One of the most overlooked low wage lifestyles is that of an Emergency Medical Technician. Perhaps people assume that EMTs are paid extremely well because they are often associated with doctors and medical professionals who do earn large sums of money. The truth in the situation regarding EMTs is that for the amount of work they do combined with the unpredictable work environments and lack of recognition, they are not nearly compensated enough. EMTs are an essential aspect of any and every community, and without them, people experiencing medical emergencies would not survive as often as they do with Emergency Medical Services.

My stake in the discussion regarding EMT wages is that of my personal interest in medicine and healing others. As a student at Santa Clara University, I desire the ability to deepen my passion for medicine through becoming an EMT, while simultaneously earning money to help fund my education now and in the future. After being accepted to the SCU EMS program, I will soon be a certified EMT-Basic, allowing me to find an EMT job this summer. I currently hold a secured job as a lifeguard at a private pool that pays very well, but lifeguarding is nowhere near close to my passion. My dilemma this summer will become that which I am exploring in this hypertext: is it worth getting paid $10 an hour to do something I am extremely passionate about when I could be earning $16 an hour at my previous summer job?