26. Any other important questions that I have not asked that would be helpful in learning

about the job or occupation?

I don't think so, not at this level of inquiry.