The Working Class Paramedics, Nurses & Helicopter Pilot’s Guide to AMTC

And Why You Weren’t Invited…

First, lets answer the obvious.

What the heck is AMTC?

And why should you care?

Both good questions…

This article gives real world answers that will surprise even the most cynical Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals and air medical wannabes.

Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) is an annual event hosted by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS).

I apologize for the “acronym overload,” but in this case it’s necessary.

According to AAMS…

“The annual AMTC provides up-to-date information on the latest techniques and innovative approaches to air medical practice from community experts while giving attendees lots of opportunities to earn continuing education credits…

The conference exhibit hall gives attendees the chance to learn about the newest technology and meet with service providers in the largest trade show for the air and ground medical community.  Best of all of, the AMTC is the best place for medical transport professionals to network and learn from each other.”

The quote above is AAMS describing itself.

All good, except people have learned from experience to be cautious when companies, organizations, or even friends describe themselves or their own products and services. Sometimes the truth is stretched. Sometimes the truth is nowhere to be found.

So the real question is whether or not AAMS delivers on its claims?

In my opinion, and more importantly, the opinion of flight nurses, flight medics, and EMS pilots flying the line, day in and day out, the answer is…

Yes.

AAMS does deliver on the promises above.

AMTC does provide up-to-date information about the latest and greatest equipment, procedures, and techniques being used in the air medical industry. It’s also a one-stop-shop for fulfilling ALL, or close to all, continuing education credits for flight nurses and flight medics for the calendar year. And as far as EMS networking goes, AMTC is like a “Who’s who” directory of all the top companies and industry leaders in air medical.

But most importantly, AAMS (via AMTC) is THE VOICE for the air medical industry.

AAMS takes a proactive role in lobbying congress to make improvements to the rules, laws, and policies that directly affect the safety of flight crews.

Don’t get me wrong, AAMS isn’t perfect, and this article is not an advertisement to join AAMS at the company or individual membership levels. There are no affiliate links or “kickbacks” to EMS Flight Safety Network.

But if you want to fly air medical, and even if you already are flying air medical, there are definitely some things you should know and understand about AAMS and AMTC.

That’s the goal of this article. Real world information for real people…. doing real EMS and air medical work.

The Most Important Thing

Do you want to know the most important thing about AAMS and AMTC (and every other association or company)?

Here it is:

Always, always, keep in mind that every organization, company, and individual has an agenda.

Sometimes their agenda matches your agenda perfectly. Sometimes, not so much. You can’t control somebody else’s agenda. But you can (and must) control your own.

Your personal safety must ALWAYS stay at the very top of your agenda. Period.

Always.

Don’t get distracted by competing agendas. And yes, make no mistake about it, there are competing agendas to your safety as a professional flight nurse, flight medic, EMS pilot, or wannabe.

You might be saying to yourself– “Duh, of course I’m going to keep my personal safety at the top of my agenda at all times” right? Because as you read this article it’s an easy no-brainer, right?

The problem is that real world EMS and air medical operations aren’t always easy. Or no-brainers.

I can tell you from personal experience, and you already know from reading air medical news, there are some very very smart people who have made the mistake of putting competing agendas ahead of their own safety agenda.

It happens more often than any of us want to admit.

Walking The Tightrope

Is it possible to keep your personal safety top of mind and simultaneously launch an air medical career? Or keep your personal safety top of mind and prosper in your current air medical career?

Can AAMS and AMTC help you do it?

The answer to all the above questions is:

Yes, absolutely.

In fact, leveraging AAMS and AMTC resources to accomplish this goal is hands-down the best way to do it. AAMS needs experienced and motivated people. You need AAMS’ resources and connections. As much as I hate cliches, it’s one of those “win-win” situations.

This brings us full-circle back to the “why you weren’t invited to AMTC” subtitle of this article.

The truth is…. everyone who flies air medical (and many others, including wannabes) are “invited” to AMTC each and every year.

They just don’t always recognize the “invitation.”

How To Really Get Invited To AMTC

How do you get formally “invited” to AMTC?

