How many years to become an emt

After reading many different articles and guides about what it takes to become an EMT and the likelihood of finding a job after finishing certification requirements, many interested students still find themselves wondering what it really means to be an EMT. Stephen Richey, a former clinical instructor and EMT-Intermediate, answers some of the most common queries.

Q: What are typical hours like for an EMT?

Hours will depend on where you’re working. Mostly it’s 12-hour shifts (one during the day and one at night) although it’s not uncommon to have to stay late because of a call that comes in at the end of your shift. The number of calls will depend upon where you work. An urban setting usually means more calls although that isn’t always the case. A city of a million people with a ton of ambulances may result in fewer calls per truck than a county ambulance service with two or three trucks covering 10,000 people. 

Q: What does it look like when an EMT takes a call?

Most EMTs do not run emergency calls as people think of them. The majority start out working on private service trucks handling nursing home and dialysis patients mostly. A lot of EMS providers look down on this but it’s a good way to learn the stuff they don’t teach you in class. Even if you do get a spot on a service handling 911 calls, you’re more than likely going to drive the truck while your medic partner handles the critical patients. This is especially the case if the local fire department has paramedics on their engines. 

Q: What are the most common types of calls an EMT takes on a given day?

A lot of people come in expecting lights and sirens, gunshot wounds, car crashes and excitement only to find out that those are the minority of calls. I used to tell students that 95% of people are attracted by 5% of calls. A good way to tell a veteran EMT or medic from a rookie (or someone who hasn’t really done much despite being around for years) is the rookie goes “Give me something interesting! Give me something cool!” while the veteran is going “Give me something I can fix”. This is where you’ll get different answers between “most rewarding” and “most frustrating”. 

To me, the most rewarding are the ones where you can make someone’s day better. You seldom if ever “save a life” in a strict sense. My most rewarding call ended up being where I got to share a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with one of the last surviving veterans of World War I. 

Q: What are the worst parts of being an EMT? What are the best parts of being an EMT?

To me, the most frustrating calls are the ones where people use us as a taxi service to get to the hospital. We call them “frequent flyers.” EMTs are, like it or not, not really doing “procedures” for the most part. It’s basically first aid on steroids in a lot of ways. The procedures in the field are, for the most part, left to paramedics and EMT-Intermediates (in the few places that still have the later [also called Advanced EMTs in some places]). 

All in all, I recommend it as a job for those who want to give something back to their community. On the other hand, if you’re looking to be a hero or make a lot of money, it’s not the field for you.  

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.

There are certain skills that you need to obtain in order to become a successful emergency medical technician. Some of the most common skills are listed below. Along with each skill, we provide an actual example of how someone included the skill on their resume:

1. CPR -- Provided first response services which included bandaging wounds, administrating oxygen, and administering CPR

2. Patient Care -- Provide excellent customer service and patient care during routine and non-routine transportation from one medical facility to another.

3. EMS -- Responded to every emergency situation according to EMS and hospital policy.

4. Emergency -- Rotated as a state-certified firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT) as assigned on an emergency fire-truck or ambulance.

5. Customer Service -- Maintained a quality, customer service oriented environment designed to provide protection and safety for personnel, property and assets.

Common Certifications For An Emergency Medical Technician

The Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification is most common among Emergency Medical Technicians. This certification is awarded by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. This certification is great to have as it shows an improvement in your competency to perform your role. You can earn this certification at the beginning of your career, as it often doesn't require a minimum education level and work experience. To become a certified Emergency Medical Technician with Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), You need to pass the exam. Lucky you - certification doesn't require more than two years of work experience. Renew certification every 2 year.