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EMT/Paramedic

All states require certification of EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and paramedics. Most states use National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) designations, although some states have their own systems. The NREMT certifies emergency medical care providers at four skill levels, depending on level of training: First Responder, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, and EMT-Paramedic.

Your level of responsibility as an emergency medical care provider depends on your level of training. First Responder training teaches you how to give basic emergency medical care. Many police and fire personnel have First Responder certification. The next level of training, EMT-Basic, enables you to care for patients at accident scenes and during transportation. You’ll also learn how to manage respiratory, cardiac, and trauma emergencies. EMT-Intermediate training teaches you how to administer intravenous fluids, use manual defibrillators, and apply advanced airway techniques for respiratory emergencies. EMT-Paramedics is the most advanced training. You learn to give drugs orally and intravenously, interpret electrocardiograms, and perform endotracheal intubations.

Employment of EMTs and paramedics is growing much faster than other jobs. Emergency medical care providers work for private ambulance services, fire departments, public ambulance services, emergency medical services, and hospitals.