EMT Careers

Emergency Medical Technician Career Overview

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) provide a vital service across the country, caring for sick and wounded people who require transportation to emergency medical facilities. EMT work is both challenging and stimulating but can be quite stressful. EMTs often care for accident victims, and in some situations the care they provide may mean the difference between life and death for their patients.

EMTs at all levels of training should have good physical skills: strength, dexterity, agility, good physical coordination, and good vision (including accurate color vision). They should also be emotionally stable and able to cope with stressful situations that require quick thinking and action.

Emergency Medical Technician Training & Education

EMTs require formal training and once they are qualified as entry-level EMTs, they can undertake further training to increase their certified skill level. The only entry requirement for basic EMT training is a high school diploma.

EMTs can proceed, via additional training, through four different qualification levels:

• EMT basic training (EMT-1)
• EMT intermediate training (EMT-2 and EMT-3, also known as I/85 and I/99)
• EMT paramedic training (EMT-4)

Each additional level of certification qualifies an EMT to carry out more advanced emergency medical procedures.

Emergency Medical Technician Career & Salary Outlook

The salary for EMTs depends on their place of employment, geographical location, and the individual's level of training and experience. EMTs can expect to earn between $20,000 and $45,000 per year. The median salary for EMTs in 2004 was $25,000.

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that career opportunities for EMTs will grow much faster than average through the year 2014, as paid EMTs replace positions previously held by unpaid volunteer workers.

Career Fields/Specializations

EMT -I/85 and EMT -I/99 Career

EMT I/85 and I/99 specialists are EMTs who have more advanced levels of training. At these levels they are able to administer intravenous fluids; use specialized medical equipment, such as defibrillators (electric shock treatment to start a heart that has stopped beating); and provide more advanced care for patients with respiratory emergencies.

The I/85 and I/99 EMT specialists also respond to 911 calls. While the EMT basic worker is limited to the assessment and management of patients at accident scenes, the intermediate specialists have the training needed to take a more active role in treating patients. The exact roles of EMT I/85 and I/99 workers often vary by state.

EMT I/85 and I/99 workers should have good physical strength, dexterity and agility, with good physical coordination and eyesight. They should be able to think and react quickly in medical emergencies and be able to work well under pressure.

Emergency Medical Technician Career

EMTs are dispatched to the scene of an emergency by a 911 operator, where they are charged with caring for sick or wounded people who require emergency medical attention. Depending on the nature of the situation, they may also work with personnel from police and fire departments.

Upon arriving at the scene, the role of the EMT is to assess the nature and extent of injuries of the sick and/or wounded people. They must also determine whether patients have pre-existing medical problems that may determine what types of care they can receive. After assessing patients, the EMTs provide medical care and transport people to emergency medical facilities. EMTs are trained to provide basic medical care. Their skills are mainly used in the assessment of a patient's condition and in the management of respiratory, cardiac, and trauma patients.

EMTs should be physically fit with good strength, agility, and dexterity, as well as coordination and good vision. They should be able to think quickly on their feet and apply their training correctly even when under pressure.

Paramedics Career

Paramedics are EMT-4 specialists who have undergone the most advanced level of EMT training. With the highest level of EMT training, the paramedic can perform all the functions of other EMT specialists as well as some additional procedures.

Paramedics provide the most specialized care that EMTs are qualified to give. They play an active role in caring for sick and wounded people in an emergency. In addition to the techniques used by basic and intermediate EMTs, paramedics are also able to administer drugs both orally and intravenously, interpret the results of some medical procedures, and perform a limited number of emergency medical operations, such as endotracheal intubation.

Paramedics should be physically fit and strong, with good coordination, dexterity and agility. They must have good vision, be able to think and react quickly in emergency situations, and be able to perform their job well even when under pressure.

Municipal EMT Career

Municipal EMTs work for emergency medical care agencies that are operated and funded by municipalities or cities. They are subject to the EMT-basic and EMT-paramedic training requirements, and they are the EMTs who typically arrive first at the scene of an accident, along with members of other municipal departments, such as police and firefighters.

The role of the municipal EMT varies depending on his or her level of training. EMT-basic workers are most often involved in the assessment and management of people who require emergency medical care, while higher levels of training provide EMTs with the qualifications needed to carry out more specialized treatment procedures, such as defibrillation or drug administration.

Municipal EMTs should have a good level of physical fitness, be strong and agile, have good eyesight, and be able to work well under pressure. They should be able to think and react quickly in a medical emergency, and be able to apply their training in situations that may be stressful.

Commercial Ambulance EMT Career

Commercial (or private) ambulance EMTs are employed by private organizations and are not always part of the "first response" team at accident scenes. People employed as commercial ambulance EMTs may be involved in transporting patients from their homes to medical care facilities, but not in providing emergency medical care.

In some cases, commercial ambulance EMT organizations provide a "second tier" response service, where they respond to cases that are not urgent, or to emergencies when municipal ambulance crews are unable to get there. Commercial ambulance EMTs may also be contracted by clients who require emergency medical services at large events, such as sporting events or concerts.

Commercial ambulance EMTs are subject to the same training and restrictions that apply to all EMTs. They must undergo the necessary training before being able to provide advanced levels of care for patients. Commercial ambulance EMTs should have good physical strength, dexterity and agility, good vision, and be able to think and react quickly in stressful situations where they may be under pressure to provide medical care to sick or wounded people.