I just found this site and thought I'd go ahead and sign up. I'm a new EMT-Basic student and current law enforcement officer. From talking with classmates I am not the usual EMT student. I'm older than anyone in the class, I have an advanced degree, and don't know if EMS is something I'd ever do for a living.
I signed up for the class because it is something I always wanted to do. I really don't know why, but getting the EMT certification is something I've wanted to do since I learned what it was. In the back of my mind then, and now, is the possibility of going on to Paramedic at some point. For the most part it is because I want the skill set for myself. Outside of that I think I may end up applying the skills with a volunteer agency at some point in the future or I may surprise everyone and trade uniforms and go to work in emergency medicine.
I blame my desire on two root causes. First were reruns of Emergency! when I was young. Second, my wife is going to be a doc in a few short months. She'll be pretty well equipped to help me if something should happen and I figure I owe it to her to be as prepared as possible to help her if something should happen to happen to her at some point.