Emergency Medical Technician
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics are skilled medical workers who respond by ambulance to emergencies.
They are generally dispatched to the emergency by a 911 operator and often work with police officers and the fire department.
This career is expected to grow faster than the average occupation though 2012.
Here's what you need to know:
1) What is an Emergency Medical Technician?
2) Requirements for the career
3) Salary Potential
4) Schools
1) What is an Emergency Medical Technician?
An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is a skilled medical worker who has been trained to respond to emergencies.
They are dispatched to the scene by a 911 operator and upon arrival, they determine the nature and extent of the patient?s condition while trying to ascertain whether the patient has preexisting medical problems.
They give appropriate emergency care and when necessary, transport the patient.
At the medical facility, EMTs and paramedics help transfer patients to the emergency department, report their observations and actions to emergency room staff, and may provide additional emergency treatment.
The specific responsibilities of EMTs and paramedics depend on their level of qualification and training.
The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) registers emergency medical service (EMS) providers at 4 levels:
- First Responder - trained to provide basic emergency medical care because they tend to be the first persons to arrive at the scene of an incident. Many firefighters, police officers, and other emergency workers have this level of training.
- EMT-Basic or EMT-1 - trained to care for patients at the scene of an accident and while transporting patients by ambulance to the hospital under medical direction.
- EMT-Intermediate or EMT-2 and 3 - has more advanced training that allows the administration of intravenous fluids, the use of manual defibrillators to give lifesaving shocks to a stopped heart and the application of advanced airway techniques and equipment to assist patients experiencing respiratory emergencies.
- EMT-Paramedic - trained to provide the most extensive prehospital care. In addition to carrying out the procedures already described, paramedics may administer drugs orally and intravenously, interpret electrocardiograms (EKGs), perform endotracheal intubations, and use monitors and other complex equipment.
2) Career Requirements
Below are some career requirements:
- Successfully complete approved Emergency Medical Technician training
- Obtain EMT State certification
- In most States and the District of Columbia, registration with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) is required at some or all levels of certification
- To maintain certification, EMTs and paramedics must reregister, usually every 2 years.
- In order to reregister, an individual must be working as an EMT or paramedic and meet a continuing education requirement.
- Fingerprint clearance may be required by the employer
3) Salary Potential
Earnings vary by geographic location, employment setting, and years of experience.
The average annual salary of an Emergency Medical Technician is approximately $30,000.
Salaries range from about $15,000/year to over $41,000 per year.
4) Emergency Medical Technician Schools
The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) is the largest programmatic/specialized accreditor in the health sciences field.
CAAHEP reviews and assesses the quality of institutions, programs and services to make sure that they meet the required standards.
If accreditation is important to you, please verify the status of the school prior to enrolling.
Below are the Emergency Medical Technician schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
Alabama
Bevill State Community College - Sumiton, AL
Calhoun Community College - Decatur, AL
Gadsden State Community College - Gadsden, AL
H Councill Trenholm State Technical College - Montgomery, AL
Lurleen B Wallace State Junior College - Andalusia, AL
Northeast Alabama Community College - Rainsville, AL
Northwest-Shoals Community College - Muscle Shoals, AL
Shelton St Comm Coll/Alabama Fire Coll - Tuscaloosa, AL
Southern Union State Community College - Opelika, AL
University of Alabama at Birmingham - Birmingham, AL
University of South Alabama - Mobile, AL
Wallace Community College - Dothan, AL
Wallace State Community College - Hanceville, AL
Arkansas
Arkansas Northeastern College - Blytheville, AR
Arkansas Valley Tech Institute - Ft Smith, AR
Black River Technical College - Pocahontas, AR
North Arkansas College - Harrison, AR
Northwest Arkansas Community College - Bentonville, AR
Southeast Arkansas College - Pine Bluff, AR
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - Little Rock, AR
