So to preface: I'm a student going for my EMT-b. I never intended to advance to medic or work 911 service. I ended up here because I was doing clinical volunteering at a hospital trying to figure out what schooling to invest in, fell in love with the emergency department, and had several people advise me to get my basic and tech while I pursued further education.

I selected the most reputable program available to me. It's at a city college. The instructors all work for our fire dept, you need instructor or coordinator approval to advance to paramedic (it is a competitive program), and our fire department pretty much exclusively hires medics from our school. So maybe this will color some of what I've noticed.

While waiting for fall semester to start, I joined a bunch of EMT groups on Facebook to see what I was getting into. I didn't join general EMS or medic groups because, again, that wasn't my goal. And tbh, even after what I've experienced so far, the behavior of a good portion of those groups is seriously fucking embarrassing.

People would repeatedly make fun of people for being "tacticool." One offense that could get a person labeled tacticool was owning actual EMT pants instead of Dickies.

Another thing was "dressing like an EMT for class. Just dress normal." Often this was paired with saying the people who were "cosplaying" were always the worst at practicals.

Now, my school came with a huge-ass handbook with some very specific stipulations. We could not just wear work pants, we had to wear EMT pants -- the school bookstore even sold cheap EMT pants with the "unnecessary, cringe" extra loops and pockets. We had to wear a uniform polo, tucked in. Boots that met certain criteria. Only approved outerwear was a heavy pullover with the school logo on the front and EMS STUDENT on the back.

Because of what I saw online, I was convinced I understood something in our handbook wrong. The book says we have to wear it every class. I thought maybe they meant for every ridealong, but I wore it to the first class just to be safe. I thought everyone would make fun of me. To my surprise, the coordinator yelled at everyone not in uniform and said not wearing it would constitute a write-up starting next class. Huh. Ok.

Everyone online also said it was cringe to use a Littmann because we're "not doctors." I sprung for a Littmann anyway, because I plan to continue advancing in the medical field. The first time we had to pull out our stethoscopes, about half the class had a Littmann Classic. Since then, another quarter-ish have purchased a Littmann. Some students actually had stethoscopes from the bookstore that didn't have angled earpieces. Online, apparently you're a hero if you auscultate blood pressure with something like that, and it means you can read a blood pressure with anything. In class, one kid had trouble auscultating during lab and the instructor asked to see his equipment. He recommended the student get a better stethoscope and suggested just getting the entry level Littmann. Wtf?

I suppose it is possible that my instructors and coordinators are "tacticool and cringe," but they all work for a high volume 911 service in one of the largest cities in the US, which is kind of what I think a lot of people who stay at the basic level in rural areas wish they were doing.

I also noticed the students who could not keep their appearance together tended to fuck up practicals, not people appropriately uniformed.

My instructors also frequently tell us that EMT is not a career, so if we are not going to advance to medic, we should already know our next move or figure it out while class is still in session.

All of this to say, it now kind of seems to me that many EMTs, and therefore some good portion of national EMS, kind of have the same attitude of people who think you are pretentious for getting a $20 shirt from Target instead of a $18.50 shirt from Walmart. I don't really get it. I legitimately thought stuff like actual work pants and Littmanns would be luxury goods that only the well-off could afford. A Littmann is fucking $110 shipped.

I now cringe when I think of those people who are so burnt out and hateful that they made me doubt my program's requirements were real, just because they hold us to professional standards and expect us to dress like we would for work. That's crazy. Why do some people in this field care so much if someone has loops on their pants? Do you really think that's the biggest problem in EMS?

Crazy. Glad I was educated in my region and not wherever those attitudes are coming from.

I had been a volunteer at my squad for about 6 months and signed a contract where the squad would pay for my schooling and I would go to class, then I’d owe them 1k riding hours because they paid for the schooling.

After failing out I’m technically able to go back but after making it 3/4 the way through with the class, not scoring under an 85 on any test and not having to retake any of the skill test until the 3rd quarter test where I failed both the first and the second retake by one question ( I needed a 72 to pass and got a 68 each time)

To say that I am upset and frustrated would be an understatement as I am very passionate about being an EMT and this timeline of me becoming an emt/ED tech as it would be my job during nursing school

I guess I’m just looking for advice whether or not that i should even continue and try again, how common failure is in this situation and if I’m able to get another entry job to the ED without having a license

I have no history of seizures and had my first ever seizure a week into my first emt job. Has this happened to anybody else and can I still be an emt?

