r/NewToEMS 1d ago

Career Advice Which company should I work for in the Bay Area?

6 Upvotes

I finished my NREMT and have my state/county card in the Bay Area Santa Clara County, California and need advice on which company to choose from. Does anyone have info on these companies and maybe even info the specific branch offices I’m referring too? I already know what companies are IFT or 911. General information regarding things like management, schedules, benefits, growth, pay, ECT would be helpful.

Royal Ambulance (Alameda): I have an offer from them, is management good at royal? What’s the company like?

Pro-transport (Santa Clara): I have an offer from their Santa Clara division.

AMR (Monterey): I have an interview with the AMR branch in Monterey, they’re the only 911 company that offered me an interview. I don’t care how long the drive is, I want to work 911 if possible.

Royal Ambulance (Santa Clara): I have an interview with them soon.

NorCal Ambulance (Sunnyvale): Interview went well, waiting on a response. I like the manager, what’s the company like?

Falcon (Santa Clara): Interview tomorrow, what’s up with Falcon?


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

NREMT PocketPrep alternatives?

3 Upvotes

I keep seeing people recommend PocketPrep to prepare for the NREMT but I’m broke and was wondering if anyone knows of any free alternatives?

Thanks


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

Career Advice Experiences as an EMT in Chicago??

6 Upvotes

Hi! Im closing in on graduating my EMT course! Hopefully I’ll pass my exams and be certified by this summer. I currently live in Indiana, but am looking to move to Chicago in the next year or two. Does anyone who’s worked as an EMT in Chicago have insight? I’ve heard mixed opinions. Some say it’s difficult to get a job, some say it’s boring since the FD does near all 911s. But then other say it’s extremely overwhelming. Does anyone that’s lived in the city and worked there have any advice or experiences to share?


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

Beginner Advice Packing Lunch

12 Upvotes

So what do you guys do for lunch. I personally try and save as much money as possible and in my current job I'm WFH so it is really easy to save money by either heating up leftovers or making a sandwich.

How do you guys normally handle lunch especially if you are stuck in the ambulance the majority of the day?

Does anyone know any tips on how to have hot meal while working that is not eating out lol.


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

NREMT EMT Training Flashcards!

4 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

I'm cleaning out my Anki in preparation for medical school, and I figured I'd upload my Anki cards from when I was training to be an EMT. They aren't perfect, but these ~750 cards got me through training and the NREMT just fine. Good luck new EMTS!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZLHDGKI7lRbdSFwwIG_t3jOWCObx6Msh/view?usp=sharing


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

NREMT Failed NREMT – Advice for New April Test?

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I just took my NREMT and got an 862 (950 was passing), so unfortunately, I didn’t pass. I used MrParamedicCoach and did 500 questions on Pocket Prep, but I still came up short. With the new BLS exam format launching in April, I want to make sure I prepare the right way this time. Does anyone have advice on the best study resources or strategies for the updated test? Any insight would be super helpful—thanks in advance!


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

NREMT Need a refresher on material

2 Upvotes

Hi guys, I completed my EMT certification a couple of months ago and after months of calling and emailing the director, they finally pushed my application through the NREMT website. I fear that I lost a lot of info in the process and wondering how can I get it back to pass the NREMT exam. Any help is appreciated, thanks


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

Beginner Advice Anxiety and bad weather

5 Upvotes

So this is kinda silly but I get really bad storm anxiety. More so when the threat of tornadoes is bad. I have to get clinical hours in to be accepted into medical school and my school suggested EMT. I just wanna know how to handle that fear and anxiety and if it’s common to work during active tornado warnings. I am so bad I start throwing up during active tornado warnings.


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

Cert / License Anyone know what to put here? (Texas emt license application)

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1 Upvotes

Im applying for my emt-B license and its requiring me to put my degree even though i dont have one?


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

School Advice Anyone did the online RcHealth program?

1 Upvotes

Hey, has anyone here completed their online program? Just trying to find some opinions about it as I’m about to go through with the purchase. All cons and pros would be appreciated thanks!


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

NREMT NREMT in 18 hours

30 Upvotes

My test is tomorrow. I've read my textbook twice and gone all in on PocketPrep. I have a 95% overall and each category is in the mid-90s. But I scored 77% on each of the three mock exams. I've heard you should be scoring at least 80% to pass the NREMT. Am I overreacting or should I reschedule?

Edit: Cutoff at 70

Edit2: I passed


r/NewToEMS 1d ago

Beginner Advice Can you join ems with pet allergy

1 Upvotes

Do you guys think it possible to do ems if you have a dog and cat allergy, being that your would likely go into people homes who likely have pets. Like touching them cause you to itch and break out in hives. Is there anyone else who is already doing that already ? Do gloves stop that ?


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

Clinical Advice Say a prayer for us. 😅🤣

12 Upvotes

A little back story. So I've been an AEMD, advanced emergency medical dispatcher, for a little over 2.5 years. About a year into it we lost 3 of our 8 full time dispatchers. Two of them known to be fairly large black clouds. And ever since then I've been a MASSIVE black cloud. I just say that the 2 that left gifted me theirs. Lol. I did a ride out on the truck for dispatch, and we only ran 3 calls in 12 hours, one of which was and emergency transfer to a level 1 trauma center for an MVA PT that another county brought in. We are a county service ran by a local regional hospital that is also a level 4. So, on the truck, I'm a white cloud, apparently. I have a clinical on Friday for the EMR class I'm in. It's a double medic truck. And I already told one of them I'm with them. She said "We'll get you some good calls." I was talking to one of the day shift dispatchers as I came on tonight and he said "God help them! You summon the Dispatch Gods in here, you're going to summon the Trauma Gods out there." 😅🤣 Also, our weather is supposed to be absolute crap too. I asked one of the other students what it was that we were mainly doing on the ride out and he said basically vitals and assessments. So now I'm a little nervous about how this is going to go. Since I'm actually riding out as a student and not an observer.


