Figured it out, from previous post about careers in rural AO
 

Should have done it years ago.

Anyway, I had posted about jobs and such and trying to get away from being tied down to a major hospital in a large city (current job).

I've decided. Paramedic.

I start my EMT-B classes on the 20th and next year I'll start on the paramedic.

Thought I'd give an answer to those who asked me to tell them what I finally would come up with.

Re: Figured it out, from previous post about careers in rural AO
 

Seems mobile enough.

I glad to see you around. Its been a while since I've read your stuff.

Hope you doing well.

E-A

Re: Figured it out, from previous post about careers in rural AO
 

Thanks.... I've been doing lots of lurking, just not alot of posting. Been busy so most online GIM time is there and I don't like to log in and post from work so I just lurk.

I hope we have time for me to get rural... the emt is done in january, but medic is 18 months... Thats a long time, I figure if I come up with something better between now and medic school I can skip the medic and go with the new idea.. but I HAVE to get rolling on something. EMT is short enough atleast I'll have something else to fall back on.

I've been doing this since I was 20... not alot else my job crosses into, lol.

Re: Figured it out, from previous post about careers in rural AO
 

I had an EMT-3 housemate for awhile. I was sort of surprised by the low pay... I don't recall exactly, seems like he was pulling 30-some K/year. Yeah you sit around waiting for the call alot, but the education/training, and relative importance of the job, would seem to yield higher pay than it did. His was a private ambulance co contracting with the city. Have you done any research on the typical pay rates, esp where you want to live?

Re: Figured it out, from previous post about careers in rural AO
 

Starting pay in this AO for a private ambulance medic is 16.50 an hour plus a couple bucks per call. Thats basically riding along in the 'bus' and the lowest you could go as a medic. basically 35k a year w/o any overtime or including an 'run pay'. Shortest shifts are 12 hours and medics (as opposed to emt-b/emt-2) are in high demand and can usually take as much OT as they want. Basically 5 12 hour shifts (one extra shift) a week would make an extra 25k a year pushing you to 60k...

Thats for the retiring folks.. getting on board a city or country rig will earn more money and awesome bennies. Thats my plan, I'll only go private as a last resort.

FWIW EMT-B's (EMT2's) only make 12 bucks an hour in this AO.