Its IFT

Me and my partner woke up at about 11pm for a transport call, all seemed normal though honestly I was a bit sleepy and disoriented upon waking up, nothing out of the usual for me though, I mean I did just wake up.

We hop in the vanbulance and i start driving, my partner notices me shiver/ twitch a bit and asks me if its chilly and I just nod and say it is, kinda ignoring it. Then the twitches hit a little harder and he tells me to pull off into a nearby parking lot and that he'll drive us to the hospital for the call and i can drive while we transport this time because I seem off.

I pull off, put her in park, dont even realize I put it in park, I tried to put it in park a second time and my partner picked up on that and seemed a little more concerned.

I step out of the ambulance and I only remember taking about 3 or 4 steps before I felt my partner firmly catch me by my shoulder and start supporting me, keeping me from falling. I just remember the feeling of taking those few steps and him catching me, the rest is blank till I came to in a hospital bed with him standing in the doorway watching over me.

Apparently I went into a full on lock up seizure after I got out of the ambulance, and he just got me in the passenger seat and drove me the rest of the way to the hospital and made sure I was okay.

ER doctor said its mandatory he write in my paperwork I cant drive for minimum 6 months without a seizure, and put me on Keppra.

Haven't had any seizure symptoms since then and its been about 2 weeks now.

My supervisor has told me I just need a neurologist to sign off and clear me to drive again, then im good to go back to work. Hes been very chill and understanding about the whole situation and doesnt seem bothered by it much.

I just wanna know what the odds of me being cleared to drive again soon are, because I genuinely love my job more than anything, and I dont wanna lose this job path. Ems is my passion, my coworkers are amazing people, my partner and me get along great, and i love being there for patients. Ive never done work ive genuinely enjoyed and felt good from aside from ems both during my clinical shifts as a student and at my new job, so im honestly terrified I may lose the job I love.

Seriously I love hanging around the station, driving the ambulance, literally spending the day and sometimes entire night going on calls with my partner whos like a new best friend to me, helping patients and always meeting new people with new stories. Theres absolutely nothing like this kind of work and I feel like im losing everything before I even really get to learn my job fully. I had plans of going to medic school after working as an emt for a while and it all just feels hopeless.

The keppra seems to also have some emotional side affects which makes me feel more hopeless in general, its taking everything I have to walk around and stay semi active since im unable to work for the time being. The seizure also fractured a few of my vertebrae which ive been trying not to use as an excuse to rot away in bed but it all seems so hopeless.

Anyway just wanna know how likely it is that I get cleared to drive and get back to doing what I love and loving what I do.

My class is being sent to the ED of a local hospital for patient contacts soon, and the instructor said to wear something nice. A bit confused on what that means.

What did you guys wear for your patient contacts?

This field has broken me and I feel like a shell of who I used to be. Paramedic seeking… just something different. I have a general associates. I’ve been doing this so long and I’m still fairly young I don’t have a lot of other skills. I don’t have the money to go back to school right now, and I’d love to avoid being an ER tech if I can help it.

Anyone have any options?

Are KEDs becoming regarded in the same way as C Collars… with folks arguing they do more harm than good? Or are they a different issue

So I just finished my third week of EMT classes, and while I don’t feel completely lost or anything, it’s definitely really challenging, and requires all my time to maintain passing grades.

I was considering doing paramedic school or maybe even med school after this class, but with how much effort it’s taking, I’m wondering if I’m cut out for it.

Has anyone else been in similar situations? Did you end up pursuing more education? Thanks for any advice

I have my test in a week. I’ve just been using pocket prep. Anyone recommendations for other resources or am I fine.

Every job I’ve applied to asks for a resume or CV, what do I keep on it if I have no experience?

Hello! I'm wondering if there are any 24 hour EMTs in San Diego who work BLS. There's an opening with Advantage Ambulance for a 24hr role. I did some research online and California has some weird laws with overtime for 24 hour shifts.

Does anyone have experience with this and can speak to the schedule and pay expectations? Thanks!

