Last August, I was certified as an EMT. It is not uncommon in my town to be an EMT at such a young age (16 at the time) and I followed in the footsteps of my brother. Due to this, I thought I was pretty well-versed on the topic. I could not have been more wrong. Working on an ambulance is nothing like it is portrayed in movies. There are just something’s you have to experience to believe.

1. Everything would be formulaic.

In the EMT class questions are asked as if according to a script and calls are played out very simply. In real life there are a lot more factors that go into the process and sometimes “what the patient ate last” is not high on the list of priorities. On real calls things can be chaotic and asking questions as if according to a script is not really possible.

2. I would diagnose people

EMTs are not qualified to make a definite statement about the patient’s condition. In the EMT class we were expected to diagnose and we were expected to be right. But, in the real world you can never make a definite statement. You can merely treat based on what you think is the matter.

3. I would always be able to identify the condition.

As mentioned above in the EMT class we had to diagnose patients correctly and failure to do so sometimes lead to failing a test and having to retake it. In real life their condition could be something I have never heard of, or even if I have heard of it, it is possible that I am unable to distinguish it.

4. The calls would always be extreme circumstances.

While opiate overdoses, strokes and allergic reactions are things I have been faced with on calls, they are a lot less frequent than I thought they would be. Not every call features the crew running on to the scene to treat someone in critical condition, like the pictures in the EMT textbook. Most calls are a lot simpler, not any less important, just less life threatening.

5. I would be preforming CPR regularly.

CPR certification is a prerequisite to the EMT class and the importance of this skill is heavily stressed. And with due reason. It is a very important skill to have and can be very beneficial. CPR calls are just not that frequent. It is as simple as that. And that is a good thing, people not needing CPR is good.

6. Family members would never interfere.

I thought that on calls the EMS would have full control of the medical care of the patient. I thought everyone would respect that. This could not be more wrong. It is not that people are trying to be involved it is just that when there loved one is ill or injured they can’t help but try to aid them in anyway they can.

7. Everything would be exactly how I learned it in class.

On the Ambulance in real life things are unpredictable. People are not always able to communicate their problem. Sometimes they have more than one issue at one time, sometimes you don’t know what is going on with them.

8. At the hospital, doctors and nurses would run to the ambulance to tend to the patient.

They do run to the patient’s side when it is necessary. However it is often not necessary and if we do our job right we reduce the amount of times it is necessary.

9. There would be more running and more speeding.

This one is a product of movies. On screen the EMTs are running all around and the ambulance is going 100mph down residential roads. In real life, people are much more careful thankfully. We act quickly but never sacrifice proper care for the sake of speed or looking cool. In the same respect, while driving that quickly would get us to the hospital faster, it greatly increases the risk of getting in an accident. While it is good to be expeditious, getting in a car accident is always worse than going a moderate speed.

10. The class would be easy.

I don’t know why a thought that. Everyone told me it would be difficult. It was. But it was worth it.

11. The patients would not have stories and lives.

This one is a little strange. I always knew the people on ambulances are just like you and me but in the EMT class all of the patients are mannequins or classmates pretending to be ill or injured. They didn’t have emotions or backstories. I expected that the patients I would be treating on the ambulance and I would only talk about their condition, nothing more. On the ambulance I have spend many rides to the hospital taking pulse while listening to a story from the patient. Which I never thought I would appreciate. It allows me to connect with them better and be a better care provider.

12. The patient would tell me everything.

Sometimes due to pride, sometimes due to an altered mental status, I don’t always get the full story. I have to ask for information and use all of the information I can get and what I can see to guide the care I provide. I do not always know everything that is going on.

13. I would never make a mistake.

With nearly 200 hours of class and studying I thought I would be the perfect EMT. And I was under the impression that all EMTs certified before me were perfect as well. However, just like all humans, we make mistakes. That is why it is beneficial to have a crew. There are other people to catch your errors, just as you catch theirs.

14. There would be more “hero moments.”

Sometimes, as an EMT your work often goes unappreciated While there are times when you get complimented on your bandaging or your speed when reaching and positioning a barf bag just in time. However there are never really times when you are praised for your actions. It is okay, though because you know that you made a difference.

15. It was a solo thing.

I always knew there would be other people on the ambulance, but I never knew how important they would be to my EMS career. The crew supports and motivates each other. I am thankful for them, and they make me glad I was wrong about EMS being a solo thing.

16. It would be like work.

I thought being an EMT would be more like “working on an ambulance” than it actually is. It never feels like work, or a hassle. It is fulfilling and is rarely boring.