Detroit EMT-I Wants To Relocate To Calgary

[Sincere]

Greetings,

I'm a newly graduated EMT-I in Detroit, MI. I have been working as a EMT-B for a year and a half doing both emergency and transfer calls. I've been hearing a lot about Calgary and it's economic growth and have an interest in moving there while continuing to work in EMS. I am a Canadian citizen so that part of the relocation is not a problem.

I just had some questions about the EMS industry there and hope someone can answer them for me and help me out.

To my understanding an EMT-I license is the lowest EMT licensure level over there, is that true?

What is the starting pay for both private and municipal EMT jobs there that are below the paramedic license level?

Are they actively hiring in Calgary right now?

Thanks for the help and I look forward to the replies.

[akroeze]

Greetings,

I'm a newly graduated EMT-I in Detroit, MI. I have been working as a EMT-B for a year and a half doing both emergency and transfer calls. I've been hearing a lot about Calgary and it's economic growth and have an interest in moving there while continuing to work in EMS. I am a Canadian citizen so that part of the relocation is not a problem.

I just had some questions about the EMS industry there and hope someone can answer them for me and help me out.

To my understanding an EMT-I license is the lowest EMT licensure level over there, is that true?

What is the starting pay for both private and municipal EMT jobs there that are below the paramedic license level?

Are they actively hiring in Calgary right now?

Thanks for the help and I look forward to the replies.

They are actively hiring in Calgary last I heard. Cost of living is very very high though is my understanding.

I'll let those more in the know about Alberta inform you about qualifications.

[whitewolf]

http://content.calgary.ca/CCA/City+Hall/Bu...vices/index.htm

This is the url for Calgary EMS. They are actively hiring atm. The website should be able to help get you started in moving up here.

[courageheartx]

I honestly don't know much about if your coming from the United States to Canada,but my only suggestion is to check with the regulatory body in Alberta.

Alberta College Of Paramedics

Hopefully they don't put you on hold when you try phoning :roll:

[whitewolf]

Hopefully they don't put you on hold when you try phoning

:roll:

[mobey]

Starting as an EMT in AB you are looking at $16-18/hr. I have no Idea what calgary pays maybe it is more considering you could not live there with those wages.

I chose to work rural AB due to the lower cost of living.

If you are not hung up on high call volumes there are lots of full time jobs available in the rural areas.

[Sincere]

Thanks everyone for the info. I'm surprised at these approx hourly wages. I was under the impression that EMTs and 'Medics got paid much better in Canada, especially in AB. But from the info you guys are giving me the wages pretty much suck there too! Why can't our profession pay us enough to get by comfortably???

[kristo]

Thanks everyone for the info. I'm surprised at these approx hourly wages. I was under the impression that EMTs and 'Medics got paid much better in Canada, especially in AB. But from the info you guys are giving me the wages pretty much suck there too! Why can't our profession pay us enough to get by comfortably???

In your case, maybe because you have less education than a real estate agent?

*duck*

[Dustdevil]

In your case, maybe because you have less education than a real estate agent?

Or an insurance agent. Or a medical transcriptionist. Or a court reporter. Or a barber. Or a nail technician. Or a massage therapist. Or an air conditioner repairman. Or a butcher. Or a Taco Bell manager. Or a truck driver.

Seriously man... no offence intended, but what profession? You don't have a profession. You have a blue collar technical job that took you all of a month to train for. That's the sad reality of EMS training in the U.S. The rest of the world is laughing at us.

As an EMT-I, if you're lucky, Alberta will allow you to take a transition course that is about the same length as your entire EMT course was, then let you challenge the hardest EMS exam you've ever taken for the chance to start over again as an EMT-A. You'll spend a lot of time, postage, and long-distance charges long before that happens though, because ACP thinks you are scum, not worthy of their time, and they'll probably reject you anyhow. Alberta and BC are still probably your best bets though. Ontario would laugh at you so hard that I could hear it all the way over here.

So, are you looking for an actual profession, or just another ambulance job? If you're actually looking to make a serious commitment to being a medical professional, we have a lot more information and options to offer you.

Good luck!

[Sincere]

Or an insurance agent. Or a medical transcriptionist. Or a court reporter. Or a barber. Or a nail technician. Or a massage therapist. Or an air conditioner repairman. Or a butcher. Or a Taco Bell manager. Or a truck driver.

Seriously man... no offence intended, but what profession? You don't have a profession. You have a blue collar technical job that took you all of a month to train for. That's the sad reality of EMS training in the U.S. The rest of the world is laughing at us.

As an EMT-I, if you're lucky, Alberta will allow you to take a transition course that is about the same length as your entire EMT course was, then let you challenge the hardest EMS exam you've ever taken for the chance to start over again as an EMT-A. You'll spend a lot of time, postage, and long-distance charges long before that happens though, because ACP thinks you are scum, not worthy of their time, and they'll probably reject you anyhow. Alberta and BC are still probably your best bets though. Ontario would laugh at you so hard that I could hear it all the way over here.

So, are you looking for an actual profession, or just another ambulance job? If you're actually looking to make a serious commitment to being a medical professional, we have a lot more information and options to offer you.

Good luck!

You guys are exaggerating a little bit now! A real estate agent? A Taco Bell manger? Lol! Come on. A real estate course in MI runs for a month! I'm sure a Taco Bell manager gets on the job training for about 2 weeks. Though I understand the amount of time for my education is not GREAT it still was 9 to 10 months to get to an EMT-I. To become a Paramedic you're looking at approx 1 year and 6 months to 1 year and 9 months here in MI. To become an RN, students can take a 2 year course here and start out making double or triple what 'medics make and they only took 6 months more training then a medic would receive.

How long is a Paramedic course in Canada? There is NO one month course here in MI to get you licensed at the Basic EMT level. To become a Basic EMT the minimum amount of education is 6 months.

So what other information and options are available to me in the medical industry that will offer better wages?