Licensed EMT-P (emergency medical technicians – paramedic) are basically the professionals who provide advanced emergency treatment to patients in a pre-hospital setting. Paramedics can reduce the hospital stay of patients by preventing more serious injuries happening when incorrect treatments are administered before hospitalization.
Saving lives is considered the most rewarding aspect of a paramedic’s career. Worldwide, there is a high demand in both private and fire department settings.
Preparations
Aspiring to be an EMT or paramedic can take anywhere from one to three years, depending on the applicant’s choice of career and education path. EMT training focuses on life support techniques in first response situations, including CPR, tourniquet application, and treatment of wounds.
Paramedics deliver more advance procedures and must require more extensive education and training. The basics focuses on the educational steps needed to enter the field.
First responders begin their careers as EMTs to gain experience before pursuing additional training to become paramedics. In addition to performing all of the same treatments and procedures as EMTs, paramedics are also trained in advanced skills as administering IVs and providing respiratory procedures.
Many first responders begin their careers as EMTs to gain experience before pursuing additional training to become a paramedic. In addition to performing all of the same treatments and procedures as EMTs, paramedics are also trained in advanced skills such as administering IVs and providing respiratory procedures.
Education
Learning how to become a paramedic starts from the Paramedic school. The first requirement would be that the applicants must be a high school graduate or have its equivalent.
Applicants must also have a current EMT-basic certification and must have worked in the field (on pre-hospital experience) with at least 2000 hours of paid work experience.
Added to that will be that applicants much must have completed a college level anatomy and Physiology Bio 1435 and the paramedic prep classes.
Requirements
Acceptance into the paramedic school program is by application and the applicant needs to undergo testing and interview process.
The paramedic school academy is by two semesters. The first semester is the lecture portion and the program and the second semester consists of four weeks of work in the hospital clinical setting performing direct patient care.
Internship
After which, there is a field internship for the rest of the period which is approximately two-and-a-half to three months.
The internship gives the applicant hands-on field training working alongside trained paramedics in area fire departments or private ambulance services. This will prepare him to take the National Registry EMT-P exam for licensure.
Notes
To join in the hours required for the clinical internship, applicants are required to have a flu shot and/or H1N1 vaccine. (Applications are cancelled if the applicant does not undergo such procedures.)
All paramedic students, once accepted into the paramedic program must also submit a copy of current TB (tuberculosis) test results that are less than one year old. The TB test should be current during the duration of the entire course. Should it expire, the applicant needs to have it renewed.
There is also a background investigation that must be completed first before acceptance into the paramedic program.
Paramedic School 