There are many ways to save lives and provide critical health care services to the public. For example, you could become an EMT instead of becoming a doctor or nurse. Emergency medical technicians are the backbone of emergency responses to accidents or violent incidents. This guide will break down how to become an EMT and what to expect from an emergency medicine training program. In addition, we address the differences between emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
What is an EMT?
An EMT is an emergency medical technician. They are entry-level healthcare providers, typically responding to life-threatening medical emergencies. Generally, these professionals provide healthcare support at the scene of accidents or healthcare emergencies. However, they may also deliver emergency medical services in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare-focused locations.
Regardless, all emergency medical technicians know critical medical skills and terminology. They can:
- Stabilize individuals in critical condition
- Provide ongoing medical support to injured individuals transferring from the scene of an accident to a hospital
- Provide information to surgeons or other doctors so they can provide the best healthcare possible
Because of their expertise, these professionals are often the first healthcare providers at an accident or incident scene. They give initial treatment to patients with injuries, mental health issues, and more.
Providing life-saving care is the primary duty, an EMT is also responsible for safely transporting people to healthcare facilities. For instance, they stabilize an injured patient until they move them into an ambulance. Then they will escort the patient to a hospital in the same vehicle.
Depending on the needs of the event, EMTs may perform duties such as:
- Provide CPR
- Wrap or dress wounds
- Stabilize broken bones
- Stabilize head or neck injuries
- Prevent or deal with shock
- Administer oxygen
- Administer medications
- Assess the condition and responsiveness of patients
- Mitigate incidents using crowd control techniques
- Operate emergency vehicles, like ambulances
- Complete necessary documentation like patient care reports
Different Levels of EMT
There are several different levels of emergency medical technician that you can pursue. The difference between levels corresponds to responsibility and increasing levels of healthcare knowledge.
First, there’s EMT Basic. They’re also known as Emergency Medical Responders. Basic level knows enough to provide immediate, simple life-saving care and first aid assistance. They generally partner with higher-certified EMTs or paramedics and do not work alone.
EMT Intermediate professionals can administer advanced medical support. For example, they know how to:
- Assess the states of different patients
- Use a defibrillator
- Administer certain medications like supplemental oxygen
Last is EMT Advanced. EMT Advanced certification is necessary to become a paramedic. These professionals can use advanced tools and medicines. For instance, they can use advanced airway management tools. They can also prepare patients for IVs.
What is the Difference Between a Paramedic and an EMT?
However, a paramedic and EMT are not the same things. Emergency medical technicians are considered lower-grade paramedics. To become an emergency medical technician, students have to complete at least 170 hours of course materials. They have some assessment skills and healthcare knowledge–furthermore, they don’t need medical experience to become an EMT. Therefore, the eligibility requirements are much lower than those for paramedics.
Paramedics, in contrast, require all students to complete dedicated programs that last between 1200 and 1800 hours. Such programs can last for between six and 12 months. Paramedics know much more advanced healthcare procedures. For example, they can provide emergency care to patients by administering medications, beginning intravenous lines, practicing airway management, etc.
Essentially, paramedics have a broader scope of practice compared to EMTs. They also require more training. Because of their increased responsibilities, paramedics may oversee the activities of EMTs rather than vice versa.
Many paramedics start as EMTs, using their early career experiences to get the practice hours necessary to become paramedics.
Skills You Need for Success
Not just anyone can become an EMT. In fact, you’ll need to either have or cultivate specific skills to succeed.
The first of these is physical endurance. Emergency medical technicians must frequently move injured patients or people who cannot support themselves under their legs and arms. Therefore, you need to be able to carry several hundred pounds with assistance.
The next critical skill is problem-solving. In this profession, you’ll need to problem solve quickly to identify:
- What is affecting a patient
- How best to provide medical care for a patient to stabilize them
In some cases, you may need to make do with subpar materials or resources and do the best you can under challenging circumstances. Problem-solving will allow you to provide the highest standard of medical care possible without panicking.
Lastly, you need to communicate with others all the time. You will never be working alone. Instead, you’ll work as part of a team of other healthcare professionals, like fellow EMTs and paramedics. Good communication skills will allow you to provide information and receive instructions quickly and easily.
Good communication is doubly important as you gain skills and potentially become an advanced EMT. You must communicate effectively with your team and patients to lead others. Plus, strong communication is necessary so that patients or people near an accident scene listen to you and accept your leadership.
