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What Does it Take to Be an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic?

EMT or Paramedic Example Assess injuries, administer emergency medical care, and extricate trapped individuals. Transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.

Life As an EMT or Paramedic: What Do They Do?

  • Coordinate work with other emergency medical team members or police or fire department personnel.
  • Maintain vehicles and medical and communication equipment and replenish first aid equipment and supplies.
  • Attend training classes to maintain certification licensure, keep abreast of new developments in the field, or maintain existing knowledge.
  • Observe, record, and report to physician the patient’s condition or injury, the treatment provided, and reactions to drugs or treatment.
  • Administer first aid treatment or life support care to sick or injured persons in prehospital settings.
  • Immobilize patient for placement on stretcher and ambulance transport, using backboard or other spinal immobilization device.

EMT or Paramedic Skills

Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Other EMT or Paramedic Job Titles

  • Flight Paramedic
  • Paramedic
  • EMT-I/85
  • First Responder
  • Full-time Paramedic

Job Opportunities for Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics

There were about 248,000 jobs for Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 15.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 37,400 new jobs for Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic by 2026. There will be an estimated 19,400 positions for EMT or Paramedic per year.

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The states with the most job growth for EMT or Paramedic are Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Mississippi, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics Make A Lot Of Money?

The typical yearly salary for Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics is somewhere between $22,760 and $58,640.

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Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics who work in Washington, District of Columbia, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.

How much do Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $30,260
Alaska $47,780
Arizona $38,260
Arkansas $31,800
California $39,350
Colorado $42,320
Connecticut $46,890
Delaware $40,730
District of Columbia $57,270
Florida $35,790
Georgia $33,950
Hawaii $54,370
Idaho $37,960
Illinois $41,940
Indiana $34,040
Iowa $35,760
Kansas $30,520
Kentucky $31,430
Louisiana $36,930
Maine $34,170
Maryland $49,490
Massachusetts $41,570
Michigan $33,720
Minnesota $42,460
Mississippi $33,310
Missouri $34,560
Montana $33,020
Nebraska $33,130
Nevada $36,240
New Hampshire $38,390
New Jersey $37,460
New Mexico $35,660
New York $44,120
North Carolina $36,200
North Dakota $32,680
Ohio $32,200
Oklahoma $33,020
Oregon $42,470
Pennsylvania $33,980
Rhode Island $40,070
South Carolina $34,570
South Dakota $32,360
Tennessee $36,600
Texas $36,620
Utah $33,870
Vermont $34,290
Virginia $35,310
Washington $67,600
West Virginia $30,690
Wisconsin $34,780
Wyoming $34,120

What Tools & Technology do Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft operating system

How to Become an EMT or Paramedic

Learn what Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic education requirements there are.

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How Long Does it Take to Become an EMT or Paramedic?

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Where Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics Are Employed

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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Those interested in being an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic may also be interested in:

Those who work as an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

References:

Image Credit: via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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