Becoming an EMT with no work experience

[paramedicmike]

I believe mine was close to 250 hours total. It was made to become a 6 credit, transferrable college credit course. To do this they had to add a couple things to it, including lectures from an attorney, extra a&p, field trips etc.

That explains why your class was so long. Your experience is not typical for EMT training.

[island emt]

The last Basic class my wife taught ended up at 180 classroom hours & 36 ride along and ER time hours .

Pass rate of 98% with all but one getting licensed.

[Seth412]

Some courses, such as Mari's, are longer. However, for EMT-B, that is rare. Most courses are of the two week accelerated course to three month standard length course variety. Some classes may be four months if they stretch it.

Why are you under the impression that EMT-B is a two quarter sequence?

When you say you're having trouble getting yourself going what do you mean? Like depression kind of motivational issues? Laziness? Stayed up too late drinking beer and playing video games? Shift work doldrums? Something else?

What's up?

Figuring this out now before getting into EMS, a profession known to have moments of intense emotional stress, might be a good idea so that you've got some good coping mechanisms in place before making the switch.

Let us know. We may be able to help.

Thank you for your support. I really appreciate it.

It's nothing of the depression/emotional distress variety. It's more of the just not a morning person variety. It always helps if I have something in the morning that I have to wake up for (work, school, events, volunteer stuff, whatever), because afterward the feeling is gone and I can proceed with my day. What it amounts to is lighting a fire under my own a** when I don't have anything going on, because that's when it takes me until noon to get myself going.

As far as my current situation, some unanticipated days off have given me enough time to get caught up. So I'm going to give staying caught up another shot with my time management issues in mind. Speaking of such, time to get off the comp and study.

[Caduceus]

It'd definitely be hard to get hired without a solid resume. . .I know a firefighter who was in the Air Force, is an EMT, has 5+ years of experience as a firefighter/EMT, and has been submitting his application for three years and still has yet to land a job in my department.

All I can say is good luck and follow the advice that others have already given ya.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Thank you for your support. I really appreciate it.

It's nothing of the depression/emotional distress variety. It's more of the just not a morning person variety. It always helps if I have something in the morning that I have to wake up for (work, school, events, volunteer stuff, whatever), because afterward the feeling is gone and I can proceed with my day. What it amounts to is lighting a fire under my own a** when I don't have anything going on, because that's when it takes me until noon to get myself going.

As far as my current situation, some unanticipated days off have given me enough time to get caught up. So I'm going to give staying caught up another shot with my time management issues in mind. Speaking of such, time to get off the comp and study.

Seth, you don't have to study in the morning unless you don't have any other time to study. Who says you cannot get the things you need to get done personally in the morning and then get heads down in the books in the afternoon.

The beauty of being out of high school is that you have the entire day to actually do things. You will find that you don't always have to study or go to school in the morning.

You just need time management skills like the rest of us have. If you need help with that type of thing, my PM is still out there.