Qualities of a Good EMT
A good EMT demonstrates several key qualities. These qualities include:
- Patience. You’ll deal with very tiring or draining patients. For example, if one patient is experiencing a mental break, you need to be patient with them. Patience can calm panic and lessen the negative impact of emergencies.
- Curiosity. A good EMT is always learning modern medical techniques and tools. If you stay curious, you’ll constantly acquire new knowledge, regardless of where you proceed in your career.
- Maturity. In this role, you’ll see disturbing things and people who can’t control themselves. You need to be able to handle these strange and stressful situations with maturity.
- A sense of humor. Lastly, EMTs need to be able to laugh at themselves and the situations they find themselves in. A good sense of humor helps considerably to stave off some of the stress of your job while also bonding with coworkers.
While there are other good qualities to cultivate as an EMT, the above four are most vital.
How to Become an EMT
The path to becoming an EMT is straightforward. First, you need to have some basic educational requirements. Then you must pass exams and acquire certifications to qualify for emergency medical technician positions. Notably, you do not need any prior healthcare or medical experience to become an EMT.
Step 1 – Complete Basic Education Requirements
The first step is to complete certain core educational requirements. Most EMT programs require you to have a high school diploma or GED. An associate-level degree can be advantageous when applying to competitive programs, but it is unnecessary.
You also don’t need a GPA of a certain minimum from your high school or GED transcripts to qualify for an EMT program. Again, a GPA of 2.0 or above is recommended for easier access to your chosen program.
Step 2 – Gain CPR Certification
Next, you should pass a CPR certification exam before applying to an EMT program. Not every program needs you to be CPR certified. But most quality programs do. Therefore, you should complete one of these programs before applying.
Fortunately, CPR certification is easy to acquire. You can take programs from organizations like the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. Such programs usually include a handful of training hours and in-person classes with an administrator.
By the end, you’ll know how to administer CPR to individuals in need.
Step 3 – Find an EMT Program
You’ll need to complete a state-approved certification program to become an EMT. You can find programs at a variety of institutions, such as:
- Trade schools
- Emergency care academies
- Community colleges
- Even four-year universities
However, your program must hold accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Check their website to ensure your program of choice is certified before applying.
Most EMT programs last for six months. Throughout the program, you’ll learn all the information and critical skills you need to perform the required duties. Note that each state has different program requirements and inclusions.
For example, California EMTs must pass an emergency medical technician or paramedic course that includes basic life support (BLS) instruction. Regardless, most programs allow you to target what level of EMT you want to become. You can become a basic EMT or take a program that repairs you to become an EMT Advanced.
Most accredited programs cover topics including but not limited to how to:
- Safely operate emergency vehicles
- Maintain medical records
- Resolve emergency incidents through crowd control
- Assess patients
- Administer emergency medical care
- Offer emotional support to patients, responders, or family members
- Maintain your safety and the safety of your patients
Step 4 – Pass the Cognitive Examination
Completing your program is not the end. You’ll next need to pass two different EMT certification exams: The first of these is a cognitive exam that lasts two hours. It confirms your knowledge of respiration, cardiology, ventilation, medical care, etc.
The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians administers each cognitive examination. Online students can take exams at local testing facilities or clinics. It would help if you study for several hours before the cognitive examination to pass on your first try.
Step 5 – Pass the Psychomotor Exam
The second of two EMT certification exams is the psychomotor examination. Your state’s emergency management services training program provides this locally administered exam.
The psychomotor exam tests various practical and physical skills to ensure you can properly care for people in the field. You’ll face tests focusing on how to control breathing, care for fractures, manage cardiac events, and immobilize spines.
Again, each state has different test requirements and content. Don’t expect one state’s psychomotor exam to be exactly the same as another’s. It’s also a good idea to study for this exam to ensure you pass it quickly.
Once you pass both of the above exams, you are a state-licensed EMT! Since this licensure is state-based, you may be required to take further examination tests if you change the state where you practice.
Education
Becoming an EMT is accessible for many because it doesn’t have excessive educational requirements.
EMT Requirements
To enter into this profession, you have to complete an EMT program. To complete one of those programs, you must have a GED or high school diploma. No college is necessary. That said, some programs are available at the associate level, allowing you to earn a college degree and your EMT certification simultaneously.
