Working as a Firefighter while in PA school

[pajt12345]

I am a Florida resident currently attending a large 4-year university. Decided to go the PA route and switched from an Economics major (due to lack of interest) to Psychology with a double major in Natural and Applied Sciences (the common Pre-PA route) at my university. While balancing my classes these past two semesters, I have successfully raised my GPA to a 3.0. I still have another 2-3 semesters before I finish my undergrad, depending on how I space out my schedule. 

While looking at options for PCE, I decided to enroll a local EMT program and have successfully gained employment on an ambulance. I initially decided to go the EMT route because my father has had a long and successful FF/Paramedic career and I have always had an interest in EMS. I've realized that I've fallen in love with the idea of becoming and working as a firefighter and a PA simultaneously. I've done some digging along with my father and found that there are plenty of Firefighters who work as PA's in the area as Firefighters generally work 7-8 times a month not including overtime. 

Given that I can complete fire academy in 3-months this summer, and I am confident I can keep my GPA above a 3.0. Is it viable/realistic for me to gain employment as a FF after this upcoming Summer and then attend PA school at the same time as being employed? Keep in mind that I would most likely be graduating Fall 2021 and PA programs have application deadlines around January 2022, so I would begin PA school Summer or Fall 2022. 

If anyone has done both at the same time. Employed FF while attending PA school, I'd appreciate any insights or advice. Hoping this is realistic. Thanks.

 

[MediMike]

48 minutes ago, pajt12345 said:

I am a Florida resident currently attending a large 4-year university. Decided to go the PA route and switched from an Economics major (due to lack of interest) to Psychology with a double major in Natural and Applied Sciences (the common Pre-PA route) at my university. While balancing my classes these past two semesters, I have successfully raised my GPA to a 3.0. I still have another 2-3 semesters before I finish my undergrad, depending on how I space out my schedule. 

While looking at options for PCE, I decided to enroll a local EMT program and have successfully gained employment on an ambulance. I initially decided to go the EMT route because my father has had a long and successful FF/Paramedic career and I have always had an interest in EMS. I've realized that I've fallen in love with the idea of becoming and working as a firefighter and a PA simultaneously. I've done some digging along with my father and found that there are plenty of Firefighters who work as PA's in the area as Firefighters generally work 7-8 times a month not including overtime. 

Given that I can complete fire academy in 3-months this summer, and I am confident I can keep my GPA above a 3.0. Is it viable/realistic for me to gain employment as a FF after this upcoming Summer and then attend PA school at the same time as being employed? Keep in mind that I would most likely be graduating Fall 2021 and PA programs have application deadlines around January 2022, so I would begin PA school Summer or Fall 2022. 

If anyone has done both at the same time. Employed FF while attending PA school, I'd appreciate any insights or advice. Hoping this is realistic. Thanks.

 

Would strongly recommend completing a couple years of firefighting before pursuing PA school.  If you were able to get hired (think the average applicant takes around 13 tests these days) your first year would be your probationary year where there is no way in heck you'd be able to swing school. 

The individuals I know who have pursued PA school while in the fire service have had many years under their belts with a large network of friends who were able to trade shifts, arrange PTO, provide coverage etc to allow them to attend.  PA school is 40hrs a week in the classroom, let alone study time, and when you start clinicals you'll be spending >2000hrs that year.  You'd likely have better luck going to PA school, getting a year or two of clinical experience, dropping to per diem and going the fire route then. 

Timewise it all boils down the same I guess.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

Has PA school been watered down to the point where one can actually work outside school?  There was NO way that anyone could’ve worked while in PA school during my stone-age training.  2nd year, some students moonlighted on Sunday evenings doing area H&P’s for surgical patients the next day but that was the extent of it.

[EMEDPA]

1 hour ago, GetMeOuttaThisMess said:

Has PA school been watered down to the point where one can actually work outside school?  There was NO way that anyone could’ve worked while in PA school during my stone-age training.  2nd year, some students moonlighted on Sunday evenings doing area H&P’s for surgical patients the next day but that was the extent of it.

