If you’re interested in pursuing a career as an emergency medical technician, the first step is to decide which of the many EMT training schools to attend for the courses you need to prepare you for your certification exam which will qualify you to work in the field.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is that certification for emergency medical technicians is handled by individual states, with most states requiring that you take their certification exam in order to work as an EMT in the state. Some states may also require you to complete your EMT training in the state as well, so unless you are planning to move to a particular state, you probably don’t want to travel outside of your state to attend a school for your EMT training.
While this does limit your options to some extent, this can also be a blessing in disguise, since it will narrow down your number of choices to just those courses which are offered in your own state. In most cities, you can find schools which offer EMT classes, mostly community colleges and vocational education centers. Once you complete your training course and receive at least the lowest level of certification as an emergency medical technician (EMT-basic, as it is usually called), then you will be able to begin work as an EMT for fire departments, police departments, hospitals or private ambulance companies.
Even if your goal is to receive certification as a paramedic, it all begins with taking your first EMT course and passing your state’s certification exam. After you have received this certification, you can begin studying for the more advanced degrees of emergency medical technician certification, up to and including becoming a paramedic. While you can begin working even with an EMT-basic certification, the more training and education you have in the emergency medical services field, the higher your earning potential will be.
The education you will receive from emergency medical technician training schools will include both theory and practical training. You’ll start with classroom based instruction and from there you will progress to practical learning, where you will apply what you have learned in your classes. In some cases, people who want to earn certification as an EMT can choose to take some of their education in the form of online courses, though of course you will need to cover the practical part of your EMT training in person in order to sit for the certification exam in your state.
Before you can complete your training course, you may need to gain some experience in the field riding in an emergency vehicle; this may be acquired by working with a volunteer ambulance corps if your state requires a certain number of hours of practical experience. Even if this is not required, it is a good idea which can help you become a better prospective employee to hiring managers in emergency medical services. Depending on the EMT training schools in this area, this may be something which is part of your course or that you need to arrange on your own.