So how many others became Paramedics before Medical School?

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COMedic2Doc

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Ok, so just my own curiosity here. I actually advanced to being a Paramedic and worked for a few years as a Medic before applying to Medical School. As a curiosity solely, anyone else have a similar experience?

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I was an EMT (not a paramedic). I worked as an ER Tech and a FF/EMT (and a county training officer, a technical rescue instructor, a pilot, a truck washer and several other weird jobs) before I decided to go to medical school. It was the job as an ER Tech that made me decide to go.
 
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I have been a Paramedic for 9 years, and I start medical school this fall...
 
Paramedic, now Anesthesiology resident (a good number of us over there). I had to officially quit my agency a few months back, as I never go home anymore. *sniff* No more free ambulance rides for me.
 
It does definitely interest me how many of us truly come from the Paramedic background for sure. Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it! I've been in EMS for about 10 years, and am now in Iraq (which probably some of you already detected before) getting ready to come home in Decemberish and finish up my baccelor's and apply. We'll see where this goes. :D
 
paramedic turned anesthesia resident turned awesome.
 
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Sorry to quasi-hijack this thread. It seems the vast majority of those with EMS background either end up in gas or EM (the 2 specialties I'm considering). EM I get, but what is it about gas that seems to draw in the EMS people?
 
If i had to take a guess, I would say intubating and pharmacology. However, there are plenty of gas folks on here who will give ya their input :)
 
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Fourth stretcher deep into the holding pattern at the ER door, with my 6th tax dollar-funded non-emergency BS patient of the shift who has learned that if she says 'chest pain' to the dispatcher she gets her ride a lot faster, I figured out that anesthesia was for me.
 
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Paramedic x 11 years, starting med school in, um, 3 weeks??!! Holy chit!

Variety of jobs: Firefighter, EMS instructor, peds/neo fixed-wing & ground, PICU/NICU, and ED.

Just like DocB, it was the ED Tech job that solidified my decision to pursue medical school.
 
Fourth stretcher deep into the holding pattern at the ER door, with my 6th tax dollar-funded non-emergency BS patient of the shift who has learned that if she says 'chest pain' to the dispatcher she gets her ride a lot faster, I figured out that anesthesia was for me.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Good stuff!

To the question regarding EM and Anesthesiology as a primary draw for Medics, I think we are very comfortable in both of these environments because of our background, rotations, etc that we do as Medics. Personally, my top desired residencies (without doing rotations, and yes I'll admit this list can change) are Trauma Surgery, Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine/Critical Care. Just my thoughts goin into it, I like to think through complex cases expediently and like seeing results.
 
Medic for 5 years (worked 911), then medical school now ED attending.

later
 
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EMT/Ski patrol/SAR (9 years/9 years, 4 years) finishing up fourth year of med school going into EM. Aside from the procedures I think the kind of person who goes does EMS likes some excitement, having some patients who are potentially critically ill and may have a bad outcome unless some intervention is done right now. People who enjoy that tend not to be quite as psyched about rounding for hours or things like path/radiology/derm where you don't do much of that.
 
I am currently an EMT-B in NJ and have just started teaching the EMT course so pre-hospital care is something that is obviously of interest to me. Upon completion of my BS in Biomedical Engineering, I decided to attend medic school while pursuing my MS in Materials Science and Engineering doing research in biophysical characterization of traumatic brain injury. I made it approximately 3 months into the 10 month didactic program (with a 95% class average at that point) when I was offered a supported PhD spot to continue my research. After much internal debate, I decided to opt for the PhD; I could not continue the paramedic program because I was in the "coursework phase" of the PhD and my graduate coursework interfered with my paramedic coursework. However, I am about to take my PhD quals and finish the coursework component of the PhD. I am strongly considering going back to paramedic school because I really did love the knowledge that I attained during the class. If I were to take this route, I would most likely finish my paramedic training at about the same time that I earned my PhD (fingers crossed). If I planned on pursing medical school immediately subsequent to grad school would the paramedic cert be worth it? What if I were to do a 1-2 year postdoctoral fellowship where I could work some as a medic? My ultimate goal is to be an academic emergency medicine physician and researcher and medical director of a large EMS system. Any thoughts about my specific situation would be greatly appreciated.
 
