What kind of paramedic jobs (Click here) are students preparing for and what do they expect from their future careers?
EMS Magazine recently released an extension of its 2008 “Sowing the SEEDS” study conducted by the Loyola University Medical Center. The original study surveyed a large number of EMT-Basic students to investigate their backgrounds and career expectations.
That study found 63 percent of EMT-Basic students planned to receive EMT-Paramedic licenses, but planned to use those licenses in order to work in the fire service, as opposed to an emergency medical services profession. Because of this unexpected result, as well as continuing recruitment and retention issues, EMS Magazine expanded its research to examine EMT-Paramedic students.
The new survey consisted of 25 questions and was submitted to EMT-Paramedic classes throughout the Midwest and other selected states, attendees at a national EMS conference and volunteers. A total of 23 programs participated, with 78 percent returning completed surveys.
Of the students surveyed, 54 percent were 24-years old or younger, 78 percent were 30 or younger, 79 percent were male, and 70 percent were single. About 52 percent of respondents had received their EMT-Basic certification within the last year, but 35 percent had no experience working as and EMT-Basic.
When asked how familiar they were with EMS, 5 percent of respondents said they were “somewhat or very unfamiliar,” while 95 percent had “average” or “greater than average” familiarity. This is an increase from the 22 percent of EMT-Basic students in the previous survey who said they were “somewhat unfamiliar or very unfamiliar” with EMS.
The survey found that nine out of every 10 EMT-Paramedic students had some higher education, which is in line with the original results. In addition, 42 percent of respondents said they had family members in the EMS field.
When asked why they had signed up for paramedic classes, 92 percent of students said they had voluntarily enrolled, while 8 percent said they were required by their employers. About 88 percent of students said they plan to work while in paramedic school.
Of the students surveyed, 68 percent plan to obtain a critical care paramedic license after receiving their EMT-Paramedic license, although the critical care license is not recognized by many states or the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
As for employment, 38 percent of students plan to work with fire departments where they are currently employed, 44 percent plan to wait until their programs are done to look for work, and 11 percent are currently looking for work.
Although 82 percent of students expressed the desire to work in fire service, research shows that 40 percent of EMT-Basics and EMT-Paramedics are employed in the private ambulance industry, while 30 percent are employed by local governments and 20 percent work with hospitals.
Almost all of the students plan to pursue full-time employment and receive benefits, while almost no students wanted to volunteer without pay. Although a 2008 survey found the average wage for a full-time paramedic to be $37,699.78 per year, and most students would accept an offer under $45,000 per year, their expectations are much higher.
About 2 percent of students expect to earn between $15,001 and $25,000; 9 percent want between $25,001 and $35,000; 25 percent expect between $35,001 and $45,000; 35 percent want between $45,001 and $55,000; 16 percent expect between $55,001 and $65,000; and 12 percent hope to make more than $65,000.