It takes 3 years of professional experience to become an emergency medical technician. That is the time it takes to learn specific emergency medical technician skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.
An EMT has an average annual salary of $37,950, while a paramedic has an average annual salary of $45,959.
The range of an EMT's annual salary in the United States is between $34,010 and $42,840, resulting in an average of $37,950.
Disaster recovery, hazardous materials management, and homeland security officers are careers in emergency management.
Disaster Recovery Manager
A disaster recovery manager prepares and implements procedures in the event of a security breach.
They create disaster recovery plans for a business to ensure the integrity of data, assets, databases, information systems, and technology. They analyze vulnerabilities within current information systems, perform an audit, and provide protection with backup systems.
A disaster recovery manager will have to manage contracts with third-party vendors and develop and assist in the training and documentation of disaster procedures for the company. They work with the IT department to evaluate risk analysis and follow through on recovery plans.
As disaster recovery managers, they will also create goals in data recovery and monitor the department to ensure the completion of those goals.
Hazardous Material Manager
A certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) handles, manages, or provides advice to others on hazardous materials or situations that can involve or include these materials. A CHMM is able to perform such roles in a variety of organizations such as corporations, businesses, or the government.
They can also work in related fields that are associated with hazardous materials, such as environmental protection or security, the transportation of materials, or safety. Whenever a scenario involves hazardous materials, a certified CHMM professional can provide advice on the proper handling and management to ensure safety.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is a large team of people who work together to keep the nation safe from threats, including terrorism and natural disasters. There is a range of job opportunities available in this field, including becoming a program analyst for homeland security, an air marshal, or a coast guard.
Homeland security officers aim to reduce the risk of security threats and respond to any attacks on security which happen. They also coordinate and respond to natural disasters, keeping the general public's safety at the forefront of their role. They work together to achieve their key responsibilities, which include:
Protecting the nation's borders
Ensuring the general public is safe from terrorist threats
Facilitate legal immigration
Developing a sense of readiness for natural disasters
Public Health Officer
Additional career options in emergency management include public health and hospital emergency medicine. A public health officer is responsible for preventing and controlling the spread of disease. Public health officers constantly monitor conditions and potential health threats.
These specialists carefully follow disease trends and identify public health issues in order to maintain public health. Many public health officers work as part of the military, with duties to provide health inspections across the entire system to establish efficient health and medical provisions; others work in civilian hospitals or health care systems.
As public health officers, they perform field observations, conduct interviews with stakeholders in health systems, and collect samples. They are also required to write reports and study disease vectors to find ways to counteract the spread of contagions.
The size of emergency medicine departments will vary by location; however, larger cities can have emergency medicine departments that are state-of-the-art facilities. Doctors in emergency carry out the immediate assessment and treatment of patients with serious and life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
They mainly work in the accident and emergency departments of hospitals. Their focus is to take action necessary to prevent death or any further disability of their patients.
The pros and cons of being an emergency medical technician relate to helping people in critical situations, varied and adventurous work days, and stressful and intense scenarios. Here are the top pros and cons of being an emergency medical technician:
EMTs typically work for private ambulance services, fire departments or other rescue services, or hospitals. Depending on the area, opportunities may exist in other areas, including:
Wilderness emergency medical services
Special operations
Special services
Hazardous materials
Industrial safety
Quality management
A good starting salary for an emergency medical technician is $27,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for an emergency medical technician in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for emergency medical technicians is $36,413, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for an emergency medical technician can vary by state.
EMT pay is low due to low education requirements, competitive volunteer efforts, and insurance issues. There are many reasons why EMT pay is so low, especially when compared to similar positions in the medical field.
No, you cannot make $100,000 per year as an emergency medical technician. It is highly unlikely to earn over $100k because the average annual salary for an emergency medical technician is $36,413. Even emergency medical technicians in higher-paid positions do not typically earn more than $47,000 per year.
BLS certification lasts two years. Basic Life Support (BLS) certification cards are valid for two years from the date of your certification.
Once you reach the window of within 30 days of expiration of your BLS certification, you should seek to recertify. There are abbreviated BLS certification courses you can enroll in to recertify, once you complete one your BLS certification is valid for another two years.
It is important to note, if your certification expired more than 30 days prior to your review course, you then have to complete the full BLS certification course in order to regain your certification.
