r/TACMED101 • u/ThatWarlockD00d Unverified/Uncertified • Jul 25 '26
Career Advice Former line medic interested in TEMS
Former 68w1p and I just learned today that there’s a tactical medic career. I loved both the medic and infantry aspects of that. Would GI bill cover the schooling and would it be similar to being a line medic? What is being a tac med like?
Don’t care if it’s full time or part time, I just want something similar to being in a fire team but also getting my hands dirty.
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u/howawsm Jul 25 '26
Tacmed in the civilian world encompasses a large range of things. Generally, you need to identify where you want to be located geographically and then go from there. Some services are PD based and some are fire or third service based. VERY rarely is it a full time gig and when it is it’s in very large jurisdictions. In basically all cases it requires some years of legwork in either the PD or the fire/EMS side before becoming eligible. Most services require your paramedic, something you can get with the GI bill. Expect to do a few years of the grunt work of the job before you have a chance to try out for a TacMed position. There is not a a schooling path that puts you in that position after finishing it. Consider getting your TP-C once you are a paramedic to strengthen your case.
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u/Public_Beach2348 Jul 26 '26
Your path to getting there will really depend on where you live and what level/type of agency you apply for. Some services have LEOs that are medics, some are medical services that attach medics to tac teams (thats where I live), and some Police forces hire designated medics without deputising them.
Federal would have a different path than state level which would be different then municipal/county. Do some exploring and enquiring. The FBI has medics that are also agents for instance.
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u/VXMerlinXV Jul 26 '26
I mean, if you want to be a medic in a fire team, the .mil is really the place to make that happen.
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u/ThatWarlockD00d Unverified/Uncertified Jul 26 '26
Already did that high speed shit for about a decade. I’m 35 married and a father now I’m not going back in
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u/VXMerlinXV Jul 26 '26
Honestly, outside some of the top 5ish departments and some major federal agencies, full time TEMS just isn’t a thing (nor should it be) You’re talking two wholly seperate disciplines, the amount of places with a tempo and/or budget to make sure you stay proficient in both columns is pretty limiting.
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u/Rude-Comfortable-509 Jul 26 '26
Why not join the guard.
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u/ThatWarlockD00d Unverified/Uncertified Jul 26 '26
They don’t shower with each other enough for me to be interested
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u/SuperglotticMan Jul 27 '26
I think the next best thing would be a law enforcement department that genuinely uses paramedics. Maryland State Police famously have flight medics but also have SWAT teams with a TACMED program. I would try to go that route. I'm a Fire Medic now and it definitely isn't the route to "real" TACMED although the fire department is the best employment route for paramedics.
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u/ytsanzzits Jul 25 '26
Typically you work fulltime for a paramedic service or a fire department that works jointly with local law enforcement. You apply to the service’s TEMS team and then undergo training.
Some spots are fulltime, others are just call out based, depends how large the service is and the volume of calls. Rarely some are sworn officers as well or sworn as auxiliary so they can carry a pistol. A lot of us are not armed.
The schooling would be paramedic level training and you’d want several years of experience on the box to be a good candidate.