Englishman In New York

[BritEMT01]

Hello all!

Just thought I'd introduce myself!

I've just moved from England over to the USA. Been here about six months. Living in Albany, NY, with my American wife and dual nationality 16 month old daughter.

I spent eight years in the British Army as a Combat Medical Technician. Since moving over here, I've completed the New York State EMT-B course. I'm currently looking for work as an EMT. I've had a couple of interviews, have a couple more lined up, and I'm trying to make contacts! It seems to be very much a 'who you know' business up here!

[scott33]

Welcome to the forum.

Did you find the EMT-B class easy compared to your CMT courses?

[BritEMT01]

The CMT course is heavily biased toward trauma, and very little is taught on children and the elderly. Which is a bit strange, because in barracks 99% of your work is primary care, and on operations most of the 'hearts and minds' work is on kids and old people.

The EMT course was good, but I found most of it fairly easy. The main difference was learning the protocols over here.

At least I have a civilian qualification now. I spent 8 years in the army, I have certificates for medical courses all over the place, but none of them are accredited by a civilian organization, so as far as the rest of the none-army world is concerned, it doesn't mean jack!

[Richard B the EMT]

At least I have a civilian qualification now. I spent 8 years in the army, I have certificates for medical courses all over the place, but none of them are accredited by a civilian organization, so as far as the rest of the none-army world is concerned, it doesn't mean jack!

With the understanding that any military medical group would want to train their personnel to their own standards, I have a friend who had been a hospital volunteer, became a New York State EMT, and had been a combat nurse in the Israeli Army in 1973, was not even allowed to maintain a first aid kit for her own unit when she joined the US Navy. With all that medical experience, they made her a "Signalman".

[irlemt]

Hi, I just finished reading a book a colleague lent me called "Medic" , about British (mostly) military medics (all ranks from stretcher bearer to surgeon). I can't convey how moved I was reading it, words escape me. If you ever get a chance to read it, do so. Hats off to all you combat Medics, of any nationality.

[BritEMT01]

I had a great time in the Army. I've been to Northern Ireland, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Cyrpus, Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, South Korea, Fiji, Austria, Italy, Holland, Belgium and Canada. I wouldn't swap those experiences for anything.

My only gripe with the army is the give you so much training, and so many chances to gain experience, yet don't give you a real qualification. They do that because they know that if we got our EMT or paramedic qualification, we'd all leave as soon as we could. It's simply a service retention program.

[scott33]

The RAF have personnel who are HPC registered Paramedics, and I know of one ex RAMC CMT who was grandfathered in by the HPC. All he had to do off his own back, was the driving component, prior to gaining employment. He is now an ECP working for one of the trusts.

[spenac]

Howdy.

[BritEMT01]

The RAF have personnel who are HPC registered Paramedics, and I know of one ex RAMC CMT who was grandfathered in by the HPC. All he had to do off his own back, was the driving component, prior to gaining employment. He is now an ECP working for one of the trusts.

You can get the paramedic qualification through the army. But selection for the course is not only almost impossible, it's a joke. You have to be under a certain age, but have completed a certain amount of time in the army. You have to have an exemplary record, be completely fit (no injuries). And you have to return four years of service, regardless of weather you pass the course or not. They select five people a year for the course, but accept about 40 applicants. The 35 left over are told 'we're just waiting for your course date to come through......'. Then the next year, it all starts again. It's a carrot on a stick, to retain the best medics, to stop them leaving the army for civvie street.

In eight years in the army, I personally met one guy who'd got the qual through the army.

You can also get the qual on an accelerated course (about 12 weeks), if you get selected for Med Troop, the RAMC unit attached to 22 SAS (special forces, the UK version of Delta Force). Again, selection is mega hard.

They no longer grand-father into the ICHP.

I can't speak for the RAF. But I know they get more time to go on training courses, so it wouldn't surprise me to learn they found the time to become paramedics.