Stick to PhD and if EMS is also your thing, try to stay BLS....strong BLS providers IMO aren't appreciated enough for their role in patient care.

Remember, if you decide to go ALS you will have to deal with ACLS,PALS,PHTLS, in addition to your continuing education which varies by state (mine averages out to 24h/year) that comes with maintaining the cert.
 
I am trying to figure out if I can volunteer in a summer camp health center. They have RNs, lpns, emts, paramedics, and even first responders work there and take volunteers regularly. They want me to volunteer, but i don't think i have the qualifications. I think i need an unrestricted medical license. I only have a limited license. It is in IL and they require 2 years before I can get an unrestricted license. I currently have finished one year as a surgery resident and switched to a primary care field and have done a couple urgent care months so far. am i not allowed to volunteer at this health center. I have BLS, ACLS, PALs, and ATLS and spent many months rotating in trauma at a level 1 center. SHould I try to get a first responder certification just to volunteer here(wish I feel would be useless to me). Any thoughts. What is considered advanced medical training.
 
I am trying to figure out if I can volunteer in a summer camp health center. They have RNs, lpns, emts, paramedics, and even first responders work there and take volunteers regularly. They want me to volunteer, but i don't think i have the qualifications. I think i need an unrestricted medical license. I only have a limited license. It is in IL and they require 2 years before I can get an unrestricted license. I currently have finished one year as a surgery resident and switched to a primary care field and have done a couple urgent care months so far. am i not allowed to volunteer at this health center. I have BLS, ACLS, PALs, and ATLS and spent many months rotating in trauma at a level 1 center. SHould I try to get a first responder certification just to volunteer here(wish I feel would be useless to me). Any thoughts. What is considered advanced medical training.
With all due respect to your education thus far, I'd recommend talking to the summer camp staff, first. If necessary talk to a local EMS Medical Director, who will more than likely back you up for working there. Paramedic and EMT programs are becoming vastly expensive, and in my honest opinion it'd be more worthwhile to check into using your current education and limited license versus becoming a Paramedic. As an example, your education and training already exceeds most of ours. We are required to have PHTLS (Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support) whereas you're required to have ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) which far exceeds our certifications in acts allowed and the knowledge required. Just my thoughts, and you have my respect for wanting to work at a summer camp as a Resident.
 
I am trying to figure out if I can volunteer in a summer camp health center. They have RNs, lpns, emts, paramedics, and even first responders work there and take volunteers regularly. They want me to volunteer, but i don't think i have the qualifications. I think i need an unrestricted medical license. I only have a limited license. It is in IL and they require 2 years before I can get an unrestricted license. I currently have finished one year as a surgery resident and switched to a primary care field and have done a couple urgent care months so far. am i not allowed to volunteer at this health center. I have BLS, ACLS, PALs, and ATLS and spent many months rotating in trauma at a level 1 center. SHould I try to get a first responder certification just to volunteer here(wish I feel would be useless to me). Any thoughts. What is considered advanced medical training.

Since you're asking about volunteering and practicing as a physician under a restricted medical license you might do better to ask this question in the General Residency forum. That said there was a recent discussion in there about a guy with a degree and no license volunteering at a charity clinic. The consensus was that it would be a bad idea. Since you have no medical license you can't practice. The fact that you have a medical degree doesn't mean you are entitled to practice at the level of an EMT or a Medic. Since you don't have those certs you don't have any standing. You also don't have any malpractice coverage for this.

I'll see if I can find that thread.

Here it is.
 
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Since you're asking about volunteering and practicing as a physician under a restricted medical license you might do better to ask this question in the General Residency forum. That said there was a recent discussion in there about a guy with a degree and no license volunteering at a charity clinic. The consensus was that it would be a bad idea. Since you have no medical license you can't practice. The fact that you have a medical degree doesn't mean you are entitled to practice at the level of an EMT or a Medic. Since you don't have those certs you don't have any standing. You also don't have any malpractice coverage for this.

I'll see if I can find that thread.

Here it is.
Thanks for this info, good knowledge for the future.
 
