If you have ever thought about becoming paramedic, then this article is for you. You’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about becoming paramedic, where paramedics work, how much they get paid, what kind of additional in-service training they need, how you can become paramedic, some of the dangers involved in the job, when you can expect to retire and how you can make difference in the lives of the people you serve.
Paramedics are typically the first medical responders to provide bedside care in many emergency situations such as motor vehicle accidents, falls, chest pain, abdominal pain, ...
They treat patients according to their medical conditions, monitor vital signs, try to understand the cause of the problem, administer medication as needed, and then transport the patient to a hospital.
Theoretically, paramedics should only respond to emergency situations, but in practice this is not always the case. So, on a typical day, they wait for a call, then go to the scene to assess the patient's medical condition, perform the necessary treatments and transport the patient to the hospital in an ambulance.
Paramedics must choose an ambulance company that covers a specific area. At the beginning of a shift, they will pick up an ambulance, and then emergency medical dispatchers, the ones who respond to 911 calls, will strategically assign them a holding spot while they wait for the next emergency call.
In Quebec, to become a paramedic, you must complete a 3-year cegep program in Pre-hospital Emergency Care.
The annual salary for a Paramedic is approximately $55,630 per year, which averages about $29 per hour.
Due to the many changes in the medical field, paramedics must stay current with training throughout their careers, so they can always provide the best care based on the latest health research.
They must constantly operate in unfamiliar and uncontrolled environments, so the risk of accident or injury is high. In addition to being potentially exposed to easily transmissible diseases such as COVID-19 and stomach flu, they are also exposed to exceptional situations that can cause post-traumatic shock. In addition, the repetitive motions and heavy lifting can lead to long-term physical injuries.
Some physical and repetitive actions could be replaced by robots to facilitate the work of paramedics and reduce the risk of injuries, but I don't think paramedics could be completely replaced since as a patient, contact with a human is essential to feel understood and heard.
Paramedics retire around the age of 55 to 60 and it is mostly based on their physical condition.
As a 2nd year Pre-hospital Emergency Care student, I look forward to becoming a paramedic so that I can serve my community in times of need and make a difference in their lives. Hopefully we won't have to cross paths as a patient-caregiver.
Rationale: to inform or educate
Authority: research journal
Date: still relevant
Accuracy: probably true
Relevance: relevant for this document
Sources: no sources cited
Rationale: to inform or educate
Authority: research journal
Date: still relevant
Accuracy: probably true
Relevance: relevant for this document
Sources: cites sources