California
American River College - Sacramento, CA
Butte Glenn Community College - Oroville, CA
California EMS Academy - Foster City, CA
California State University - Stanislaus - Turlock, CA
Crafton Hills College - Yucaipa, CA
Emergency Training Services, Inc. - Santa Cruz, CA
Foothill College - Los Altos Hills, CA
Fresno County Paramedic Program/Fresno City College Consortium - Fresno, CA
Hospital Consortium Education Network - Burlingame, CA
Imperial Community College District - Imperial, CA
Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency - Commerce, CA
Mendocino Community College - Ukiah, CA
Mt San Antonio College - Walnut, CA
Northern California Training Instititute - Bay Area Counties - Livermore, CA
Northern California Training Institute - Placer County - Santa Maria, CA
Northern California Training Institute - Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara, CA
Northern California Training Institute - Siskiyous County - Weed, CA
Palomar Community College - San Marcos, CA
Riverside Community College - Moreno Campus - Riverside, CA
Saddleback College - Mission Viejo, CA
Santa Rosa Junior College - Santa Rosa, CA
Southwestern Community College - Chula Vista, CA
UCLA Center for Health Sciences - Los Angeles, CA
Ventura College - School of Prehospital and Emergency Medicine - Ventura, CA
WestMed Training - San Jose, CA
More Emergency Medical Technician schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
Colorado
Centura Health-St Anthony Hospitals - Denver, CO
Columbia Health One - Englewood, CO
Columbia North Suburban Medical Center - Thornton, CO
Community College of Aurora - Denver, CO
Denver Health Medical Center - Denver, CO
Pikes Peak Community College - Colorado Springs, CO
Pueblo Community College - Pueblo, CO
Connecticut
Capital Community College - Hartford, CT
Delaware
Delaware Technical & Community College - Dover, DE
District of Columbia
George Washington University - Washington, DC
Florida
Brevard Community College - Cocoa, FL
Broward Community College - Ft Lauderdale, FL
Central Florida Community College - Ocala, FL
Daytona Beach Community College - Daytona Beach, FL
Edison Community College - Ft Myers, FL
First Coast Technical Institute - St Augustine, FL
Florida Community College - Jacksonville - Jacksonville, FL
Gulf Coast Community College - Panama City, FL
Hillsborough Community College - Tampa, FL
Indian River Community College - Ft Pierce, FL
Lake City Community College - Lake City, FL
Lake County Vocational Technical Center - Eustis, FL
Manatee Technical Institute - Bradenton, FL
Miami-Dade College - Miami, FL
Palm Beach Community College - Lake Worth, FL
Pasco-Hernando Community College - New Port Richey, FL
Polk Community College - Winter Haven, FL
Santa Fe Community College - Gainesville, FL
Sarasota County Technical Institute - Sarasota, FL
Seminole Community College - Sanford, FL
St Petersburg College - Pinellas Park, FL
Tallahassee Community College - Tallahassee, FL
Valencia Community College - Orlando, FL
More Emergency Medical Technician schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
Idaho
College of Southern Idaho - Twin Falls, ID
Idaho State University - Pocatello, ID
Illinois
Loyola University Medical Center - Maywood, IL
Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences - Rock Island, IL
Indiana
Clarian Health Methodist - Indianapolis, IN
Elkhart General Hospital - Elkhart, IN
Ivy Tech State Coll SW - Evansville - Evansville, IN
St Francis Hospital and Health Centers - Beech Grove, IN
The Methodist Hospitals, Inc. - Gary, IN
Iowa
Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines, IA
University of Iowa Healthcare - Iowa City, IA
Kansas
Coffeyville Community College - Coffeyville, KS
Cowley County Community College - Winfield, KS
Flint Hills Technical College - Emporia, KS
Garden City Community College - Garden City, KS
Johnson County Community College - Overland Park, KS
Kansas City Kansas Community College - Kansas City, KS
Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky University - Richmond, KY
Louisiana
Bossier Parish Community College - Bossier City, LA
Delgado Community College - New Orleans, LA
Nicholls State University - Thibodaux, LA
Our Lady of the Lake College - Baton Rouge, LA
More Emergency Medical Technician schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
Maryland
Anne Arundel Community College - Arnold, MD
Associates in Emergency Care Consortia - New Market, MD
Comm College of Baltimore County-Essex Campus - Baltimore County, MD
Howard Community College - Columbia, MD
University of Maryland Baltimore County - Baltimore, MD
Michigan
Huron Valley Ambulance - Ann Arbor, MI
Lansing Community College - Lansing, MI
Minnesota
Century Community and Technical College - White Bear Lake, MN
