Inside EMS

Editor’s Note: This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by ZOLL software and data solutions. Optimize EMS performance and outcomes at every stage of operations with interoperable solutions from dispatch, to patient care, QA/QI, billing and beyond. Visit zolldata.com to learn about the complete solution suite.

This episode of Inside EMS tackles a difficult question: When is it time to step away from the job? Hosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson trade hard-earned wisdom — from Kelly’s knee-rehab comic relief to serious talk about emotional burnout, wellness needs and timing.

The hosts also explore the psychology of identity — how being a paramedic or EMT isn’t just a job, it’s who you are. They unpack how to carry forward the best parts of that identity — calm under pressure, decisive action, compassion — into new roles if needed. This isn’t about quitting — it’s about owning your career before it owns you.

Whether it’s fewer shifts, a new role, a new service or a new direction altogether, the message is clear: protect your identity, protect your professionalism and make moves that keep you sharp for the long haul.

Quotable takeaways

“Burnout is gradual. It's not explosive, but you've got to be able to realize the emotional flattening that is happening.” — Chris Cebollero

“Our identity often becomes EMS. I tell people, to this day, ‘I'm a paramedic,’ and there's a lot that goes into that — and not just when you put the boots or the polo shirt on. It really becomes the core of who you are.” — Chris Cebollero

“The vast majority of us don't leave after one bad call. We wake up one day and realize we've been surviving instead of serving, and that's when the burnout epiphany really hits us hard.” — Kelly Grayson

Enjoying Inside EMS? Email [email protected] to share feedback or suggest guests for a future episode.

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by ZOLL software and data solutions. Optimize EMS performance and outcomes at every stage of operations with interoperable solutions from dispatch, to patient care, QA/QI, billing and beyond. Visit zolldata.com to learn about the complete solution suite.

NAEMSP is officially a “big little conference” — and it’s only getting bigger. In this crossover episode, Rob Lawrence and Chris Cebollero unpack the momentum: tighter collaboration, a unified push toward EMS on the Hill Day, and the growing realization that if we want change, we need boots (and uniforms) on Capitol Hill.

But the real buzz? AI.

From autonomous ambulances to narrative-writing software, the conversation gets real about the promise — and the potholes — of artificial intelligence in EMS. Charting shortcuts? Maybe. Courtroom landmines? Definitely possible. Add in body-worn camera debates, budget crises and a push for legislative support at the federal level, and it’s clear the profession is standing at a pivot point.

Enjoying Inside EMS? Email [email protected] to share feedback or suggest guests for future episodes.

This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by ZOLL software and data solutions. Optimize EMS performance and outcomes at every stage of operations with interoperable solutions from dispatch, to patient care, QA/QI, billing and beyond. Visit zolldata.com to learn about the complete solution suite.

This week on Inside EMS, Chris Cebollero takes on one of the most anxiety-inducing topics in paramedic education: alpha and beta receptors. Sparked by a question from paramedic student April McKenzie, a.k.a., “April Anonymous,” this episode strips away rote memorization and replaces it with something far more useful in the field — understanding the why behind the medicine.

There’s no fluff here; no cheesy memory tricks that fall apart under stress. Just physiology, practical mental models and a challenge to start practicing medicine with intention. If pharmacology has ever felt random, this episode connects the dots in a way that finally clicks.

Quotable takeaways

“Every medication you give in EMS is doing one of two things: It's either pushing the gas pedal or it's releasing the brake — that's it. If you don't understand which one you're doing, you're guessing, even if the protocol says you're right.”

“We really have to become the ultimate detective of the body.”

“Every patient is somewhere between gas and brake at all times. Those systems are constantly working, they're not off. It's just a dimmer switch. Every medication pushes one system or pulls the other system back into play.”

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Dr. Peter Antevy returns to the Inside EMS co-host seat this week, filling in for Kelly Grayson and bringing some serious pediatric firepower to the conversation. Host Chris Cebollero dives right into the latest buzz around the Broselow tape recall — yes, again — as Dr. Antevy unpacks what went wrong, why it matters and what EMS agencies should be doing about it now.

He also shares exciting details on his brand-new, field-focused Newborn Resuscitation & Obstetrics course (NROC), built by EMS for EMS. Designed with two hours of online content (zero PowerPoints!) and a short, in-house skills lab, this course aims to tackle one of the most nerve-wracking call types. No more dragging medics to the hospital for NRP classes that don’t translate to street-level care.

Also on deck: OB deserts, delayed cord clamping, why you might need to Saran-wrap a newborn (seriously), and what AI can — and can’t — do for EMS. This one’s packed with practical pearls, myth-busting insights and a whole lot of passion for pediatric education.

Quotable takeaways from Dr. Peter Antevy

“EMS is one specialty that AI will never take away, as far as like the human-to-human contact. We resuscitate people, we treat people who are seizing. AI will never do that. That's a good thing.”

“Academics and the hospital folks don't recognize the value that EMS brings to the table. They think we're ambulance drivers. It's time for them to wake up and recognize that we are the people who deliver babies. We are the people who resuscitate grandma, grandpa and the little kid.”

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In this episode of Inside EMS, host Chris Cebollero sits down with Mic Gunderson, CEO of the Center for Systems Improvement and EMS Quality Academy; and editor‑in‑chief of the new peer-reviewed International Journal of Paramedicine, which launched in January 2023. Gunderson explains how the publication provides a forum for thoughtful debate around complex topics to be examined and analyzed. A recent issue, for example, touched on degree requirements for entry-level medics using the Socratic method to frame and manage the debate — a far cry from the horrors of a social post’s comment section.

Sprinkled with wit, respect and real curiosity, this episode is a masterclass in how EMS can grow — not just louder, but smarter. Whether you drive an ambulance, manage a system, or just care about the future of prehospital care, this conversation is worth your seat time.

Additional resources:

The International Journal of Paramedicine

Degrees, debate and direction: Why this debate deserves our attention

Top quotes from Mic Gunderson

“Allow us to have enough maturity in our dialogue to say, ‘what's your logic or reasoning behind your opinion?’ instead of just saying, ‘I think the sky is blue.’ Tell me why you think the sky is blue and why it isn't red.”

“With the Socratic debate format, because we're not trying to pick a loser or a winner, it allows us to really focus on the issues and the merits of the different perspectives.”

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