EMS is not easy…
Emergency Medical Services is not for everyone. When most people run away from danger, we run towards and into the threat. Many times, we find our scene has turned from a safe zone to a “hot zone” in a heartbeat. When you think about all the things that EMS handles, you realize that it is not a profession for the faint of heart.
If you decide on this career, you must come out of your comfort zone. You will see things and do things that give most people nightmares. You will be haunted by the reality of life that you find your patients living in. It’s just one of many reasons why we are at a high risk for PTSD and must keep ourselves mentally healthy. And yet, once you have carved out a career in this field, you will uncover a strength that you did not know you possessed. Whether that skill you perform is life saving or simply holding your patient’s hand, you will recognize that you perform a job that many cannot. You will discover that your heart and soul is poured out on every shift and you will find that the reward is immense.
As seasoned EMS providers and professors, we are all humbled to guide you down this road. We will shine a light on this pathway as you work hard to gain the knowledge and skills you will require. It’s mentally and physically exhausting but you will find it very gratifying in so many unexpected ways.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you have not done than by the things that you have accomplished. So, when you hear that knock on the door, don’t be afraid to open it and walk through with confidence. Throw off your safety net, sail out of that safe harbor, catch the wind in your wings and fly!
Explore, dream, and discover yourself in this wonderful world we call …… Life in Emergency Medical Services.
