Emergency Medical Technician Career & Jobs: Training, Salary & Certification Requirements

Whenever there is a nasty car accident, a child that falls out of a tree or an elderly lady that trips down her front stairs, the first people to arrive on the scene are the emergency medical technicians. These professionals are trained to be able to assess a medical emergency scene quickly and provide pre-hospital care to the people that have been hurt or fallen ill. The emergency medical technician is ready to respond at all hours, day or night, and they are the main form of communication with hospital doctors about what has occurred and what condition the patients are in when they arrive at the emergency room.

Salary Outlook

Average Annual Salary
$27,900
Salary Range
$22,600 - $36,500

Work Environment

There are a wide variety of environments that emergency medical technicians might be asked to work in, including hospital emergency rooms, private emergency response teams, nursing homes, remote rescue squads and fire departments. The average day of an emergency medical technician is very stressful and unpredictable, so individuals should be ready to remain calm and retain order in any kind of situation.

High School Preparation

Those students who think that they might enjoy a career as an emergency medical technician should spend time focusing on science and communications in high school. Courses that are thought to be helpful include biology, chemistry, psychology, physical education, algebra, and sociology. It is also advantageous to seek out available courses that have to do with drivers’ education, first aid, computer skills and business management.

Requirements

It is required that students be at least eighteen years of age and in possession of a high school diploma and a valid driver’s license before they can be accepted into an emergency medical technician training program. Many community colleges offer the required training courses for individuals to receive a degree in emergency medical technology. Some states also require that you have completed and passed a national exam in order to become fully certified as an EMT or paramedic.

Career Outlook

Because more people are living in urban cities than ever before, and because increased access to health care and health education means people are living longer than ever before, it is increasingly important for cities and towns to hire enough people to provide medical care in emergency situations. This demand has led experts to predict that there will be at least thirty percent more emergency medical technician jobs created over the next ten years. It is important for interested individuals to receive their training now so that they can meet this demand.

Professional Organizations

National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
408 Monroe Street
Clinton, MS 39056-4210
Phone: (800) 346-2368
www.naemt.org