St. Charles County Ambulance District
Wentzville, MO USA
“The biggest appeal to me was the family aspect of [the paramedics]. Just hearing them talk about it and how proud they were of it, I was definitely like, ‘This is something I want to be a part of.’”
Paramedic
I respond to 911 calls and also transfer patients to and from hospitals.
I have two jobs. The first is a 911 shift. I go into work at 6am to start my 24-hour shift. I get a run-down from the shift before me. Then we'll go through the truck to make sure everything is stocked. We check other equipment like our radios and iPad, which we use for dispatch. After that, we do chores and hang out at the station until we get our first 911 call. My second job is a transfers shift. I transfer patients from hospital to hospital or hospital to home after being discharged.
Here's the first step for high school students
Find people who work in the industry you're interested in and ask them about their work. Better yet—see if you can shadow them for a day or a few hours to learn what their day-to-day work is like. I decided I wanted to to become a paramedic after visiting an ambulance station and speaking to the medics about their jobs.
"I'm expected to go to a four-year college after high school, so I have to do that."
Skills and training to help you find your place in the future of work