I worked as an EMT-B. 2nd year peds resident planning on doing Peds ICU. I decided to go to medical school because I wanted to know what happened/be involved after I dropped the patient off when I was an EMT-B. I liked EM initially as a medical student, but then wondered/wanted to be involved with what happened after the first few hours so that is why I want to do PICU. Really sick patients, pathology you just wont get to manage in many other places. The kids are generally healthy before their injuries unless they are chronic kids on vents, VP shunts etc... so have a greater ability to bounce back than an 85 year old who goes into Renal Failure, sepsis, etc...
 
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Medic x 5 years before starting med school a year ago. Was a basic for ~6 years before that. There's another medic in my class at school, and a ton of folks who were ER techs, scribes, and EMT's.

As I'm starting to ponder what to do, of course EM is right up there, but the prospect of dealing with the same soul-sucking population of patients as I did during those years on ambulance... that makes me think twice.

If I had to take a stab at the appeal of anesthesia to medics, it's that they pride themselves as skills experts just as medics do. Difficult intubation? They're it. And they're probably the only docs I know of who start peripheral IV's (not that they do it all the time, either). Not sure that's my cup of tea, but I understand the appeal... Working in a field of medicine where everybody wants/needs to be there is a novel idea.
 
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I'm a (mostly) traditional applicant with 3 years of undergrad behind me and only one more credit required for my B.S. Degree so in the year before I can start med school I'm going for a paramedic certificate. I am a volunteer FF/EMT currently and love it, and ALS pre-hospital emergency medicine is both a fall-back plan and something that I am truly interested in pursuing and returning to even after medical school...
 
<--- Paramedic x 5 years, EMT for another 5 years before that. Applying this cycle, crossing all my fingers and toes. I feel my experience as a paramedic was invaluable to my pre-med path, and I plan on making that case to the adcoms.
 
It is so awesome to hear the stories of medics who went on to become physicians! I have been a medic for three years and was an EMT for a year and a half before that. I am applying this cycle and I totally feel like a fish out of water when on the pre-med forums. It just doesn't seem like I have a lot in common with most newly graduated (or worse yet, college seniors) peeps. It is nice to be reminded that there were others who came before me.

Did you guys feel that med school was easier for you due to your EMS background? And how much did you sell the medic angle while you were applying?
 
I know it says don't ask, but I really just have to ask. Is muffyd short for muffy diver?
 
Did you guys feel that med school was easier for you due to your EMS background? And how much did you sell the medic angle while you were applying?

While applying, I don't feel like I was that great at selling my medic experience as a great use of 5 years of my life. I heard rumors that some schools like to accept medics, but it certainly didn't earn me a free pass anywhere. It's health care experience, sure, but it means you already "specialized" to some degree into a specific field of medicine. Combine that with the usual problem of a lot of people (in health care and outside of it) not knowing a lot about what medics can do, and it looks less impressive than the experience deserves.

Once I started, I would say being a medic didn't make my first year that much easier, apart from Clinical Exam where I felt well ahead of my classmates. You'll be ahead on everything that has a clinical application... but I don't think it reduced the amount I had to study. Even things I already knew, I had to learn in greater detail.

I have been told the experience helps for years 3 and 4, when you're out on clinical rotations... guess I'll see when I get there.

One other note: I had several professors at my school tell me that they'd had some EMT's or Paramedics (again, most of them didn't know the difference so I'm not sure which they were talking about) that did poorly in med school because they thought they already knew everything and didn't put enough work into their studies. Then again, they still accepted me, so I'm not sure what to make of that.
 
One other note: I had several professors at my school tell me that they'd had some EMT's or Paramedics (again, most of them didn't know the difference so I'm not sure which they were talking about) that did poorly in med school because they thought they already knew everything and didn't put enough work into their studies. Then again, they still accepted me, so I'm not sure what to make of that.

The problem is that so many people say "oh, I was an EMT" but there is a huge difference between someone who got their EMT and worked a couple of shifts a year at their college EMS system and someone who spent years working on a full time 911 rig. I've seen a lot of EMTs who think they know everything and can be very hard to teach (at least on my ski patrol). They almost always were the ones who had very little actual patient care experience. The most experienced providers tend to be a lot more quite and attentive because they realize how little they know.

