Emergency Medical Technician Training
Do you have a strong desire to help others who may be the victims of horrible accidents? Is saving lives important to you? Perhaps someone saved your life or the life of someone you care about and love, and you have been inspired by them to do the same for someone else. If this description sounds like you and the kind of person you are, chances are that you are probably considering, or have previously considered, continuing your education and becoming an Emergency Medical Technician. If you have made the important decision to become an Emergency Medical Technician, also known as an EMT, you are probably now wondering what kind of training is required to become certified and begin saving lives. In this article, you will gain an understanding of the Emergency Medical Technician training and work involved in getting your certification, and from there you will be able to determine what level of an Emergency Medical Technician you want to be.
Training Specifics
The first thing you need to understand prior to making your decision is that there are three levels of Emergency Medical Technician training. There is an EMT-B, which is basic level and requires the least amount of training. Usually, to become an EMT-B, you are required to take at least 100 hours of classroom training hours. The state of New York requires 140 hours of classroom learning. This learning can be done over a few months, or done in a fast track method, where the student will spend between 8 to 12 hours in a classroom learning skills needed over a period of approximately two weeks. If you choose to take the regular length course, you can expect to spend between 33 and 37 days learning in a classroom setting, and the course can take you anywhere from 3 to 5 months to complete.
An intermediate level Emergency Medical Technician, which includes both EMT-I/85s and EMT-I/99s require 200 to 400 hours of classroom time, and a Paramedic, which is the highest level of Emergency Medical Technician, can require at least 1,000 hours of classroom learning. You can also, for any level of Emergency Medical Technician, expect to spend time in the hospital Emergency Room getting hands-on experience. When you are trying to earn your Emergency Medical Technician certification, you will also be required to spend time riding in the ambulance. Once again, the number of hours of experience required during emergency medical technician training will vary by state, and by the level of EMT you wish to become.
Making the Decision
In any event, your first step to becoming an Emergency Medical Technician is to start out at the basic level and work your way up. If you do not wish to go past being an EMT-B, then you do not have to. It all depends on you. The Emergency Medical Technician training is an important part of becoming an EMT, and is the first step in becoming certified. No matter what level of EMT you plan to become, you will be saving the lives of so many who depend on people just like you every day.