A first aid certification lasts two years. Once an individual has completed first aid certification courses, they earn a first aid certification valid for two years.
After two years, an individual must recertify their first aid certification. This can be taken in an in-person class or as a hybrid of in-person and online certification training.
You can gain first aid certification from the American Red Cross. They also provide hybrid learning models of in-person and online courses to gain first aid certification.
An EMT certification lasts for two years. Nationally Registered EMTs need to renew their certification every two years. To recertify, you have two options. You may choose to take a cognitive exam or finish some continuing education. It is important to look into requirements for your exact state, as there may be some minor but important differences from state to state.
The length of time that it takes to get a CPR certification is between 4 to 6 hours. The average CPR certification class is between 2 and 4 hours long. The average person needs about 8 hours of study time.
It takes two to four months to get an EMT certification. The EMT course is 208 hours that is conducted over two to four months.
Candidates must study and pass an examination to gain an EMT certification. This test has two components: the cognitive exam and the psychomotor exam.
The cognitive exam tests for knowledge on the subjects that must be learned to become an EMT, while the psychomotor exam tests candidates on simulated patient interactions.
Here are some common things you will learn when you obtain your EMT certification:
How to take and read a person's vital signs
How to manage an individual's airway
Foundational knowledge involving obstetrics and gynecology
How to manage a person's bleeding
How to manage an individual when they are in shock
How to provide care for head injuries and other types of trauma
How to deal with pediatric patients that are in distress
The foundations of medical and ethical approaches in healthcare
It takes around two hours to four hours to complete CPR certification, and the length of a CPR certification class will vary depending on which type of course you enroll in. There are online, in-person, and hybrid options that vary in skills learned and in the details given.
BLS certification is good for two years. After your BLS certification expires, you must attempt to recertify within 30 days.
To recertify, you must enroll in an abbreviated recertification BLS course, pass, and gain certification for another two years.
The length of CPR training varies depending on which course you enroll in, but most take around 2 to 4 hours to complete. There are online, in-person, and hybrid options that vary in skills learned and in the details given.
EMT training takes, on average, three to eleven weeks to complete. It can take up to two years. It includes 120 hours of training, classroom instruction, and hands-on experience. EMTs are trained to provide basic emergency care to patients outside of hospitals and transport them safely to a hospital or healthcare facility.
The CPR certification costs around $20 to $55. Classes vary depending on which type of certification course you enroll in. There are online, in-person, and hybrid options that vary in skills learned and in the details given.
You need to renew your CPR certification every two years. Certain updates and rule changes may take place, so CPR certifications expire after two years.
Both CPR and Basic Life Support (BLS) are required by medical professionals and many others in various work environments. Certification for each is good for two years after the training has been completed. The Red Cross encourages those certified to refresh their training every 12 months.
To get an EMT license, you need to complete the necessary education and training, pass the NREMT exam, and apply for state certification. Here are some details on these steps and others you can take to gain an EMT license:
There are many jobs you can pursue with Emergency Medical Training (EMT) certification, such as lifeguard, paramedic, or first aid instructor. EMT, certification proves you are trained to stabilize and safely transport patients. This can be helpful in a variety of careers and can be beneficial even if you do not work in a medical position.
Lifeguards are required to hold EMT certification in many states. Even if it is not required, EMT certification will make you a more competitive candidate for positions as well as provide you with the skills necessary to help, should an issue arise.
Paramedics are required to hold many different certifications, and EMT certification is one of them. Paramedics respond to emergency calls and need to be able to quickly respond, assess, and treat patients. To successfully perform their roles, they need to be comfortable with emergency responses and training.
For those interested in teaching first aid, EMT certification is extremely helpful. Most first aid instructors will teach CPR training, AED training, as well as EMT training. Many first aid trainers will also hold courses for lifeguards, babysitters, and others seeking emergency medical training knowledge.
You can obtain a variety of different jobs in the medical field, and in other areas with an EMT certification. Here are some examples of jobs you can get with an EMT certification:
Paramedic
A paramedic is a registered healthcare professional that provides emergency medical treatment to patients in many settings.
A paramedic works autonomously in a wide variety of healthcare settings. Depending on their qualifications, paramedics can work in these environments: roadways, people's homes, wilderness environments, aircraft, and with SWAT teams during police operations. Their primary function is to stabilize patients with life-threatening injuries and transport them to a hospital.
