In EMS when are you really real?

when in Emergency medical services can you really say you are real? is it after that first firstaid course? or after your first save a life expirience? when you get that first measley little pay check? or when your told to be happy you can serve... and your not getting a check...(forced volunteers) or when you answer your first real mci on your vol. pager? when you get your name in the paper? when you graduate EMT? when you come back to the ambulance bay covered in emmisis and excrament and blood? when are you really considered real?

The day I stepped onto the ambulance, with my shiny new gold patch (paramedic) and a brand new Basic partner, and I realized I was the most knowledgable and experienced person on that ambulance that day. That was scary, but that made it real for me.

The day I had to watch an elderly woman die in my ambulance (because she had a DNR) and I watched her HR fade from 60 to 30 to 0, and I had to physically restrain my partner from starting resuscitation. That made it real, too.

The day I took a patient who was frightened and in pain, and I made her comfortable, calmed her down, and by the end of the transport, she was laughing with me. That made it real, too.

It's not one monumental experience; it's the little ones that turn you from a brand new EMT into an experienced and confident one. EMS is a hard profession; your coworkers generally treat you like poo until they realize that you won't quit when things get tough. Over time, though, both you and your coworkers realize you are here to stay, and that's when you are an "real" EMT.

The first time you do the job for money or not. The first time you save a life it is real to you.
Whether you do it because you want to or it is forced, Thank you.

why is the answer important?

When you graduate EMT school and have the license.

It all depends:
You can finish an EMT program yet never work as an EMT.
You can work as an EMT and never have a save from a cardiac arrest. (does that make you a failure? )
Getting paid vs volunteering shouldn't make a difference.

I think it's 'real' when you have the skills, finish the course, start using those skills, and work as a team. Eventually gain the respect of co-workers. NEVER think you know it all.

New EMTs all want to save lives and yes, that's admirable. But think of all the EMTs that are out there transferring convalescent patients back and forth from SNFs to acute care and such. They're just as 'real' and necessary.

we can not answer this this is one you will have to figure out for yourself how will you know when you are ready i've been in the fire service for 7 years now and haven't "saved" an arrest but if one goes out today i'll be there. you will need to figure out when you consider yourself "real" hope this helps

We do not serve for a measley paycheck,we serve because that's what our hearts tell us to do.The day you graduate EMT school is both a happy one and a scary one.While inroute to your first major call,it becomes very real,with fear,anxiety,& self doubt.I served on a volunteer fire dept.for years(no forcing about it),when the pager went off,no matter what time of day or night,we went.There was someone in trouble and they were calling us.Nobody cared if we were volunteer,they just needed help.......You are only real if what you are doing is in your heart !

First off, learn how to spell. Second, if you are asking questions like this, and by the tone of your questions, you should consider another career. It isn't for everyone so there's no shame in looking elsewhere. I wouldn't want a tech working on me that wasn't sure if they were "real".