Becoming a fire/medic and then going to med school...? Is that a thing?

[Caduceus]

Hi all! It's been forever since I've been on! I hope you haven't forgotten my face!! 

I am seeing that there is a problem with my future goals and I'm not sure if they're attainable. 

I want to 1) get my Bachelor's degree in Pre-med by the time I'm 20 (I'll graduate high school with my associate's, so I can do this!). During that time I want to do a fire department residency or work as an EMT for AMR.

 2) immediately after getting my bachelor's, I want to go to paramedic school (be done with that by the time I'm 21)

3) I want to be a fire/medic for a few years! on a fire department. Mostly I want to get on my city fire department because there's no women on it! And that upsets me! It's a personal challenge.

4) I want to go to medical school. Say I start applying earlier than I'm ready to go because chances are I won't get in the first go-around.

5) Actually go to medical school by the time I'm 23 or 24. 

I've heard people say that I'll fail this because no one goes back to school after taking a break (for me, being a fire/medic is a break). I've heard people say I can do it. I think I'll be 23/24 when I go back, ideally, and I think i can do it. Am I being unrealistic? Is this even possible, or do I need to choose one path or the other? If I have a plan, and am aware of the pitfalls (like having kids!), I think I can make it. What do I need to watch out for? 

Thank you all for your time and help,

-Mia

[paramedicmike]

A lot of people get into EMS and say they're going to go back to school.  Very few of those people actually go back to school.  The reasons why are varied.  It is not impossible, however, to go back.

1)  This doesn't sound like an unreasonable goal.  Some of this will depend on what classes you'll have when you finish HS/associates work.

2)  Can you do paramedic school at the same time as completing your premed requirements?  This would save you the time in paramedic school after you finish your undergrad degree.  What will you do if you run into two year paramedic programs?  How much will that affect your timeline?

3)  What's the goal of working as a paramedic on your local male dominated FD?  Simply to be a woman breaking into the FD to leave in three years or less (if you stick to your med school plan of age 24)?  If that's what you want to do who is anyone to tell you "no"?  What happens if the hiring process for your local FD doesn't mesh with the timeline of your plans?  If you're looking for (life) experience before going to medical school consider moving to an area that will better offer you a better chance to work as a medic. 

Make a plan.  Stick with it.  Be ready for the foreseeable pitfalls.  Be ready for the unforeseeable pitfalls.  Pick your battles wisely.

[Caduceus]

 

2)  Can you do paramedic school at the same time as completing your premed requirements?  This would save you the time in paramedic school after you finish your undergrad degree.  What will you do if you run into two year paramedic programs?  How much will that affect your timeline?

The medic program I am looking at is close to home and either two-year (for the degree) or one-year (for the certificate). I talked to a local medic and he said that most of his college classes transferred to his medic degree. So even if I go for an associate's in paramedicine, I should be done in a year with all the transfer credits. I had thought about going to medic school at the same time as I'm getting my bachelors, but I didn't know if that was realistic...now that you mentioned it I will check out the logistics again.

 

3)  What's the goal of working as a paramedic on your local male dominated FD?  Simply to be a woman breaking into the FD to leave in three years or less (if you stick to your med school plan of age 24)?  If that's what you want to do who is anyone to tell you "no"?  What happens if the hiring process for your local FD doesn't mesh with the timeline of your plans?  If you're looking for (life) experience before going to medical school consider moving to an area that will better offer you a better chance to work as a medic. 

If the hiring process for that FD doesn't work out, I'll suck it up and apply elsewhere. I'll do that anyway, and take what I can get, but I've been wanting to work on that department since I was 14, so that'd be ideal. I may end up moving to a bigger city about an hour out from where I live now. The FD I want to get on is the only career department that does ALS in my entire county.

Just as a disclaimer, I have other reasons for wanting to be a fire/medic in general, being the third woman on a department (in more than a hundred years) would just be a "perk", I guess.

Thanks for your answer. I'm pretty determined to see this through. You gave me more to think about and consider, so hopefully I'll be prepared!

[ERDoc]

You plan is definitely doable but it just depends on your level of effort.  There are plenty of people who start medical school later in life.  Actually, 23 or 24 is about average if you figure the average person graduates HS at 18, and college at 22 give or take a year or two.  In my residency we had a guy that retired from the WV State Troopers after 20 years before he started his premed.  He did just fine.  He was a little strange but most state troopers are.  There is no reason to expect not to get in on the first go around, plenty of people do it.  The only thing I see wrong with your plan is your "Pre-med" degree.  There is no such thing.  Premed classes are just a group of classes that are required in order to get into med school (Bio, Gen Chem, Orgo, and Physics.  Math and English might be required now but I'm not sure).  Get a Bachelors in whatever interests you or you would be happy doing as a backup if you were not to get in.  

[Off Label]

My money's on the kid.