Becoming An EMT

Becoming an EMT in a particular state, a candidate must first be licensed to do so. The licensing requirements to become an EMT or to become a paramedic, however, vary from state to state and depend on the candidate’s present level of emergency medical service training. In general, to attain a particular EMT license, candidates must first undergo training for the level in question that they seek and then take (and pass a) level-specific licensing certification exam after completing the training.

According to Education-Portal's EMT Requirements and Qualifications Overview, typical training for certification as an EMT-Basic involves at least “100 hours of training in urgent situations, such as cardiac and respiratory emergencies, childbirth and major disasters” with instruction on topics and procedures which include “human anatomy, lifting and moving bodies, defibrillation, airway management, blood stoppage, trauma management and patient assessment.” Certification in CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is either offered to incoming trainees as part of their training or expected of them prior to their enrollment in the training program depending on the training program in question.

EMT-Intermediate/85 and EMT-Intermediate/99 training includes between 30 and 350 hours of additional instruction that cover more advanced subjects and emergency medical procedures. Education-Portal's EMT Requirements and Qualifications notes that these training programs cover subjects that include but are not limited to ”trauma management, medication administration and intravenous treatment.” EMT internship work may also be required of trainees by the training program as part of the training process. With an additional two years of training – or at least a thousand hours in training courses - and study, EMTs can attain the level of paramedic, the highest level of emergency medical service. Paramedics also have their own requirements which differ from state to state.