EMS doldrums...

[BIOETHICSfan]

I recently graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in psychology and a minor in bioethics. I went through the pre-med track somewhat (I took Biology 101/103-111/112, Chemistry 101/111, Physics 111/131, Anatomy & Physiology I/II w/ both labs). I am currently taking EMT-B classes at the Loyola's medical center. My dream/goal is to practice medicine @ the physician assistant level; that is irrelevant to my thread however. My qualm is that I do not want to become a firefighter, but it seems- from what I hear from the instructors and other people in the EMS field- that the only way I am going to see "good" trauma and throught-provoking calls is if I join up with a fire department/911 agency. Furthermore, from compounding my information, it seems that if I work out of a private ambulance service I will merely be a transport service for senior centers and the like. Now I know that medicine has NO boundaries and that all calls should be considered important calls but does anyone have any advice for me regarding joining up with an agency that services trauma calls? Even though I plan on going to EMT-P school and getting my CCEMT-P in 2008, I do not think that I will be able to transport patients for a year and keep my sanity at the same time .

If ANYONE has any advice for me out there PLEASE feel free to jump in and give me some pointers. I would GREATLY appreciate it!

PEACE.

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[greytmedic]

Around the suburbs of Chicago there are many agencies that provide paramedics to fire departments. The fire department basically contracts out positions to agencies. A lot of the time, these positions are on the ambulance and not on the fire side of things. Think paramedic temp agency. Usually this is done to decrease the amount of union employees, and most of the firefighters hate EMS anyway. You might want to try and look up P.S.I. (paramedic services illinois) or Metro paramedic services. Or just ask anyone if they know of any contract paramedic services.

I do think that usually they only take paramedics though. I am not sure if they staff out EMT-B's. Also, a lot of times the union firefighters see the contract paramedics as scabs and they don't get along. And usually the pay isn't as good as getting a full-time union job.

 

[viostorm]

There is PLENTY to do without being a firefighter ... just maybe not in Chicago.

I worked for AMR and got more trauma then I could have imagined. I have also worked for hospital based service, and a county service.

Just get a service that does 911.

 

[Jambi]

Trauma is overated and generally simple to manage (at the prehospital level). If you want thought provoking calls, it's the crazy medical calls that you want to sink your teeth into. With that said, the EMT-Basic level does not really provide the needed depth of education and opportunity to allow a person to look too deeply into patient conditions and treatmeny. Your education and background will influence this and is probably why you're even asking questions like this in the first place.

Regardless of anything said above your EMT training will provide with unique training and experience that you can't get anywhere else.

vio and grey are right on and offer valuable information. Get out of chicago for some experience and find an ambulance service that provides 911 service.


PS I'm always amazed at the level of inter-agency conflict (I blame a lot on cross-training) but if you keep yourself apart from it you will be able to develop valuable relationships on both sides.

Good luck with your training and your future.

 

[canjosh]

Agree that trauma isn't really thought provoking. Get a job as a tech in your local ED since that's where you'll end up as a PA anyways. You can learn a lot in the hospital if you go with the right attitude and you form good relationships with physicians/PAs, etc. Good luck!

 

[DropkickMurphy]

that the only way I am going to see "good" trauma and throught-provoking calls

Give yourself some time and you'll realize one of two things:
1. You're not cut out for EMS (read as: you got into it for all the wrong reasons)
2. (The more likely scenario) The "good" traumas you seek will begin to haunt you and you'll find yourself looking forward to calls where it's not life or death.

-Just some advice from a 10 year EMS veteran, take it or leave it, but I strongly suggest that you take it.

 

[napoleondynamite]

I have done both routes: fire and private EMS. The experience you have in private EMS is highly variable on location and the company. I worked for a private agency in CT and it was a great experience. But the ambulance had the contract for EMS with the city, so fire's role was to carry our patients for us or do compressions when we got tired...

You don't have to go the fire route, but you may have to move if you really want to have the best experience. If you want me to recommend a couple of company's in CT, PM me. Your experience in EMS will pay huge dividends for you on your PA path. Good luck!

 

[deleted6669]

I recently graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in psychology and a minor in bioethics. I went through the pre-med track somewhat (I took Biology 101/103-111/112, Chemistry 101/111, Physics 111/131, Anatomy & Physiology I/II w/ both labs). I am currently taking EMT-B classes at the Loyola's medical center. My dream/goal is to practice medicine @ the physician assistant level; that is irrelevant to my thread however. My qualm is that I do not want to become a firefighter, but it seems- from what I hear from the instructors and other people in the EMS field- that the only way I am going to see "good" trauma and throught-provoking calls is if I join up with a fire department/911 agency. Furthermore, from compounding my information, it seems that if I work out of a private ambulance service I will merely be a transport service for senior centers and the like. Now I know that medicine has NO boundaries and that all calls should be considered important calls but does anyone have any advice for me regarding joining up with an agency that services trauma calls? Even though I plan on going to EMT-P school and getting my CCEMT-P in 2008, I do not think that I will be able to transport patients for a year and keep my sanity at the same time .

If ANYONE has any advice for me out there PLEASE feel free to jump in and give me some pointers. I would GREATLY appreciate it!

PEACE.

Doing ems without fire service is very doable. I did er tech for 5 yrs then private ambulance 911 as a paramedic for 5 yrs then became an em pa.
the ems experience is very valuable prep for a career as an em pa. I use that knowledge every shift.