Toysoldier,
I, too, am new to this website. I have been in EMS for almost 20 years, and if you had told me this is what I would be doing as a career way back when, I would have told you that you were a few sandwiches shy of a picnic. I have gone through what I like to call "mini burnouts", but for me, they never last. My faith in this business gets renewed frequently by some of the most mundane calls. I sometimes find myself feeling negative and wanting to vent. However, I always try to temper that, especially if there are new people around. I took a 5-week crash course for my basic EMT ( they no longer offer this - it was a one-time pilot project). In South Carolina, you had to be an EMT for six months before you could apply for paramedic school. I barely made the six months. Anyway, here in S. Carolina, we still have certificate programs for paramedic, as well as 2-year degree programs that you can began right off the street, taking you to Basic EMT, all the way to paramedic. I am sure there are other states similar to this. Anyway, good luck with your endeavor.