In med school you work just as hard, but they nice thing is that you can focus that work on more advanced stuff. While my classmate were working on learning how to do IVs, I was working on my ABG skills. While they were trying to master taking a blood pressure, I was working on my ECGs.
 
The problem is that so many people say "oh, I was an EMT" but there is a huge difference between someone who got their EMT and worked a couple of shifts a year at their college EMS system and someone who spent years working on a full time 911 rig. I've seen a lot of EMTs who think they know everything and can be very hard to teach (at least on my ski patrol). They almost always were the ones who had very little actual patient care experience. The most experienced providers tend to be a lot more quite and attentive because they realize how little they know.

In med school you work just as hard, but they nice thing is that you can focus that work on more advanced stuff. While my classmate were working on learning how to do IVs, I was working on my ABG skills. While they were trying to master taking a blood pressure, I was working on my ECGs.

Very good points here, and I run into the same "well I was an EMT or I have my CPR card or my blah blah blah is X so I can tell you how to do YOUR job", drives me freaking nuts! If folks would just learn that just because you have your cert doesn't really mean much when it comes to having patient care experience, let alone ALS experience.
 
Ok, so just my own curiosity here. I actually advanced to being a Paramedic and worked for a few years as a Medic before applying to Medical School. As a curiosity solely, anyone else have a similar experience?


I worked full-time as an EMT-B. It's actually what made me decide to go to medical school. I was working my way up to paramedic, but then I got into medical school before finishing, so I never worked as a medic.
 
I'm an EMT (waiting to test for my EMT-Intermediate license actually) and I'm also Pre-Med. :] I love EMS...but I've always had a love for the NICU so I'm hoping to get into that. I've been an EMT for about 2 years. :]
 
I'm an EMT (waiting to test for my EMT-Intermediate license actually) and I'm also Pre-Med. :] I love EMS...but I've always had a love for the NICU so I'm hoping to get into that. I've been an EMT for about 2 years. :]

Actually one of the better first posts I've seen in awhile. You didn't say "Hi my name is bob, i'm a pre-med" and didn't ask a bunch of redundant and uber-searchable questions that will get you instaflamed.

Welcome to SDN, good luck in your studies!
 
Welcome kgam274! I would look into your local childrens hospital and see if they have a pediatric or neonatal transport team. As an EMT, they may have an opening with their ground units. While you may not be able to do much direct patient care initially, you will be able to observe some remarkable cases/procedures and surely be able to help once that comfort level develops.
 
Hey i am an emt-b working for a local fire dept running 911. I will be finishing my degree next year in chemistry for undergrad. I've recently turned towards thinking of med school due to my enjoyment for chemistry and getting bored at the station between calls.
Just wanted to see if there was anyone here who also just got "bored" and if they are pleased with their decision to go to med school despite the negative connotations it has (long hours, less pay, etc). I am a little hesitant due to the demand in long hours as I want a good quality of life for myself and family in the future.
Thanks playas
 
Add another one to the list......Started as a dispatcher/driver on a BLS unit, worked my way up to Paramedic Supervisor....Originally was going to go to nursing school to be able to afford to go to Medic school (there used to be a HUGE pay gap). Currently working as a Medic/911 Operator while I'm in undergrad. I was content initially with being a career Paramedic, but I found myself always wanting to know more about my pt's and their conditions and treatments, getting paired up with a great ER doc during clinicals and his influence really cemented my desire to be a physician.
 
Well, I’m not a paramedic or a med school student – but eventually I hope to be both!

For the past few years I’ve been a volunteer FF / EMT-B, with the intent of going career. Now that I’m half way through the paramedic program though, I’ve decided I want to become a doctor. I’m tired of learning that condition X can be caused by A,B,C,D…but that as medics we only need to learn about A. Or that the same condition can be cured with E,F,G,H…but we can only do E. I’m also tired of going to class from 6p-10p, only to come home and spend another two hours looking up answers to all my questions. The best lesson I’ve learned from medic school so far is how much I don’t know, and how much I’m not going to be taught at this level.

Doing clinical hours in various hospitals has also made me realize just how much more needs to be done to help the patient after we drop them off. Yes, I am able to help people as a provider…but not nearly to the extent that I previously thought I was, or as much as I want to.
 
