Life after EMS on the streets

[mshow00]

I am one of those who fully intends on following this career as long as possible. That being said, I know there will come a time when I need to get "off the streets". I am currently working towards an AAS in Paramedicine, and was thinking about getting a Bachelors in Business(work in office somewhere in EMS). I hear my other counter-parts talk about doing a bridge program into nursing etc. I was wondering what you guys here think about doing when the streets are no longer a viable option?

[AZCEP]

I'm glad that I got my degree quite some time ago. If I had to go back and take all of those classes again, I really doubt that I would be willing to.

Now that I've reached this point in my career, my joints tell me it's time to move on to something with less physical demands. Because of my appreciation for the medicine, I'm going the medical school route. I hope to keep my hands in the education side of EMS providers as an interested observer.

[Dustdevil]

Lots of options that fit well. Nursing is particularly good because of the portability and demand. You can literally toss a dart at a map of the world, move wherever it lands (except the ocean, smartass), and have a job within two weeks making a better than average salary. There is no other profession in the world where that is possible. But neither I nor many other nurses would recommend the bridge route. It is sub-standard preparation because they are skimming over stuff that was most likely poorly covered in your paramedic class. Not saying the paramedic class was poor. They just weren't focusing on long term care. You can tell the ex-medics when they enter nursing, because it takes them three times as long to become competent as it does a normally educated nurse. They really contribute to the poor image of medics among nurses too. Who wants to be that guy just to save a semester or two?

Business is a viable option, but how many management jobs are there in EMS where you live? Just like entry level EMS itself, you'd better do a serious job market analysis before you invest in a degree that is likely to get you nowhere, depending on where you live. And remember, that job is only as good as the contract the company holds. We're not talking about a lifetime corporate job. We're talking about a temp job until they lose the contract, or the company shuts down the operation.

Now, if you're looking at management of a public agency, then Public Administration is a much more marketable education. Unless you are planning to open up your own mom & pop ambulance service, that's the way I'd go. Go PA and concentrate on business management to round yourself out.

Speaking of PA, there is also the Physician Assistant route. Of course, we're talking serious college, with serious science courses, and maintaining a GPA that is beyond the reach of most EMS types. Most EMS types got into EMS because of low educational requirements in the first place, so it's not often that one goes back for that kind of education. But, if you do, it's a great gig that is pretty marketable. Most seem to go the ER route, but there is lots of actual physician ASSISTING work to be had working with specific doctors or groups, doing office medicine, surgery, hospital follow-ups, and the like, in every speciality from family practice, to OB/GYN, to ortho, to dermatology, and everything in-between.

Probably one of the best non-medical options -- certainly better than business management -- is Occupational Safety & Health. There aren't a lot of degree programmes for it out there, so you have to look around. But OSHA compliance is a huge issue for every corporation these days, but especially in heavy industry. They pay these guys very well to help keep their arses out of court. And it's one of those rare jobs where your EMS experience is a real asset to you in determining potential workplace hazards.

EMS teaching is a decent paying job, and allows you to give something back from your experience. Unfortunately, they let just about any idiot in these days. EMS still considers a weekend-long instructor course to be "education", which is a joke. But with the coming of the National Accreditation requirement for paramedic schools, there is soon going to be more of a demand for truly educated professionals to run these programmes. It takes a masters degree to be the program director. It takes a bachelors just to be a regular instructor. An EMS degree, a biology or natural science degree, or a nursing degree are all good options for that bachelors degree. For the masters degree too, although at that level, if education is your true goal, then Adult Education would be an even better option. Way too many so-called "educators" in EMS don't know dick about educational theory, beyond what they got in that weekend merit badge course, and that's one reason why we have so many crappy schools.

And speaking of crappy schools, you can always open up your own fly-by-night, two-week accelerated EMT school, charging a couple grand a shot to wannabe firemonkeys, and not have to worry about National Accreditation if you are only doing basic classics. That's probably the easiest and quickest way to riches for ex-medics.

I've also seen guys go off into sales and do well. Medtronics, Philips, Zoll, the ambulance manufacturers, the equipment suppliers, they all employ people to present their products to the EMS agencies, and they are paid pretty darn well in most cases. They like former EMS guys because they bring some street credibility to the product they are presenting. There are also the pharmaceutical sales jobs, which are some of the highest paying jobs in the country. They will usually require a degree though. Sad that it takes a degree to get most good sales jobs in this country, but not to be a paramedic, isn't it? They particularly prefer marketing degrees over medically related degrees though. The theory being that's easier to teach medicine to a salesman than it its to teach sales to a medic. And they're right about that. Start with the science of the EMS or nursing associates, then cap it off with a BS in marketing if that appeals to you, and you'll have the best of both worlds, and a guaranteed job market.

That's just a few off the top of my head to get you thinking.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Life after EMS you are supposed to fade away, not Me I came to EMT City and I have nearly 4000 posts. Proves you are not out of it just on a different plane.