I did fri and sat night event standbys as a medic(got paid to go see Pink Floyd, the rolling stones, Lallpolooza, Phil Collins, Billy Joel/Elton John, etc).

[TheFatMan]

Wouldn't recommend working at all.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

On 12/11/2020 at 1:43 PM, EMEDPA said:

I did fri and sat night event standbys as a medic(got paid to go see Pink Floyd, the rolling stones, Lallpolooza, Phil Collins, Billy Joel/Elton John, etc).

Those two specific nights of the week, and for a couple of hours standby, I could see.  Pre-PA school my ambulance service did summer Texas Jam standbys at the Cotton Bowl.  There were some really messed up folks on the field after the conclusion.

Edited December 13, 2020 by GetMeOuttaThisMess

[EMEDPA]

On ‎12‎/‎11‎/‎2020 at 12:36 PM, GetMeOuttaThisMess said:

Those two specific nights of the week, and for a couple of hours standby, I could see.  Pre-PA school my ambulance service did summer Texas Jam standbys at the Cotton Bowl.  There were some really messed up folks on the field after the conclusion.

$7/hr and a free concert with backstage /all access passes? I would still do that gig now...

[rev ronin]

With 4 years of EMT/FF volunteering under my belt, I was able to volunteer during didactic year against the recommendation of the school.  Obviously, I'm not tearing out of lecture for a structure fire, but I did drills, pulled shifts during breaks, and did a few actual responses, rather than just staffing the station while the career crew was first out.

[ohiovolffemtp]

I did 1 24 hour FF/medic shift/month while in PA school.  I would STRONGLY recommend against trying to work full-time as a firefighter/medic during PA school.  Even if you worked a 24/48 with a 3 week Kelly day, you'd still be working 2 days/week.  That would be every Saturday/Sunday to allow you to attend classes.  I did that schedule while I was doing my pre-reqs.  It only worked because M-F was fully dedicated to studying.  In PA school you'd be stressed every Monday morning to make it to class in time if you had a late call.  Also, after 48 hours if you were at a busy house you'd be exhausted that 1st day of class.  Some clinical rotations do require weekend shifts.  Unless you're at a slow house and have lots of time to study, it just won't work.  You also won't have any time or energy for anything else: any family, significant others, or even yourself.

PA school is so intense, with so much material to learn, that you really need to give it at least 95% of your life.

[dmdpac]

I'd recommend against trying to work during PA school, too.  I worked as a flight medic during the didactic year.  Monday though Friday was dedicated to school.  Weekends were scheduled to work.  There was no time off or down time.  It was usually 12s but an occasional 24. (Or, for an extra load of stress, a 12 on Friday night then a 24 starting Sunday morning... you *will* get a late call that'll leave you scrambling to get to class on time come Monday morning.) If I wasn't in class or studying for class I was at work hoping we weren't busy so I could study more. 

MediMike has it right up-thread with the recommendation to do PA school first, become established as a PA, then do fire.  Sure, do fire school this summer and get the certs you need.  But get PA school done before trying to establish yourself in the fire service.

[ANESMCR]

Many schools will not even allow you to work. In fact, bringing this up during an interview or in your personal statement could potentially disqualify you from the application process.

[UGoLong]

I'm sure you'll find someone who did this but not many. PA school can be grueling. I continued to pull two Friday night shifts per month as a paramedic and did it with the approval of the program to keep my skills up, especially during didactic year. I promised that I would not let that mess up my grades. It was a three hour drive to my 12 hour shift and then an hour back to our house. I never worked if I had a test Monday or Tuesday of the following week.

There is nothing wrong with being a PA and a firefighter but you may need to adjust your timing since it's hard to train for both at the same time and I doubt you can get much time off from being a full-time firefighter to go to PA school.