A degree can be advantageous, particularly if you plan to grow your career and become a paramedic or healthcare professional. The only EMT educational requirement to concern yourself with is passing an accredited EMT program. So long as you pass both certifications mentioned above, you can work as an EMT.
EMT Age Requirements
While working as an EMT has no upper age limit, you must be 18 or older to be certified as one of these professionals. You can’t take the certification tests under the age of 18. In other words, even if you graduate high school early, you still can’t be certified until you are 18.
Accredited Online EMT Training Programs
These days, you can find many high-quality accredited online EMT training programs. They provide all the text-based material and learning assistance to pass the cognitive examination.
However, online EMT training programs always have practicum or in-person components. You’ll need to attend a local medical training facility or clinic to complete your practical hours. Therefore, no accredited online EMT training program is 100% online.
Keep this in mind when applying to different programs. Of course, you can attend an out-of-state program and then complete your practical hours at a local clinic.
Things to Study Before EMT School
Some relevant topics to study before EMT school include:
- Basic biology, anatomy, and physiology
- Basic safety procedures, such as CPR
- The fundamentals of medical care
You can learn much about this by taking online certificate programs, researching, or even visiting a local library.
Certifications & Licenses
To become an EMT, you usually need two different certifications.
1. EMT Certification
The first of these is a standard, state-approved EMT certification. As mentioned above, each state has its own certification requirements. Therefore, if you work as an emergency medical technicain in one state, you are not certified to do so in another. You’ll need to take other examinations or complete extra certification requirements.
Most certifications require you to complete an accredited EMT training program and pass two different exams. Some also require a certain number of practice hours before being certified.
2. CPR Certification
In addition, most EMT schools require you to be CPR certified. Even if your school doesn’t require this, getting CPR certification is a good idea. List it on your resume and be more easily employed post-graduation.
EMT Job Description
Training to be an EMT can be an excellent path to benefit your long-term career.
As an EMT, you’ll work as a basic to an advanced emergency medical technician. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these professionals usually make around $37,000 per year.
However, your training may also qualify you to become a paramedic in the near future. You can become a paramedic and earn significantly more, anywhere between $40,000 and $60,000.
Unfortunately, emergency medical technicians don’t make nearly as much money as they deserve. To increase your earnings significantly, consider becoming a registered nurse. You need to complete a four-year degree to become an RN, but registered nurses make over $77,000 a year on average.
Push your education even further and earn a master’s degree, and you can become a physician assistant. Physician assistants often use the same knowledge and training as EMTs but earn over $121,000 per year on average.
EMT Career Path & Advancement
Once you become an EMT advanced, you cannot proceed without becoming a paramedic or medical professional. Still, becoming an EMT is a good stepping stone or an initial stage for your healthcare career.
In this role, you will learn valuable skills and medical knowledge and gain experience in the field. This field experience helps you operate as a paramedic and provides the context to succeed in medical school as a nurse or future doctor.
Regardless, pursuing the EMT career path is best if you know you want to work in the healthcare industry.
Professional Organizations, Associations, & Resources
EMTs can broaden their professional circles and acquire important resources to grow their careers with the following organizations and associations:
- American Ambulance Association (AAA)
- National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)
- (CoAEMSP) Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs of the EMS Professions
- National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT)
- American Trauma Society (ATS)
- Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS)
- Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS)
FAQs
How long is EMT school?
EMT school is usually six months long.
Do you need to go to college to become an EMT?
No. To pursue this career, you need a high school diploma or GED.
How much does it cost to become an EMT?
EMT programs cost anywhere between $1,000 and $6,000. Educational costs may vary depending on location, experience, and program type.
What is required to be an EMT?
First, you must have a high school diploma or GED. Then you must have completed an accredited EMT training program. Finally, you must become state-certified by passing two certification exams.
How old do you have to be to be an EMT?
You need to be 18 or older to be an EMT.
Is learning to be an EMT hard?
It is reasonably challenging, but not as hard as becoming a nurse or a doctor.
Start Your Career Today!
Ultimately, you can become an EMT with the right online program. If you’re progressing your career, then you might consider becoming a paramedic or entering medical school after gaining enough experience.
Fortunately, completing the education requirements to become an EMT online is easier than ever. GetEducated.com has a comprehensive catalog of top-tier online schools – check it out today!