Greater Minnesota Paramedic Consortium - Ottertail, MN
Inver Hills Community College - Inver Grove Heights, MN
Northland Community and Technical College-East Grand Forks - East Grand Forks, MN
Rochester Community and Technical College - Rochester, MN
South Central Technical College - North Mankato, MN
St Cloud Technical College - St Cloud, MN
Mississippi
East Central Community College - Decatur, MS
Holmes Community College - Goodman, MS
Itawamba Community College - Fulton, MS
Jones County Junior College - Ellisville, MS
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College - Perkinston, MS
Northwest Mississippi Community College - Southaven, MS
University of Mississippi Medical Center - Jackson, MS
More Emergency Medical Technician schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
Missouri
IHM Health Studies Center - St Louis, MO
Montana
Montana State University - Billings College of Technology - Billings, MT
Nebraska
Creighton University - Omaha, NE
Nevada
Community College of Southern Nevada - Las Vegas, NV
New Hampshire
New England EMS Institution - Manchester, NH
New Hampshire Technical Institute - Concord, NH
New Mexico
Dona Ana Branch Community College - Las Cruces, NM
Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell - New Mexico EMS Consortium - Roswell, NM
University of New Mexico School of Medicine - Albuquerque, NM
New York
Bassett Healthcare - Cooperstown, NY
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community Coll - New York, NY
Hudson Valley Community College - Troy, NY
Monroe Community College - Rochester, NY
New York Methodist Hospital - Brooklyn, NY
SUNY Upstate Medical University - Syracuse, NY
North Carolina
Catawba Valley Community College - Hickory, NC
Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center - Ft. Bragg, NC
Western Carolina University - Cullowhee, NC
More Emergency Medical Technician schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
North Dakota
St Alexius Medical Center/University of Mary - Bismarck, ND
Ohio
Akron General Medical Center - Akron, OH
Columbus State Community College - Columbus, OH
Parma Community General Hospital - Parma, OH
Summa Health System - Akron, OH
University of Cincinnati Medical Center - Cincinnati, OH
Youngstown State University - Youngstown, OH
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City Community College - Oklahoma City, OK
Oregon
Chemeketa Community College - Salem, OR
College of Emergency Services - Beaverton, OR
Oregon Health Sciences University - Portland, OR
Pennsylvania
Ctr for Emer Med of Western Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh, PA
Harrisburg Area Community College - Harrisburg, PA
Pennsylvania College of Technology - Williamsport, PA
South Carolina
Greenville Technical College - Greenville, SC
South Dakota
Avera McKennan Hospital - Sioux Falls, SD
Tennessee
Chattanooga State Technical Comm College - Chattanooga, TN
Columbia State Community College - Columbia, TN
Jackson State Community College - Jackson, TN
Northeast State Technical Comm College - Blountville, TN
Roane State Community College - Harriman, TN
Southwest Tennessee Community College - Memphis, TN
Volunteer State Community College - Gallatin, TN
Walters State Community College - Morristown, TN
Texas
Austin Community College - Austin, TX
Brazosport College - Lake Jackson, TX
College of the Mainland - Texas City, TX
Galveston College - Galveston, TX
Houston Community College System - Houston, TX
Lee College - Baytown, TX
San Jacinto College - Pasadena, TX
San Jacinto College North - Houston, Tx
Tarrant County College - Hurst, TX
University of Texas Hlth Science Ctr at San Antonio - San Antonio, TX
University of Tx Southwestern Med Ctr - Dallas - Dallas, TX
Wharton County Junior College - Wharton, TX
More Emergency Medical Technician schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
Utah
Dixie College - St. George, UT
Salt Lake County Fire Dept/Utah Valley State College - Magna, UT
Unified Fire Authority - Magna, UT
Utah Valley State College - Provo, UT
Weber State University - Ogden, UT
Virginia
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College - Richmond, VA
Jefferson College of Health Sciences - Roanoke, VA
Northern Virginia Community College - Springfield, VA
Piedmont Virginia Community College - Charlottesville, VA
Southwest Virginia Community College - Richlands, VA
Tidewater Community College - Norfolk, VA
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine - Richmond, VA
Washington
Bellingham Technical College - Bellingham, WA
Central Washington University - Ellensburg, WA
Clark College - Vancouver, WA
Columbia Basin College - Pasco, WA
Spokane Community College - Spokane, WA
Tacoma Community College - Tacoma, WA
Tacoma Fire Department - Tacoma, Wa
University of Washington - Seattle, WA