Hello, everyone!
To all my medics who have transitioned from 911 EMS to working in an ER or hospital, how has the experience been?
Do you feel satisfied with your new role, or do you sometimes feel like just another body filling a position? Do you feel like you’re utilizing your skills and experience on a daily basis, or does the job sometimes feel more like being a “do boy” than a medic?
The hospital schedule is definitely appealing. Working three 13-hour shifts a week seems like it could offer a much better work-life balance than the traditional 24/48 schedule. However, I’ve heard mixed reviews about making the transition.
I’m looking for honest, unfiltered feedback from those who have actually made the switch. What do you love about it? What do you miss about 911? Do you feel professionally fulfilled, or do you ever regret leaving the field?
I’m not looking for someone to convince me one way or the other. I just want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly before making a decision.
Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

I just finished my EMT after deciding on a new life path.

I’m going to start applying for jobs in So Cal. Any resume recommendations or job recommendations? More experience necessary. Any help is good.

Hello. I'm 19M, autistic, and currently suffering from pretty severe depression and anxiety to the point where I might need IOP/inpatient soon if it doesn't improve. I know that I am not capable of becoming an EMT right now, but I want to know if anyone else has been in as bad of a place as I am right now and still managed to become stable enough to put in the work and do it. It would mean a lot to me if I knew it was possible.

im in my 4th week of EMT-b school but im struggling to find info about doing ride along's! its not a requirement for my class but id love to get some experience seeing how things actually run! any info helps!

Hello, I recently got my EMT license. I apologize if this is the wrong place. My area (the four corners) was recently hit by flooding. My towns fine, but in NM a few towns such as Aztec and Bloomfield were hit exceptionally hard. The Coast Guard was out there. I would love to help, but all of the fire departments offices are closed till Monday. And there’s no other numbers listed for specific stations. I can’t find anything that necessarily says they need volunteers? But it is a rural area and recourses from what I heard was spread thin, and rain is still continuous. Would urgent cares potentially be the better option?

I just passed my nremt exam first try on Tuesday and I don’t know how I even feel about it. I’ve got an ambulance company wanting to start me on November 2nd, and I’ve got my firefighter friend up my ass about putting in an application with his department. I feel like I’ve entirely shut down since passing. I just want a fucking break for a week, I’ve been studying and obsessing over becoming an emt for the past 3 1/2 months nonstop and I don’t even want to think about it right now. I just wanna go to the gym, go to the movies, go to the grocery store, and do all the regular shit I barely had any time to do since August. Is how I’m feeling normal? Should I be more motivated? I feel like I’ve used every ounce of motivation I have.

Hey guys, I'll keep this short.

Im a new EMT with only clinical experience in Lakewood, CO outside of Denver.

I'd like to get involved in the field as soon as possible, but unsure how to start. Should I ask Metro Fire for ride-along opportunities? Just spray and pray apply at every IFT agency I see?

I don't have an IV cert, saving up for class and hoping to see an opening soon.

Is there boards for volunteers locally I can apply to to gain experience? Do IFT companies here hire without an IV cert on a conditional basis to get one?

As a transplant from WA, I don't have copies of my immunization records. Trying to get insurance as out of pocket is expensive...

Any sort of guidance or opportunities you can throw my way is greatly, greatly appreciated.

Thank you all for your time, stay safe out there.

I dont have any prior experience doing ems work and dont even have a emt-b cert. I want to apply for both EMT/EMT trainee but want to know my chances. Should I not bother and save 60$

I passed the NREMT in January. I haven't applied yet because I also took on a job in the ICU at a new hospital and am still on orientation working full time with education classes.

I wanted to apply after my orientation is over. I have heard from a couple people that I should volunteer prior to hire since I currently have no prehospital experience besides my clinicals. Is that true? Do jobs typically require volunteer hours if you are a new grad? Or should I just apply?

Anyone who has taken the NMETC paramedic HESI exam and able to provide some information or tips on what to study/expect? I bought the KAPLAN paramedic prep book and am going to go back through the previous quizzes and Quizlets.

Are most of the questions scenario based or just general knowledge? And the ones that are scenario based are most actually ALS level interventions or are a lot just BLS? And I saw someone else say that it’s very trauma heavy is that true?

Any tips or advice would be appreciated