If you want to work as an emergency medical technician, then completing a training course for EMTs and passing the certification exam in your state is a necessity; however, these courses can be somewhat expensive, especially for people living on a tight budget. There is also a lot of demand for emergency medical technicians nationwide, along with the rest of the health care sector – which means that there are a lot of people out there who would like to find free EMT training.
Unfortunately, as far as the first step in the process of becoming a licensed emergency medical technician is concerned (EMT-basic certification), there are very few, if any truly free EMT courses available. However, this does not mean that you cannot pursue a career in emergency medical services if the cost of an EMT course seems to be outside of what you can fit into your budget. There are a few ways to make EMT training more affordable, if not exactly free.
Depending on your age and your financial situation, you may be able to qualify to receive financial aid for your training as an emergency medical technician. There are some grants available, such as AARP-sponsored grants for people over the age of 40 looking for further education and vocational training and if you meet this age requirement, this is something which you may want to look into as a possibility. There are other grants available for younger individuals; and loans are also an alternative, whether from your bank or another financial institution or from a family member who supports your career goals.
Another way to make EMT training more affordable is to inquire with the community college or vocational school about what kind of student aid and payment options they offer. In many cases, you can defray the cost of your EMT courses through work study programs. Many schools which offer EMT classes may also provide the option of paying for your course in installment payments, so if having the entire price of the course upfront is a problem, this may be something which makes training as an EMT affordable for you.
If you work in the medical field or for an organization which is involved in emergency medical services (for instance, fire or police departments or hospitals), then you might want to ask your employer if they sponsor EMT training for their employees. Not every employer in the field will do this, but if yours does, then you could receive reimbursement for the cost of your tuition.
Finally, there are online EMT courses. While you will only be able to go so far with these classes since they do not include a practical training component, if you have received at least your basic certification and are already working or volunteering as an EMT, they can help you to keep your knowledge fresh and to study for more advanced EMT certifications. While free EMT training may be hard to come by, where there’s a will, there’s a way, so look into all of your options.