[firedoc5]

Take it from someone who had to get out of EMS all together. If you have the opportunity and means to get a degree in something do it. If you do decide to go into nursing, I would recommend you take the entire class. Dust D is right about the bridge concept. And actually almost any job in the health field will always have opportunities for employment. Not just nursing. There will always be people, so there will always be a demand for some one in the medical field.

And keep in mind that there will be a time of adjustment if you got directly from EMS in the streets to a job that is in a clinical setting. If possible you need to ease yourself into a position. Usually taking classes helps. But just a heads up on the fact there will be some adjusting to do.

[Just Plain Ruff]

I stopped working in the field nearly completely when I started my travelling consultancy.

It was a huge adjustment. I still felt drawn to the EMS life but I realized that I would not be a person without back problems if I didn't get out and do something less stressful on my back.

I found a nice travelling job, going from er to ER in many states computerizing them and still able to converse with medics and emt's, nurses, docs and techs and the like.

I was also able to do some ride alongs which I've not done for about 3 years.

When I switched from my first consultant job to the next step I enjoyed a huge pay increase and realized that I could not go back to EMS if I wanted to.

Consequently, I found EMT City and feel that I have been an important part of this community since I joined.

It's not about the post counts it's about the friendship and the proof is the party that we had in Orlando and how we so easily fit in together that made it so worthwhile.

As of July 2009 my paramedic license will lapse, which I reluctantly will let it lapse because of all the work that will be required to get it fully up to speed again. Plus the cost of doing so which I won't see any type of ROI for that expense.

Anywho, I plan on being here till my fingers drop off and will hopefully be a valued member for a long time to come.

The advice for those of you who decide to go to a different field or an alternate field, get your degree because it's very hard to do so after you've been out of school for 15 years and to go back and get a masters since I already have a bachelors degree was daunting but I was able to do it but in return the student loan debt I have is huge, about 32k and it never seems to get smaller

Get your degree while you are still in college or when you start your emt or medic school and you will thank everyone on this forum who told you to do this. It's just impossible to really go back to school after you have a family and kids and a full time job.

Stay in school and don't do drugs.

[zzyzx]

I notice that a lot of medics get master's degress in public health. What does that open the door to? Working for county health agencies?

[VentMedic]

I am always amused when this question comes up. If EMTs and Paramedics pay attention to the WHOLE medical environment they are in especially for all those "BS" transports, they may see alot more of the medical field. They might also be able network with other professionals including physicians who have who knows what opportunity for them. EMTs and Paramedics really do limit themselves by staying to themselves and not venuring into a mixed audiences for CEUs or inservices. I also think taking the EMT-P degree at a college offers the opportunity to meet other future professionals of various professions to see what motivated them to choose that particular career. The isolation because "we're different" gives them little experience to see the vast opportunities there are in the medical world.

Paying attention as a Paramedic ambulance driver on IFTs is how I found RT. I then found Exercise Physiology as a way to serve several options including more Cardiopulmonary education, physical fitness training, research opportunites and a Masters degree to teach with. ACLS was even taken to a new level in excercise challenge tests. High altitude testing knowledge also benefited my career in HEMS. Of course, the ultimate in my career was being able to do both excercise challenge tests and altitude testing on pediatric cardiacs and pediatric heart or lung transplant pts.

As an RT, I too could travel anywhere in the U.S. and make a good wage with all expenses paid. With my teaching credentials, I could do educational seminars or moonlight at the colleges during the slow times to pick up extra cash.

Everything still comes together to even create new opportunities if you use your education and not just rely on skills. Too much competition in the hospital where all the skills overlap. The education makes them unique. That is why there should be not quick jump by skipping important material and experience in some bridge programs. A mail order RN program gets you nowhere in many places especially if you want to do critical care medicine.

Thirty years ago, if I had known the frustrations of EMS being self-limiting as a profession due to attitudes and lack of edcational standards, I probably would not have entered it for a career. I probably would have been a hobbyist at it instead. Of course, I probably would not have found and followed the other rewarding paths without it.

I see several other professions that are in as much demand as RNs. Physical Therapists can command as much if not more in many areas of the country for pay and travel benefits. They can work in almost any type of environment. But, their education level is Masters minimum with Doctorate preferred. A Bachelors minimum is preferred for almost any profession now in a hospital. Nursing educators need a Masters in most larger hospitals.

Many Paramedics don't even consider HBO especially at large burn centers because most have never been in large burn centers. HBO in coastal areas can also be a good "retirement" job. I know a couple of Paramedics who are managing their own multi-place chamber.

Public Health degrees? Look up the on at UC Berkely. This is a popular degree now for disaster management at all levels. It is also very popular for some areas of research.

[AZCEP]

Everything still comes together to even create new opportunities if you use your education and not just rely on skills.

Brilliant! Now if people will listen to the wisdom of it.