My Way

So I'm beginning to get a little frustrated on the job front. It's now been a couple of months of looking and people are being very slow and I'm finding it hard to get into what I want to do. Without tooting my own horn, I graduated from a top school, but the problem is that I graduated with a degree in psychology. I've been trying to get into social services positions, and even with my extensive EMT experience, it's been tough. I really need at least a master's or that first person to give me the experience that every job requires but that no one wants to give to you...

So, I had a crazy idea tonight, that a) might be too late to implement and b) will definitely drive my parents crazy. But, it is one of those moments where if it's not too late, I'm willing to say, "Screw it, we're doing this my way." I'm tired of thinking about how everything will look to other people or what my parents will think etc. In order to understand this, the non-EMS readers will need a quick lesson. In the state I live in, there are two levels of pre-hospital care providers (kind of three, but I won't get into that too much). The first is that of EMT-B or EMT-Basic. This is what I am certified as. We are commonly referred to simply as EMTs. EMTs have a certain skill set and may use their skills on a volunteer or paid basis or both. Above the EMT is the EMT-P or EMT-Paramedic. These providers are commonly referred to as paramedics or medics. Because being a paramedic involves real-time interaction with an emergency physician, paramedics cannot be volunteers as such. They may volunteer in their home town, but only as EMTs. Only while being paid and on the job for a hospital, can they use their full set of skills. The paramedic program is offered through hospitals and paramedics work only for hospitals. Essentially medics are called to the most serious calls that local ambulances with EMTs respond to. So for example, if I get called for someone who isn't breathing or someone with chest pain, my ambulance responds but so do the hospital paramedics since they can perform more skills than I can as well as consult with a doctor. In some cases, when things are busy, there won't be a paramedic unit available or they'll be too far away (in which case I'd cancel them) and EMTs are stuck handling some of these more serious calls themselves. We're trained to do that as well. (The third level, for those who are curious, is that of the Certified First Responder or CFR. This level is below that of the EMT and traditionally is taught to firefighters and police officers who need to be able to provide early care but won't have to transport patients.)

Paramedic programs are run through hospitals. You don't have to be a college grad to enroll, but you do have to be an EMT, be certified in healthcare level CPR, be at least 18, be a high school grad, and depending on the program have a certain number of years of experience as an EMT (usually at least two). If you have good credentials, usually a hospital will sponsor you for the class. Essentially, they pay for the course (and sometimes pay you while you're doing it) in exchange for working for them as a paramedic for a certain amount of time after you graduate.

So why did I bother to detail that, except for my own amusement? Back to my crazy idea. I've been an EMT for five years, am a college grad, a CPR Instructor, and have a whole bunch of other classes and experience as well as a BA in a science. More than once, people have told me I should become a paramedic. While I've always wanted to do it and thought it would be a lot of fun, I sort of figured that it wasn't the plan set out for me given my college education. But today, I decided to look into programs. If I'm good at EMS and this is the next step and it's something I want, why shouldn't I do it? Becoming a paramedic wouldn't necessarily mean my four-year degree is useless. In fact, I think becoming a paramedic and then deciding whether to go back to school for clinical psyc (which of course I could get paid for by working for a hospital) or going back for a masters in emergency managment or healthcare administration would be a great idea. I could do something I've always wanted to do, and have really unusual credentials that could lead to a career I might actually enjoy. I would be a paramedic with a college degree and maybe even a master's. It's a combination you don't often see. I could easily get into administration after spending some time in the field. Plus, I'd have a dependable job while going back to school later on.

So, to summarize for those still bothering to read. I have no idea if it's too late to get into a program or even what programs are out there. Info isn't really available online so you have to call individual directors. This is something I might not be able to do until January if it's too late for fall classes or maybe even something I'd have to put off longer than that. So at neat of an idea as I think it is, I'm not at all sure yet if it's workable. But, it gives me something new to think about and a new direction to look into.