Pre-Med Student getting EMT-B?

[RFCaratu]

Exactly what I'm doing is working as an EMT prior to going to medical school. I haven't taken MCATs yet, but working EMS gives me a LOT of days off to study while still making decent salary. My theory is that it's a great idea. Especially in preparation for your med school interview, if you get one. I know a lot of other candidates will be also having prior healthcare experience, but it's good to have one in which you deal directly with the patient, you experience a fast-paced job requiring quick decisions, you see A LOT. EMS is a totally different world compared to the ER. In-the-field decisions and experiences would be great to bring up in your interview. I'm sure any board of admissions would appreciate your dedication to a job in EMS. Any prior healthcare experience is a MUST if you want to remain competitive. I believe it's one of the best options because of what it offers and the added school time isn't at all a pain in the ass. It also gives you the opportunity to explore what you're cut out for. Final note, I HAVE to say, give EMS the respect it's due. Do the job because you want to do the job.

[CBEMT]

I work with about 80 pre-med EMTs. Some of them got into it for medical exposure prior to school, some got it first and decided on med school after. There are probably a few doing it just for the extra ink on the application, but I haven't been able to pick any out so far.

Some have gotten our state-specific ALS licensure, one just got their medic and one is finishing ride time.

Some work part-time (full-time during the summer) for local private services, a few for volunteer services.

Pretty much all of them consider it valuable patient contact experience. Yes, EVERYTHING will be different when they get to med school, and they know that. But I think they see the pre-hospital perspective as valuable anyway.

[mperkel]

I've been set on being pre-med, but being an EMT hadn't really come up as a way to "pad my application" Now, looking on it, it should definitely help, but I ultimately became an EMT as a summer job, I was bored at working in a restaurant, and this was more in lines of what i wanted to do. I give my job as an EMT my best because hopefully my experience with patient care will in the future help me be a better doctor. My ultimate concern right now all though is getting through all my subjects and keeping my grades high. EMS is a part-time job for me to help pay for my entertainment and save up money. It's added benefit is experience in the medical field. I do think often time pre-meds are better EMTs, most of them are set on providing excellent patient care in order to further there own careers. I've met some EMTs who are just set on getting into fire, and using the EMT field to get there because it's required. For us pre-meds, it's not required, it's more like a paid internship. It'll definitely give us a little edge on those pure book-worms, but I resent anyone dissing pre-meds being EMTs.

Thank You!

[spenac]

Well based on extensive research I have concluded that there is a 50/50 shot of pre med students being good EMTs. The two I have worked with one was EMT then decided on becoming a doctor and was accepted to start med school this fall, excellent EMT. The other started EMS to pad the resume, sucks as an EMT and I hope any school he applys to calls me so I can keep him out of med school. So there you have an in depth study that gives you a 50% chance of getting a good or bad pre-med EMT.

[jsadin]

A previous partner of mine was pre-med and an EMT-B. She had knowledge well beyond that of any EMT-B I've ever worked with and she was great with the patients. Her cardiology was amazing.