Institute staff member Jason Ramirez never dreamed about becoming a doctor or a fire fighter while he was growing up. He was always drawn to creative activities. He liked crafts, photography, working on cars and boats and projects like editing his school yearbook. His Bachelor of Arts degree from Cal State Fullerton was in radio, TV and film. That’s how he found his way to House Ear Institute in 2005. He thought that the audio visual tech position would be a temporary “starter job.” But the work quickly evolved to include video taping surgeries in the operating room, creating animations for presentations and designing web pages with video clips that he shot and produced himself.

Maybe it was recording videos in the operating room during surgeries, observing the seemingly miraculous reconstruction of an ear drum, or watching neurosurgeons calmly and gently remove tumors from nerves near the brainstem. Ideas began to percolate. While he loves his job producing and editing videos, and was voted “Employee of the Year” by his peers in 2009, deep inside, he wants something more.

Jason began to ride-along with the fire department. He went on several shifts with paramedic units in Long Beach, CA, Los Angeles County, CA and Inland Empire Agencies. He found that he was treated as a fellow worker: part of a small family that shares the same goals. Whether he was racing out on a call, helping cook dinner or cleaning the bathroom, he loved the camaraderie and being accepted as a member of the team. He was hooked on the adrenalin rush of thinking on his feet and making decisions under pressure.

While fulfilling his duties at House, Jason has completed numerous Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) courses, some of which he says, “…were more challenging than my college classes.” He now is certified by both Los Angeles and Inland Empire county agencies, and currently works part time for Medic-1 Ambulance Service to accumulate the necessary 1200 hours that will make him eligible to apply to enter a paramedic training program. He believes that becoming a paramedic is “the hot ticket” to becoming a fire fighter. “City departments are so impacted today, no one is actively recruiting,” he says. “You have to have a portfolio of skills and experience, as well as great test scores, to be hired.” As an employee of Medic-1 Ambulance Service, Jason performs Basic Life Support (BLS) transports for Hosptials and Skilled Nursing Facilities in the San Gabriel Valley.

Should you be concerned that HEI will be losing a fine employee if he is successful, fear not: Jason has a plan. “Most fire departments work a 12-day shift. That will leave the rest of the month for me to continue working for the Institute. Then I will have the best of both worlds.”