“This profession is a great adrenaline rush; there’s always that little bit of the unexpected that keeps it exciting.”
— Genee Bull, EMT

“I never thought I could be a paramedic because I had never seen a woman paramedic on television,” recalls Genee Bull. “But the first people I met at RCC were women instructors, and that made a big difference.”
Today Bull is a full-time paramedic, a field-training officer, and a fill-in supervisor with Mercy Flights. She is also a part-time lab instructor in RCC’s EMT and paramedic classes.

Bull completed dual Associate of Applied Science degrees in EMT-Paramedic and Fire Science at Rogue, attending classes while a single parent. RCC staff assured her she could succeed.

“They were very encouraging,” she said. “They made it absolutely seem possible. If I was willing to work for it, they’d help me reach my goals—and they did.”

Bull had been a stay-at-home mom who had taken some college classes but was never able to pursue a career. Following a divorce, however, she realized the need to gain new skills to support her four children, now ages 10 to 23. There were difficult times, she recalls, with stress at home, working outside jobs, and economic challenges. But again, RCC staff helped her meet those challenges. “RCC Financial Aid staff directed me to scholarships, loans, and grants,” Bull said. “They were wonderful.”

The training she received “absolutely prepared me,” she added. “Instructors have real world experience — not just book knowledge. They give you real life scenarios, and they always allow you to come back and learn more.”

Bull loves EMT work, especially the variety and the excitement. “This profession is a great adrenaline rush; there’s always that little bit of the unexpected that keeps it exciting,” Bull said. “And it’s never the same. You always have to be learning, paying attention, thinking on your feet…and ready for all the things that could possibly happen.”

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