umassemt11

Thank you for your reply, and I couldn't agree more with the things you have said. In my particular situation I'm at a insurance job in Boston making good money, I have a 4 year degree in Business...but the 9-5 Mon through Friday is really wearing on me, not the hours or even the routine, but just the fact that I don't feel as if I am making a difference in the world. I have always had an interest in EMS, back in college at U-Mass I used to work as a first responder along side the EMT service that the college had, and I really thought the subject was interesting, but corporate America came calling , and I never pursued it. The salary quoted below for an EMT would be approximately a 50% paycut from where I am currently, but lately even a pay cut of that magnitude and the thought of working two jobs, or picking up OT shifts as an EMT to make ends meat isn't a deal breaker for me. To go home at night and feel like I accomplished something would be more meaningful...and I think that EMS can offer that, but I wanted to hear some opinions on this blog as to if other's thought that was so.

In my research to decide if EMS is the right move for me, I keep running up against a question in my head that I would like an answer to from people who are in the industry. With the low pay, the thanklessness, the stresses of the job etc, what are the positives that overcome those very big drawbacks to being an EMT? I guess from where I'm sitting, a person with no special training and a high school diploma could get a job as a data entry clerk where I am in Boston and make more money, be in a climate controlled environment for 8 hours a day and go home with little , if any ,stress...so what exactly would motivate someone to forgo that option and take a job working EMS? I'm sure there are positives to the EMT job, and I'd love to hear about those as hearing about the negatives seems to be what is talked about more frequently. Thanks.

Yeah that's a good point.

Well then it sounds like part time work wouldn't be allowed then, but I can't imagine that's the case.

Thank you all for the info. As far as the pay goes, my thoughts on that were doing EMS part-time, or even full time working a few long shifts, and then having a second job. Is that something that EMT's do to supplement their income? Thanks again.

Hello. I am a 30 yr old male looking for a job change (currently in insurance). I am thinking about getting my EMT-B. Is my age going to be a factor in hiring? It seems to me anytime I look at EMT's that they are all much younger than I am. Thanks.