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After 30 years in EMS in Louisiana, the past 15 as a critical care paramedic, Kelly Grayson is leaving the Bayou state 鈥� and the rig 鈥� for a full-time paramedic educator role in New York.
Kelly will begin his position as the lead instructor as the lead instructor for the new CoAEMSP-accredited paramedic program at Clarkson University in Pottstown, New York, in August.
Chris and Kelly discuss what motivated Kelly to make this leap, and what happens when you change jobs and have to prepare for the next chapter.
Memorable quotes from this episode
鈥淚 can render no higher praise for an EMS agency than to say they let me do my job without handcuffs.鈥�
鈥淲hen we lose a longtime member of the workforce 鈥� it hurts 鈥� and I hate to be the one to do that.鈥�
鈥淵ou never want to burn a bridge. Even if you hate the place you work, you never know that you may have to go back to them one day and say, you know, 鈥榓re you looking for any help?鈥欌��
鈥淚f I make a commitment to a place, I鈥檒l follow their rules, cheerfully.鈥�
鈥淢ake yourself valuable to prospective employers. If you鈥檙e not happy where you are, you can make a good living at EMS, you can have career satisfaction in EMS. You might not be able to have those things at the place you are currently.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 an employee鈥檚 market right now.鈥�
鈥淰ote with your feet.鈥�
Together, they discuss:
- When it鈥檚 time to make a career change
- The skills you need when you come off the truck
- Shifting the paradigm in EMS education
- Developing and standing up a new paramedic program
- Bringing affordable EMS education to rural communities
- How to leave a position without burning bridges
