How to Become a Paramedic
If high-stress situations appeal to you, if you can think quickly and accurately on your feet, and if you want to save lives, you are probably interested in learning how to become a paramedic. This fast-paced, critical career field often entails long hours, but the inner reward of staving off death can make a world of difference and brings extraordinary satisfaction.
Most people consider an EMT and a paramedic as the same occupation. In the United States, they both provide emergency medical care prior to and during transport to a health facility, but there the similarities stop.
The United States recognizes three levels of field emergency medical services training and certification: They are EMT-Basic, commonly called EMT or EMT-B, EMT-Intermediate and EMT-Paramedic, also called EMT-P or Paramedic.
The third level of paramedic requires the highest level of career training, often encompassing at least two years of education through either offline or online degree programs at the initial certification level.
Basic-level EMTs, for example, provide basic life support, trauma assessment and splinting, among other things, but unless the licensing state approves use of limited auto-injectors, they cannot break the skin for any reason: They cannot insert an IV or inject medication with a needle.
Paramedics are more highly trained and can perform all the functions and actions of the lower-grade EMTs, but they can also inject 30 to 40 medications, depending on state limitations, perform advanced life support actions such as inserting an endotracheal tube, make surgical airways and other actions that break the patient’s skin.
Training and Certification
Before you fully investigate how to become a paramedic, investigate how to receive certification as an EMT. Most states require that you have solid EMT certification before you can apply for paramedic training.
Once you successfully complete EMT certification, then consider how to become a paramedic. Basic EMT certification is awarded after completion of an EMT training course and passing the National Registry EMT Examination or NREMT-Exam.
Paramedic training encompasses almost a thousand hours of additional training, often taking 18 to 24 extra months. Certification is also awarded after passing an NREMT-Exam, but the paramedic exam is much more in-depth and significantly harder than the EMT-Basic exam.
Employment Outlook
If you are still interested in how to become a paramedic, you will be glad to know that your future employment odds are quite favorable.
The Emergency Medical Services field is expected to grow at least 9 percent over the next five years. Many fire departments require their firefighter applicants to have at least EMT-Basic certification, and the more training you have, the greater your chances of submitting a successful application.
Paramedics also find gainful employment with ambulance services, civil government posts, hospitals and private institutions.
Whether the economy is strong or weak, highly qualified personnel make this field perennially in high demand and well worth seeking qualification through distance education opportunities or through a local college.
The intensive training and often stressful environments are reflected in salaries for paramedics. While EMT-B personnel can earn a respectable average wage of over $30,000 per year, the higher qualification can award paramedics as much as $51,000 annually.
Now that you know how to become a paramedic, enroll now and get your EMT certification then build on that for an even brighter future as a paramedic.
