EMTFame

If fame is your thing, don’t count on it as an EMT. Chances are you won’t get famous in this job unless you save an Angelina Jolie or you really screw up. Every now and then the news media report a situation where the EMTs thought a person was dead only to have him or her embarrass you by showing signs of life hours or even days later. In this case, you’ll be famous, all right. At best, you can probably kiss your job goodbye.

Most of the time, you are doing routine work for average people. Your efforts mean a great deal to these patients and their families, so you may be famous to them. Even if you cannot save a patient, people will appreciate that you tried.

Since bad news is interesting, you could see your picture in the newspaper or on local TV if you perform in a public setting such as a motor vehicle accident or sports game. The news media will probably not cite your name, but a picture is worth a thousand words, so smile for the camera. Your employer or the local hospital might tout you in advertising as the epitome of their service. If nothing else works, a really cool looking uniform can make you look famous to some people, so look sharp.