Working In L.A. ER

[docwannabe]

Howdy all, I'm new here.

I'm a National Registry EMT, and after college I volunteered on a rescue squad in Bethesda Maryland. Unfortunately I wasn't home long enough to get all the way through the red tape to become a maryland EMT, though I did assist as a trainee with the paramedics while I was there (ALS is a paramedic and EMT-B in the back, or 2 medics). I managed to show the medics that I'm not an idiot and can follow directions, so I got to ride, essentially, as the EMT-B on paramedic calls.

I have since moved to Southern California, just finished an additional year in school for pre-medical courses, and am now applying to medical school.

My question is: What is the best way to get emergency medical experience in either the LA or San Diego areas? I would like to work in a hospital as an ER-tech because of the number of patients seen. I was applying to work as an ER Scribe, but most places require a 2-year commitment, which I cant do since I'm applying to medical school now, so I only have a year. Working on an ambulance would be fine, but from everything I've read/heard is that I'll be pushing stretchers with transport patients and no actual 911.

I've applied to a couple of jobs at UCLA and other places, but they're pretty slow to respond. Next I'm going to show up and try and talk to someone, and if I still cant get in I'm going to try and talk whoever will listen into letting me work for free for the first couple of months and then hiring me if they like what they see.

Any and all advice for how I could get EMS experience in the LA or San Diego area would be awesome. I would like to be in these areas because I have no idea where I will be for medical school, but I probably wont get another chance to live in either city for 8 years or so and I have friends in both I would like to live with.

[reaper]

The best thing you could do is "pushing stretchers". This will allow you to interact with pts. It will allow you to develop a good bed side manner. It will also allow you to hone your assessment skills.

This will put you light years ahead of a lot of your fellow med school buddies. Most people in med school have never even talked to a pt before. So this transport job can be better then an ER tech, where you may never get to deal with Pt's much.

[AnthonyM83]

I only have a quick moment online, but ER tech would give you good patient interaction (though I think EMT would give you more....though you'd learn less). A lot of ER tech positions require EMT field experience first, though...most that I know in LA