I'm a certified EMT-P in Israel with 6 yrs working experience. I'm finishing up my B.EMS soon and am about to take the MCATs. Does anyone know if my degree counts as pre-med? If so, are there certain schools that do not accept my qualifications? Since I'm studying abroad, I don't know how to compare my scores with the GPA system. Any help will suffice...
 
I'm a certified EMT-P in Israel with 6 yrs working experience. I'm finishing up my B.EMS soon and am about to take the MCATs. Does anyone know if my degree counts as pre-med? If so, are there certain schools that do not accept my qualifications? Since I'm studying abroad, I don't know how to compare my scores with the GPA system. Any help will suffice...

Assuming you have taken the necessary pre-requisits (year of upper level biology, year of chem, year of o-chem, and a year of physics) then you can apply to U.S. medical schools with any bachelors. Best I can offer about the GPA thing is that in the U.S. an A = 4.0, B = 3 etc, etc. AMCAS (the application service) will calculate the GPA for you based on a letter grade and credit hour of the class.

Hope this helps.
 
Hi everyone. New member here.

I've been in EMS since 1994 (I guess that makes me a dinosaur). I've been a medic for 10, working on the East Coast (NYC, Newark NJ, and Eastern PA).

I had an epiphany last week, and decided to start my coursework for pre-med, with the eventual goal to be an ER doc and have a lifetime full of school debt.

I don't even know where to start in some aspects, so don't be surprised if I play 20 questions (after using the search function).

Be safe.
 
EMT for 2, EMTP for 12 before med school. EM attending now. What I wouldn't give to simply drop off the patient and leave.
 
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I posted in this thread a while back, but I figured I'd update. After almost 11 years in EMS (6 as a paramedic), I'll be starting medical school in the fall. SUPER excited!!
 
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Hi everyone. New member here.

I've been in EMS since 1994 (I guess that makes me a dinosaur). I've been a medic for 10, working on the East Coast (NYC, Newark NJ, and Eastern PA).

I had an epiphany last week, and decided to start my coursework for pre-med, with the eventual goal to be an ER doc and have a lifetime full of school debt.

I don't even know where to start in some aspects, so don't be surprised if I play 20 questions (after using the search function).

Be safe.

Good luck mate. I'm not sure where you are in your studies, but if you still need to take a general chemistry sequence, I have some material that I made specifically for EMS and allied health professionals. I'd be more than happy to share if you think it would help. It's good to see so many people from the City go to medical school. In all my time over there, I know of at least two who are in medical school and Fiz who was just accepted and of course you who will be working toward acceptance.

Just think, in a few years, I'll be your tool calling in report and asking for orders. :laugh:
 
Good luck mate. I'm not sure where you are in your studies, but if you still need to take a general chemistry sequence, I have some material that I made specifically for EMS and allied health professionals. I'd be more than happy to share if you think it would help. It's good to see so many people from the City go to medical school. In all my time over there, I know of at least two who are in medical school and Fiz who was just accepted and of course you who will be working toward acceptance.

Just think, in a few years, I'll be your tool calling in report and asking for orders. :laugh:

I'm looking forward to starting school; it's been awhile. It's gonna be a long challenge, but I'm bored being a medic anymore.
 
I did 6 years of Fire and got my Medic 4 years before going to medical school.
 
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Ok, so just my own curiosity here. I actually advanced to being a Paramedic and worked for a few years as a Medic before applying to Medical School. As a curiosity solely, anyone else have a similar experience?

Hi, This may have already been answered above, but what I am wondering is, Can a Paramedic get into medical school without an undergraduates degree? does the paramedic program prep you well enough to write your MCAT, or would you still need to do a pre-medicine degree?
 
Any of you all still here?

Medic applying this cycle....looking for some guidance. Trying to EM (unless I change, who knows). Been thinking about Critical Care and Neurocritical also...
 
Any of you all still here?

Medic applying this cycle....looking for some guidance. Trying to EM (unless I change, who knows). Been thinking about Critical Care and Neurocritical also...

Yeah there's a few of us still around (mostly in the EM and Gas forums).

I'd be happy to answer any questions.
 
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