‘Culture eats strategy’: Rebuilding an EMS system from the ground up

More from Inside EMS All episodes →

1. 

   E750 · 24 Apr 2026 · 33 min

   Reality check: How close does TV get to real EMS?

   This week on Inside EMS, it’s a no-holds-barred breakdown of HBO’s The Pitt — and surprisingly, it earns a solid thumbs up from the field. The show nails the feel of emergency medicine: nonstop chaos, overlapping patients and that mental grind that never lets up. The set, the medicine and the team dynamics all hit close enough to make even seasoned providers nod along. But let’s not pretend it’s perfect. The guys call out the usual TV sins — compressed timelines, back-to-back disasters and docs who never miss on the first try. But, there is a botched 12-lead that sparks a real-world debate…

2. 

   E749 · 17 Apr 2026 · 38 min

   When the job follows you home

   Editor’s Note: Suicide is always preventable. If you are having thoughts of suicide or feeling suicidal, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline immediately at 988. Remember: You deserve to be supported, and it is never too late to seek help. Speak with someone today. ----more---- This week on Inside EMS, host Kelly Grayson is joined by Texas educator John Puryear as they process the loss of a colleague to suicide — and to confront the uncomfortable truth: the mental health crisis in EMS is years in the making, and awareness alone isn’t cutting it. From peer support to fatigue…

3. 

   E748 · 10 Apr 2026 · 40 min

   Online EMS education: More than just recorded lectures

   This week on the Inside EMS podcast, host Kelly Grayson tags in Texas educator John Puryear for a deep dive into the ever-evolving world of EMS education. What starts with a little sweet tea and Southern storytelling quickly turns into a masterclass on how to actually make distance learning work. Puryear breaks down the difference between synchronous and asynchronous learning, and why simply dumping recorded lectures on students isn’t enough. The real magic? Engagement. Whether it’s live interaction, strategic questioning or just being a “bit of an entertainer,” effective online education…

4. 

   E747 · 27 Mar 2026 · 28 min

   Inside EMS co-host debate: Street time or straight to medic?

   Things get intense on this episode of Inside EMS as hosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson tackle an age-old industry debate: should EMTs spend time on a truck before going to paramedic school or is that “experience” overrated? Kelly kicks things off with a spicy take, arguing that poor field training and inconsistent preceptorship often do more harm than good. From his perspective, bad habits, weak mentorship and burnout culture are the norm, not the exception. But Chris isn’t buying it. He counters that experience builds what classrooms can’t: clinical judgment, scene management and the…

5. 

   E746 · 20 Mar 2026 · 30 min

   Stop guessing your blood gases

   In this episode of Inside EMS, cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson are once again joined by paramedic student April McKenzie, a.k.a., “April Anonymous,” for a deep dive on measuring arterial blood gas. Chris and Kelly walk April (and anyone else grinding through class) through the core idea that everything hinges on knowing “normal.” Once you lock in pH, CO₂ and bicarb ranges, the rest becomes pattern recognition, not panic. The big takeaway? Master normal, stay curious and treat every patient like a learning opportunity. Because the more normals you encounter, the faster you’ll catch…