There’s really only three ways to go to AMTC:

1. Buy your way in
2. Have someone else pay your way
3. Have AAMS (and someone else) pay your way

Understand up front it’s very expensive for a “regular” working guy or gal to attend AMTC. The fee to enter the main exhibit hall is substantial, and it comes after your airfare and hotel accommodations. There are big discounts for AAMS members, but the savings is offset by the required AAMS membership fee.

So it’s one of those “pay now or pay later” things.

I’m going to assume if you’re reading this article, you’re forced to follow a budget like most other working Americans. Money is an object for you. You only have so much money and you strongly prefer to never waste any of it.

So how do you go to AMTC if you live in the real world and follow a budget?

The way most flight nurses, flight medics, and EMS pilots attend AAMS is via an invitation from their own flight program. They piggyback on the membership of their own program.

Their flight program is a paid member of AAMS, and each flight program membership includes a certain amount of “free” passes to AMTC. I put free in quotes because the truth is that somebody pays for it. But the somebody usually isn’t the flight nurse, flight medic, or EMS pilot flying the line. Their expenses are paid by their flight program, AAMS, or a combination of the two.

The big flight programs pride themselves on taking as many of their own flight crew as possible to AMTC. This is a very good thing. AMTC really is a once in lifetime (or career) experience for many flight crew. And it’s also a bit of a status thing for the flight program. Nothing says “We’re Succeeding” like bringing 38 crew members and two of your own helicopters to AMTC.

What About Working Wannabes & Non-Conformists

How do working EMS and air medical wannabes (the largest part of EMS Flight Safety Network) get invited to AMTC?

The answer is “be a giver.”

Give AAMS something they want but don’t already have. Offer to teach a unique class at the next Air Medical Transport Conference. There is a formal application process for submitting a class proposal to AMTC. You can get more information on the AAMS event page. The benefit to you is all the benefits of attending a national conference combined with some or all of your expenses paid by AAMS. Note: If AAMS doesn’t offer to cover all your expenses, call and discuss it with them. If they really want you, they’ll work it out for you.

Wait! What about non-conformists? And what exactly do I mean by that?

The non-conformist route is how I got to present at AMTC, twice.

At the time, I was flying as a Single Pilot Instrument Flight Rules (SPIFR) captain for a Life Flight program in the Northeast. I really wanted to share my safety knowledge with the air medical community and help others. But…. I was already labeled as an “outspoken non-conformist” e.g. someone who spoke their mind in regard to safety. My non-conformist, outspoken mannerisms weren’t popular with my flight program. I definitely wasn’t on the “A Team” in regard to the flight program’s favorite crew.

But I was able to present at AMTC.

Why?

Because I wrote a great (or at least good enough) class presentation proposal that AMTC really wanted to share with the rest of the air medical community.  Once AMTC picked my presentation, my flight program had to decide. They were between the proverbial “rock and a hard place.” They didn’t like me personally, but they very much liked the idea of national recognition for their flight program.

Luckily for me, the program’s desire for national recognition outweighed their dislike for my non-conformist behavior.

Don’t Follow Me (This Time)

When it comes to presenting at AMTC, I do not recommend you follow my example. It’s much easier (and better) for everyone if you’re on the same wavelength as your flight program when it comes to safety. Don’t make it hard on yourself. Don’t make it hard on your flight program.

Having said that, I do strongly recommend you consider the AMTC opportunity.

Even if you submit a proposal to AMTC and it’s not selected, you’ll still get the benefits of creating the presentation and learning the AMTC submission process. You can always try again the following year.

Out of fairness and respect for my flight nurse and flight paramedic colleagues, I want to mention it’s much easier for pilots to get proposals approved by AMTC, than it is for nurses or paramedics. The reason is supply and demand. There are a lot more medical submissions than aviation submissions. The competition is far greater for medical folks. Please keep this in mind and realize you may need to apply more than once.

And…..that’s a wrap!

I hope this article helps you. And I hope you consider presenting at Air Medical Transport Conference.

Like most things, it’s more about knowing the right things to do, and the right steps to follow, than anything else. That’s how you get invited to AMTC.

Your “invitation” really is waiting for you.

All you have to do is act on it.

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