EMT Schools – a First Step Towards Becoming a Paramedic
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) schools are the first step on the journey to becoming a paramedic. Paramedics are vitally important to the communities in which they serve, and becoming certified pays off with an extremely rewarding career. In fact, many paramedics go on to become doctors or other health care professionals. However, the role of the paramedic as a first responder is crucial to how well the patients do once they reach the hands of a doctor.
When a person begins his or her EMT paramedic training, the first thing he or she encounters is typically a course in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR. Once the student is CPR trained, he or she goes on to attend EMT basic classes (EMT-B) at a local junior college, university or other educational facility. These courses typically last for a period of three to six months, and cover such topics as how to administer preliminary medical care with an ambulance team at the scene of an accident, and adhering to state laws regarding medical treatment.
After becoming certified for EMT-B, the next steps in EMT training at EMT schools are intermediate courses, EMT-I/85 and EMT-I/99. At these levels, students learn how to administer IV fluids, open airways and gain experience in Advanced Life Support (ALS). Most EMT schools require intermediate EMT students to accumulate between 200 and 400 hours of advanced training.
The next step in EMT paramedic training involves studying in a paramedic certificate program. Typically, this is a two-year course of heavy study in anatomy and physiology, trauma, childbirth, gunshot wounds, cardiac monitoring and administering pharmaceuticals. This is the highest level of EMT training and the most challenging. Once students have received their paramedic certifications, they are on their way to becoming paramedic professionals. It is time to take the skills they have learned and apply them to the real world.
When it is all said and done, students in EMT schools will have amassed over 1,500 hours of training. It is hard work that takes a lot of focus and dedication, but in the end, many EMT students find there is not a more rewarding career in the world. Assisting, stabilizing, and transporting injured individuals to hospitals fulfills the need many people have to give of themselves, selflessly and tirelessly, to make a difference in the world.
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Tags: EMT Paramedic Programs, paramedic