The range of a paramedic's annual salary in the United States is between $41,404 and $51,386, resulting in an average of $45,959.
EMT
An emergency medical technician (EMT) is a professional that provides emergency medical treatment and transport to those who have been seriously injured or are experiencing life-threatening or serious medical episodes.
The role of an EMT is very similar to that of a paramedic. They use ambulances to transport patients from the area of the medical emergency to the nearest hospital. Sometimes they provide life-saving or medically stabilizing care while en route to a hospital.
The range of an EMT's annual salary in the United States is between $34,010 and $42,840, resulting in an average of $37,950.
Medical assistant
A medical assistant is a professional who focuses on scheduling, clerical, and billing tasks.
Medical assistants may work in doctors' offices, hospitals, or other medical facilities. Their job centers around many administrative duties. They may be tasked with reaching out to patients to schedule appointments or follow-up care. Medical assistants also have a role in bookkeeping and billing. Most of their duties are performed at a desk in a medical facility.
Though their job mainly revolves around clerical duties, they sometimes participate in patient care, such as taking vitals.
The EMT certification is useful for these professionals in the event of a medical emergency. The average wage of a medical assistant in the United States is $16.11 per hour.
40.1% of emergency medical technicians are female in the United States. This is -0.2 percentage points lower than last year. Additionally, the percentage of female emergency medical technicians has increased by 4.7 percentage points since 2010. That means there are a total of 71,537 female emergency medical technicians in the U.S. and 106,860 male emergency medical technicians in the United States. Note that Zippia's estimate accounts only for the 178,397 people with the specific job title of emergency medical technician and doesn't include grouping similar job titles, or people with potentially similar credentialing.
No, EMTs do not make good money. The median salary for an EMT in 2021 was $35,400 per year or $17.02 an hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
The top 10% of EMTs earns $59,860 or $28.78 an hour. While the lowest 10% of EMTs earn only $23,490 a year. How much you make as an EMT largely comes down to your location, industry, and years of experience.
EMT school is hard, contrary to what some may think. EMT schools generally do have high acceptance rates and are short programs, however, this does not translate into an easy educational path.
Most EMTs work typical work week hours, which means that full-time EMTs work around 40 hours a week. Because EMTs must be available for any emergency, shifts for EMTs can be overnight and over weekends.
Check in with yourself, push for what you need, and manage stress in order to reduce burnout in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). For a more detailed look at these strategies and others, reference this guide:
Check in with yourself. Being an EMS can be an extremely emotionally taxing career, so it's important to know your limits and recognize when you may need to make changes before it gets out of hand.
Push for what you need. Success as an EMS is often tied to the availability of proper support and equipment. If there is something that is missing or broken, it is important to stand up for yourself and make sure everything is in working order.
Connect with others in your field. Connecting with those around you is beneficial as you can have someone who can support you and knows exactly what you're going through. You may also find it beneficial to have allies to work through difficulties and find solutions together if needed.
Manage stress. Burnout is high for EMS because of the consistent stress in the career. Finding positive ways to manage stress, such as therapy, exercise, yoga, or simply spending time with loved ones can be beneficial.
Yes, being an EMT is a good job. Demand for EMTs is increasing and the pay is decent relative to the amount of education required.
Being an EMT also serves as a valuable foundation for a more lucrative career in the healthcare industry, though this most likely still requires advanced education in a particular medical field.
You need a certification from a postsecondary emergency medical technology program to be an EMT. The program typically takes two to three years to complete, depending on your career goals and educational path. EMT training focuses on life support techniques for first-response situations.
Whether you can become an EMT with a DUI depends on the state you are in and the laws regarding EMTs and DUIs. In some states, a DUI can disqualify you from becoming an EMT, while in others, it may not be an issue. It is best to check with the licensing board in your state to understand the exact laws and regulations.
You may be able to become an EMT with a felony, but it does create hurdles that can be difficult to cross. Often, you may have to complete additional paperwork, an interview, or even more.
It is not too hard to become an EMT if you are willing to put in the work and can handle the difficult emotional toil of being an EMT. Typically, EMT training takes, on average, three to eleven weeks to complete. The program includes 120 hours of training, including classroom instruction and hands-on experience.
The career path for an EMT involves jobs as a paramedic, registered nurse, and medical assistant. There are many different career paths an EMT can pursue, though some require more education and medical experience than others.