Help..i 'm lost...

[T_LOLA]

:?: ok so.. i want to be an emt...But i have absolutely no idea where to begin, who to talk to, where to go, I've got nothing right now...=(..lols uuuh i'm 19 and i work at SUBWAY...eat fresh... i'm taking basic courses at a community college...and none of them have to do with helping someone...ANYONE..lols... so i'm starting basically from ground zero...I need to know the steps to getting to where i want to be... can anyone help me???

[Timmy]

Go down to your local EMS station and ask. Then do your paramedic.

Also google a local school that runs EMS courses. What subjects did you do at highschool?

Remember, write in proper sentences. Tut Tut :wink:

[Timmy]

Oh! And mmmmmmmmmmm SUBWAY!

[DwayneEMTP]

Speak to a councilor at your community college. They can give you all of the information that you need to move forward.

A word of friendly advice. People judge you here, as they should, on the way you present yourself in your posts. Reread your posts and make corrections for spelling and grammar as necessary and you will be much more well received.

Good luck to you.

Dwayne

[T_LOLA]

okay!! ...

"then do your paramedic"...??...wut do you mean by that?...

...Baby steps... ...hey thankz for replying!!

[Timmy]

Thanks Ok.

Become a paramedic after EMT school, no good playing bandaid patrol.

[T_LOLA]

Ok..

Dwayne. I do see what you are saying and I appreciate the positive insight coming from someone of your caliber.

I apologize for my grammatical incorrections. If I came off as anything other than myself, my apology again.

However, next time I'd lead by example...I don't think I remember there ever being an "i" in the word counselor. Once again thank you...

[Dustdevil]

This is not a simple question, however you have come to the right place for answers.

First, where are you? This is not like becoming a physician, where the path is the same across the country. It varies greatly from state to state, and even from community to community. Many of the answers you need will have to come from someone familiar with your area.

Second, what does being an EMT mean to you? Do you know what an EMT does? Do you know what an EMT does not do? Are you looking for a career, just a job, a hobby, or do you just want to know advanced first aid because you're an outdoorsman? EMT means different things to different people, and the advice will vary according to that meaning and your goal, so tell us about yourself, your motivations, and what you are trying to achieve.

What Timmy meant is that, as most people thinking they want to be an EMT don't realise, there is no career for EMTs. It is either just a temp job (and a very low paying and unstable one at that), or it is a basic stepping stone to becoming a paramedic. Too many people go to EMT school thinking this is something they will make a living at, and are sadly disappointed when they can't even find a job, much less make a living. So, after we know more about you, we can help you determine which path you should be on. If you want to make a career of EMS, that means going to paramedic school as soon as possible after finishing EMT school.

To be good at either one of them, you are already on the right course. Most of what an EMT or paramedic needs to know has nothing to do with helping people, just like you said. It is about understanding human beings, both physically and mentally. Once you have that scientific foundation of knowledge, then you start studying how to "help" with medical aid. But the first step is to get two semesters of college Anatomy & Physiology behind you, as well as Microbiology, General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Sociology, and College Algebra, as well as enough college English Composition and communications to be able to communicate intelligently with the educated adults in the medical field you will be working with without sounding like a thirteen year old sending text messages. Once you have all that behind you, then EMT school is typically a semester long, and paramedic school another two years beyond that.

You could be a registered nurse in less time, making three times as much money, so again, seriously consider what you think this job is all about, whether it is worth investing a the next few years into trying to qualify for, and whether or not you could even get a job in your area with the licence if you had it. In many areas, there simply are no jobs for EMTs or Paramedics in EMS because the firemonkeys do it all instead.

And not only is there an I in "councilor", but "counselor" is spelled with two Ls, so don't get all high and mighty on us. Being a smart arse will hold you back in any profession.

Good luck.

[DwayneEMTP]

However, next time I'd lead by example...I don't think I remember there ever being an "i" in the word counselor. Once again thank you...

Right you are. I remembered typing it and thought to catch it when I ran the spell checker, which missed it.

Good on you for presenting yourself more intelligently, and then taking the time to correct my post as well. We are all better for the exchange.

It's not the occasional error that is offending but the purposeful ignorance that causes people to believe that you may not be worth the time to answer, though I'm grateful for the correction in any case.

Welcome to the City. You are off to a great start!

Dwayne

[Michael]

What's the treatment for lacerated tongue, etiology psychogenic trismus?

But since Dwayne has self-effacingly paved the way, I submit that everyone's right, including those whose spellcheques preserve conventions from when England was still a colony of Texas, and who may assimilate all counseling to the legal variety. Which should come as no surprise, as we wouldn't expect a former cop offering the illegal variety.

Welcome to the City!