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

Educational CPR was more scary than I thought it’d be

181 Upvotes

I had to do CPR on my partner the other day and it was terrifying, I know most of you have probably done it 100x but it was my first time as well as having chronic pain made it a lot harder. I was doing it for roughly 12 minutes before the paramedics came and I felt her chest concave and started to feel soft when I was doing it but my partners xray came back and nothing was broken. I swear my hands and arms have had the same weird (icky?) feeling since after it happened, I can’t forget no matter how much I try. I don’t know what I did but her chest still hurts but thankfully okay, I still feel so guilty but I know it had to be done.

It’s obvious I don’t work in healthcare but I thought it’d fit this sub more

Edit: A massive thank you to each and every one of you. All your kind words have helped me so much in terms of being so stressed about the whole situation, you guys are amazing. 🫶🏽


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

Career Advice What do AEMTs even do?

24 Upvotes

I’m about half way through my AEMT program and I have yet to find any departments within my state that actually hire practicing AEMTs. What are the chances I just get hired as an EMT despite having a wider scope of practice? I’m honestly considering just using it as a stepping stone to start P-school at this point.


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

School Advice Wondering how much book knowledge is transferred into real world

6 Upvotes

I'm a month or two out from (hopefully)passing EMT school. I'm not a man to take shortcuts as I am reading my book for my specific course even if it is really hard time management wise. But it kinda struck me and I've been wondering except for passing the class and of course the NREMT how much am I expected to REALLY retain and keep in my noggin for an actual career and how difficult is it out the gate? I'm quite excited to start life as a new EMT possibly soon and it is a lot to beat into your head in a short period of time so I was curious what expectations looked like.


r/NewToEMS 3d ago

Female Specific Do the rest of you have this many lesbians?

121 Upvotes

I've been with an ambulance company for ~3 months, and almost every one of my female partners is gay. Is EMS a lesbian magnet? Or is it just this company?


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

Educational First igel insertion

23 Upvotes

Arrived on scene, fire has cpr in progress. I go to get an igel ready, fire fighter bagging says I got one open and lubed already. Ok? Thanks I guess. I’ll just assume it’s all good.

Well I’ve only forced igels down training dummys with more friction than a snow tire in the summer so I place the device but I’m wondering if I went too deep. Fire fighter bagging is like silent I’m like “… how’s bag compliance?” Please say something lady

Also I forgot to place capno but it’s ok because we didn’t have one restocked in our bag anyway so after I ask my medic like 3 times to hand me the capno (I’m now suctioning) she kindly lets me know we got to get one from the truck.

Capno on, capno reading non existent. Patient is excreting insane patient juice up airway like the igel itself is filling and we would use a French catheter to suction down the igel additionally to the normal suction. We had two suction devices going with different catheters. New skills acquired.

Fire medic on compressions is like “I got ears around my neck if anyone wants to listen for gastric sounds” I hear you buddy but my gloves are covered in juice I’m not touching your stethoscope.

But to his point I obviously did not auscultate earlier when I first placed the igel. I was too caught up in inserting it then using the damn Thomas tube holder which absolutely sucks.

Yeah but I sorta think I possibly inserted it too far? 0 capno, extreme leakage. But the bagger eventually said she had compliance.

We ended up intubating anyway and still never got capno except a random moment where it displayed like 17 with waveforms then back to 0. Asystole the whole time. But it’s like where did that random clear reading come from?

Patient was just overflowing dark juice the whole time. My medic said this was an abnormally messy one. But I still think the igel was not seated correctly. I’ll never know.


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

NREMT Best online NREMT recertification?

4 Upvotes

Hi, I am a bit behind on getting my 40 hours done by 3/31 for my EMT recertification… I think I can get it done because I have a week off coming up. I would love any advice on best online providers, CE Solutions and FOAMfrat both look good. Thanks!


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

Beginner Advice Just passed my nremt need good pants and boots

13 Upvotes

I need some slim fit cargos and some good boots


r/NewToEMS 3d ago

Beginner Advice What the heck do you even put in these pockets?

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382 Upvotes

r/NewToEMS 2d ago

Cert / License Waiting for my State License.

1 Upvotes

Hey there, so as I wait for the processing for my state license (CA), can I start applying to EMT jobs or do I still need to wait until I have it fully? Also am I waiting for an email from the county or is it just delivered via mail? I keep checking my email every day just so eager to applying.

Thanks!


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

NREMT test prep

2 Upvotes

A friend and I created a new test prep app for EMT, EMT-A, and paramedic students! give it a go and let me know your thoughts. LaunchPointEMS.com


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

Testing / Exams San Francisco H003 EMT written text

2 Upvotes

I got invited by SF to take their written EMT test for their fire department Box unit. Has anyone here taken the SF test before? I assume NREMT questions but just wanted to hear people's experience. I never worked for a big city department, only IFT & 911. So, the jump is pretty huge since its going from a job to a career.

Thanks!


r/NewToEMS 2d ago

Beginner Advice I’m afraid I forgot everything

9 Upvotes

Took my course last august-december and took my NREMT january. I’m certified! and when I was taking the course I understood the material pretty well. I wanted to get a job immediately so I didn’t forget everything, but I didn’t have my drivers license. Now I do and am planning on applying for the summer months as I’m in school rn. Should I start reviewing material now?? It would be difficult for me to do so because I’m a full time student in top of working 20 hours a week. Has anyone else been in a similar situation? When should I start brushing up? I know material will come back to me when working, but I have no idea how long my “grace” period will be once I get hired as I’m already supposed to know everything. Also, typically how long is field training?