Paramedics have a job that requires compassion, determination and endurance. As the first step in prehospital care, they need to think on their feet and be ready to assess the appropriate course of action for almost any emergency. It's one of the most difficult career paths, but it's also one of the most rewarding. The steps to becoming a paramedic are generally straightforward, although specifics may vary slightly from state to state.

EMT Certification

Before you can become a paramedic, you need to be a certified emergency medical technician (EMT). There are three EMT levels: EMT-Basic (EMT-B or EMT-I), EMT-Intermediate (EMT-II and III respectively) and licensed paramedic (EMT-P). The time required to gain your EMT-B certification varies based on the training program you enter. Many community colleges and hospitals offer a training program over the course of a few months, and private companies offer accelerated classes in which you can obtain certification within a few weeks. These accelerated classes are often more expensive than the traditional route, but financial aid for both options is offered if you qualify. A third option has recently become available as online education advances in America, allowing you to complete much of the coursework at home. But this option still requires an amount of on-site work. After training, you need to pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) exam, given by various agencies certified by the state. Once you've passed the exam, almost every state requires you to recertify every two years. If you'll be driving an ambulance, a driver's license is also required. The procedure to advance to the EMT-Intermediate level is very similar, with more advanced coursework, including intravenous administration and defibrillation operation. You must take a new level of the NREMT exam for each successive certification. Some states are phasing out the Intermediate levels; check your own state's procedures before advancing from the EMT-B level.

Paramedic Certification

Once you've cleared the hurdle of EMT certification, the next step is becoming a licensed paramedic (EMT-P). The length of the training course for EMT-P certification depends on your chosen specialization and takes one to two years, combining coursework with clinical rotation and field work. Accelerated courses allow you complete the training in a much shorter period, but the requirements to qualify for these programs are much stricter than those for the accelerated EMT-B program. A few schools will require you to take the Health Occupations Basic Entrance Test (HOBET) as a precursor to the NREMT. Some schools offer the online option for this certification as well, but a certain number of hours in both a clinical and field setting are still required; the number of hours required depends on your state. As with the EMT-B and Intermediate levels, an EMT-P is required to recertify every two years.

Source:

National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians

FiremanEMTParamedic.com

More Information:

NationalRegistryParamedic.com

Partial List of National Paramedic Training Programs