Wake up and smell the coffee folks! The medical profession is booming and jobs are open for those with the energy, skills and education necessary to fill a number of great positions such as that found in an EMT career. Nurses, doctors and lab techs are in demand but so are Emergency medical technicians and paramedics!
Today many EMTs can be found doing a lot of challenging assignments instead of just riding in an ambulance all day. Although the majority of EMT career openings do involve work on an ambulance as they transport patients from one location to another there are other openings available.
As an EMT or paramedic your emergency medical training skills can be used in the emergency room, at a doctor’s office, in clinics and even at police and fire departments. Some EMT career openings are offered by insurance companies and these individuals hired to handle insurance physicals; still others with emergency medical training skills may be requested to be on hand for major sporting events.
Some people decide on an EMT career because they think it would be a fun and exciting job to do. While this is true, there are some tense and unpleasant moments that also have to be faced when working as an EMT.
Pros and Cons of an EMT Career
One of the benefits of taking EMT courses is that the emergency medical training courses are shorter than with other professions, especially when you are first getting into it. Another benefit is that the job as an EMT is different every day, since the 911 calls or other medical transport situation is somewhat different each time. This position requires people who are in good physical condition, since it often involves lifting and transporting patients from one place to another.
Another benefit of becoming an EMT is that people are helped each day of work. Unlike other positions where a mound of paperwork or time in front of a computer is involved, when you have an EMT career you are helping others in a tangible way each time you go to work. This is often the reason that people become interested in the job, and it is definitively the reason that people continue to work the job year after year.
One down side to taking EMT courses is that, although the pay is decent, it is not a profession where people can get rich quickly. There is a way to move up the EMT career ladder in terms of pay, however, and that is through advancing to higher levels of EMT certification and even becoming a paramedic. However, this requires more schooling and a cost as well; so many people are unable or unwilling to pursue it.
Another down side that people have to be willing to face is the fact that they will have people die, either at the scene or in transport. This can be a side to EMT work that some people are not able to handle, especially since for many people their EMT career motivation is based on helping people and saving lives. Another surprising down side to EMT work is that sometimes patients can become angry and violent. This can also be the case with family members and friends of the patient. This aspect of the job can be frustrating and scary.
In addition, the emergency medical training courses will teach people on how to deal with drug abusers, mental health patients and more so that they can keep both the patient and themselves safe. In these situations and others, patients often defecate or vomit in the vehicle, which EMTs have to take care of. You may be called upon to test the limits of both your emergency medical training skills and your patience, but in the end it is all worth it.
Despite these harsh circumstances that may occur, the work involved in an EMT career is all about helping people, whatever the situation might be. With all of the down sides to the job, saving one person’s life makes all of the tough stuff fade away.